What Lies Past
“... And then I said, ‘That’s no miner—that’s my dad!’” Quartz finished.
Apt Drop and Flash Sentry smacked their forehooves against the table as they rode out their laughter. Precise Jot’s chuckles, interspersed with the occasional cough, rang out throughout the doughnut shop.
Twilight Sparkle found herself laughing, too.
“Oh, wow, Quartz,” Flash said, wiping a tear from his eye, “no wonder you aren’t allowed in Tall Tale anymore!”
Quartz grinned and crossed his forehooves behind his head. “The look on my dad’s face… If I hadn’t taken the fall for him, we might have had to explain more than just the cheese factory. Ah well. It was their loss!”
“Indeed it is.” Laughing again, Flash glanced at the stallions. “You never told me Quartz was such a comedian, Apt.”
“One of his many talents, sir,” Apt replied, taking a sip of his coffee.
Precise Jot picked up her own cup, which trembled slightly in her grip. “The most talented of Apt’s friends, Sir Flash Sentry. I’m glad my son picked a good one this time.”
Apt’s ears flattened as a blush sparked on his cheeks. “Mother, please…”
While the rest of the table erupted into chuckles at the blushing stallion’s expense, Twilight felt herself smile as she looked down at her saddlebags. Within waited another dusty tome—the only other book in the entirety of the Empire’s library that was written in Old Equestrian and had the quintessence scrawled amongst its pages. This one appeared to be as lengthy as its counterpart.
As the others began to settle down—Quartz sticking his tongue out at Apt, who received a raspberry in response—Twilight seized the opportunity to offer yet another thanks to her companions.
“Thank you all so much for helping Flash and I this morning. I’m sorry we forced you to open up on your day off. And that we took you from your rehearsal,” Twilight added, meeting Quartz’s eyes.
The aquamarine stallion smiled and ran a forehoof through his chestnut mane. “It was my pleasure, Your Highness,” he said with a bow of his head. “I’m just glad we were able to find what you were looking for.”
“That was all you were looking for, wasn’t it, Princess?” Apt interjected, obliviously relieved by the change of subject. “Just those two old books and the ones I gave you on crystals last Sunday, correct?”
Twilight nodded. “Correct. I haven’t finished with those, but will be sure to return them before—”
“Oh no, no, Your Highness!” Precise Jot dismissed that notion with a forehoof. “Please, keep the books as long as you need. Especially the two with that symbol—er, the ‘quincy,’ was it?”
“Quintessence. And thank you. I will make sure to return them in good condition once they are finished.” Twilight sparked her horn, then began to dig through her saddlebag. “That reminds me, actually. There was another reason I was wanting your help.”
As she trailed off, Donut Joe approached their table. “Princess Twilight, Sir Flash Sentry, honored guests, is there anything else I can get for you?”
Murmurs of polite refusal followed. Upon retrieving the algem from her saddlebags, Twilight answered him, “Actually, I was wondering if you could test something for me, Joe?”
Joe placed his forehoof over his heart and bowed slightly. “But of course, Your Highness! What would you like me to test?”
The others watched as Twilight turned towards Joe and levitated the crystal on its chain. The shopkeeper stared at the strange object as it hovered in front of him.
“I would like you to put this around your neck. Then, without sparking your horn, I want you to focus on levitating my cup of coffee.” Twilight tapped at the half-empty mug.
“Err…” Shrugging, Joe, slipped his head into the necklace. “S-sure, Your Highness,” he said, his brow furrowing. The white quartzite thumped against his thick neck as he stood up straight, then stared at the coffee cup.
“Your Highness?” Quartz pointed at the algem. “Er… Where did you get that?”
“From Lieutenant Shooting Star,” Twilight said.
Apt raised an eyebrow. “Of the Royal Guard? What does it do?”
“You’ll see,” Flash replied, his gaze focused on Joe, as was Twilight’s.
The table fell silent as Joe scrunched his snout, gritted his teeth, and closed his eyes. Drops of sweat trickled down his forehead and chin as he pointed—but did not spark—his horn at Twilight’s mug.
Nothing.
After about a minute, Joe opened his eyes and sighed. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I, uh, can’t seem to, er, move the cup...”
Twilight retrieved the algem and let it hover above the table. Just as I thought. I needed to test with a unicorn, though, because it could have been my own traces of pegasi and/or Earth pony magic that was blocking the algem’s abilities from activating. “Not a problem, Joe. Thank you for trying.”
Joe nodded and bowed. Once the others gave him their refusals for more doughnuts or coffee, he trotted off.
Grinning, Twilight moved the necklace towards Flash. “Flash, how about you? Could you try to move the cup without using your hooves?”
With a grin of his own, Flash replied, “Of course, Twilight.”
From the corner of her eye, Twilight saw the three Crystal ponies at the table exchange glances. She paid them no mind as she slipped the silver chain over Flash’s head. The gem made a pleasant tinkling noise as it settled against his armor.
Without direction, Flash turned his gaze towards Twilight’s lone cup. Twilight noted that Flash opened his wings as he lowered his head and closed his eyes in concentration.
Makes sense that he would do that. While unicorns channel their natural magical ability primarily through the horn, pegasi do it through their wings—specifically, their primary feathers. Earth ponies draw power from the Earth through their hooves. Unicorns and pegasi have enough magic in their hooves to hold things, but nothing like Earth ponies, especially those who live in a more natural environment—which is why many of them live in the countryside.
However— Twilight glanced up at the others, all of whom were watching Flash with rapt attention—I’m not too sure about Crystal ponies. It would only make sense that the magic is drawn through their hooves! But then, how would Amethyst be able to use the algem if he didn’t touch it?
As expected, Flash opened his eyes and groaned after a minute or so. The cup remained stationary. “Sorry, Twilight,” he said as he passed her the algem. “It’s not responsive to my magic, either.”
“Just as I suspected.” Twilight smiled at him before she turned to the others. I already know that Crystal ponies can use the algems, but that leaves one other group out of my testing. “Do you know if there are any Earth ponies around here? It’s a long shot, but—”
“What about those two over there?” Apt pointed behind her.
“Huh?” Twilight turned around.
At the rear of the shop, two Earth ponies sat together, their backs to her group as they ate over the counter. The two conversed over their box of donuts and large mugs of coffee. One was a cream-colored mare with a fiery mane, while the other was a stallion with a dusty yellow coat and an orange mane.
No way! It couldn’t be—
Apt threw a forehoof over his mouth. “Er! S-sorry for interrupting, Your—”
”Braeburn?”
Just as Twilight stood up, the Earth pony stallion glanced over his shoulder. A familiar Stetson hat sat on the counter, confirming her suspicions.
“It is you!” Twilight trotted over, the algem quickly looped over her own neck as she reached their table. Flash followed behind her. Apt, Quartz, and Precise Jot remained behind, sharing confused glances and equally confused shrugs.
Braeburn and his companion turned around. The mare gasped. Both hopped down from their stools, then bowed low as Twilight approached.
“Y-Y-Your Highness! Oh, it is an honor to meet you!” the mare exclaimed as she weakly rose, all four of her hooves trembling. “I just—I’d never thought—” she ran a forehoof through her mane—”oh, I’m such a mess! I-i-if I had known—”
“Citrus, settle down!” Braeburn half-hissed, half-chuckled, wrapping a forehoof around the mare’s neck as he stood tall—as tall as he could in his shaking horseshoes. “Er, forgive her, Princess Twilight! She’s jus’ a mite nervous ‘bout bein’ in the presence o’ such an important pony as yerself. Ah, heh, heh…”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s fine!” Twilight injected as much honey into her tone as she could in an attempt to outweigh the venom she heard in her own ears.
C’mon, they’re just being polite. Still, there’s a reason I keep the horseshoes and tiara back in my room… Ugh… Nevermind. Cut to it, quick, so they can go back to their lunch!
Citrus appeared no less starstruck when her eyes fell on the pegasus Royal Guard standing next to the mighty alicorn. She bowed again, making Braeburn yelp as she yanked him down. “Oh, and a G-Guard, too! Hello, s-sir!”
“Hello there,” Flash said, firm but gentle in the same tone. “I’m Sir Flash Sentry, Knight of the Royal Guard. And you two are Citrus and Braeburn, correct?”
“Yes, sir! Well, Braeburn Apple an’ Citrus Blossom, but that’ll work, heh, heh.” After helping Citrus to her hooves, Braeburn asked, “How can we help y’all, Yer Highness, Sir Flash Sentry?”
Brushing away her irritation—They’re just being polite, for pony’s sake!—Twilight levitated the necklace between the two. While both pairs of eyes widened, she said, “I’m looking for an Earth pony to do a quick experiment. All you have to do is put on the necklace, then try to, um—” she looked over at the counter—”lift Braeburn’s hat without using your hooves.”
Citrus Blossom’s eyes shined as she met Twilight’s gaze. “Like… using magic, Your Highness?”
“That’s the idea.” Twilight smiled. “Would you like to try?”
Biting her lip, Citrus nodded. Beside her, Braeburn offered Twilight and Flash a sheepish grin. Quickly lighting her horn, Twilight passed the algem over to the mare, where it settled against her fur.
“That looks mighty beautiful on you,” Braeburn said in a voice near a whisper, although Twilight heard it.
Finally, a normal couple! They look very happy together.
As Citrus closed her eyes and strained, facing the Stetson up on the counter, Twilight heard Quartz and Apt break out into laughter at their table.
Flash chuckled. “They really are quite the pair, aren’t they?”
“Who, sir?” Braeburn asked.
“Oh, just our two friends back there.” Flash nudged towards their table.
Braeburn followed Flash’s gaze, then smiled. “Sure does look like it, sir.”
While Citrus continued to struggle, her hooves digging into the checkered tiles, Twilight inwardly sighed. That wasn’t fair of me to say. Err, think. Because Apt and Quartz are very nice. They both helped Flash and I go through all of those books! Every single one, flipping through page after page, looking for Old Equestrian and the symbol! Took us almost eight hours, but we did it, and we wouldn’t have done it without their help! And Quartz’s stories are really funny… and they seem very happy…
Besides, another part of her argued, you were inches away from kissing Flash the other day, and that wasn’t very normal, now, was it?
I already told you—myself!—I’m not going to worry about that right now. I need to finish translating these books, learn what I need to about the Tree of Harmony and the Elements, maybe make some sense out of these “day, night, and serpent” stories, and then maybe even—
Citrus grunted. “Y-Y-Your Highness! I… I’m not—”
Twilight immediately grabbed the algem. “Oh, I’m sorry! You didn’t need to keep trying for that long! I’m sorry! I was spacing out there for a bit, heh, heh…”
Citrus rubbed at her forehead. “That’s alright, Princess! Heh, heh. Er, I don’t think I moved his hat, though…”
“You didn’t, but thank you for trying. And thank you for your time,” Twilight said with a nod. “We’ll leave you to your lunch. Sorry to disturb you!”
Both exclaimed their thanks and dismissals that their time had been wasted. Before Twilight and Flash returned to their table, however, the latter spoke up.
“Just a quick question for you two. What brings you to the Crystal Empire?” Flash asked.
Placing his Stetson back on his head, Braeburn replied, “Same things as everypony else, Sir Flash Sentry. Beautiful land, opportunities fer business—”
“We’re going to open a clothing store!” Citrus exclaimed, only to blush profusely and shrink in her seat a second later.
With a chuckle, Braeburn added, “That, an’, you know, the same things bringin’ everypony ta the North.”
The same things? But you’re an Earth pony mare and stallion! Unless… Maybe somepony doesn’t need to have a direct stake in Cadence’s little compromise to believe in it?
Although she wanted to ask the pair further questions, Flash Sentry had already thanked them and was leading her back to their table. Braeburn and Citrus gave them their privacy, though Twilight saw Citrus sneak one more glance before she turned back to their lunch.
“Didn’t work either, Your Highness?” Quartz finished the last of his coffee.
“Nope. Which leaves me with one last option.” And I know this one is going to work. “Can I get a volunteer?” Twilight added with a grin.
Apt raised his forehoof like an eager schoolcolt. “Ooh, Your Highness, I would—”
“I’ll do it, Your Highness.” Precise Jot leaned forward.
Apt crossed his forehooves across his chest and pouted playfully at his mother, who just rolled her eyes as she accepted the algem around her neck.
This time, Twilight observed the recipient intensely. Precise Jot made no similar movements to the other three who had failed this test, merely looking down at the coffee cup instead.
Within a few moments, a white aura spread from the algem resting against the elderly mare’s chest and engulfed the cup, making it levitate about an inch off the table. Apt gasped, Quartz looked on, fascinated, and Flash sent a smile Twilight’s way.
“Not just for Royal Guards, it seems,” Flash said.
“Indeed.” Twilight asked, “What does it feel like, Precise Jot?”
“A little warm, Your Highness,” Precise Jot said as she lifted the cup higher, then set it down on the table, “but nothing too bad. It’s quite easy. If I just think something—” the cup slid across the table to her son, then returned back to her—”it happens. And if I just think of stopping it—” the aura extinguished as the white quartzite fell still—”it does, just like that.
“Doesn’t surprise me, though. What surprises me, Your Highness, is that we have these again.”
“Yes, I thought they were very in—what?!”
Twilight’s shrill exclamation nearly made Precise Jot drop Twilight’s coffee, saved only at the last minute by her aura. All three Crystal ponies’ jaws fell varying degrees of agape.
“What do you mean again?! Why didn’t you say anything when I first pulled it out of my bag?!” Twilight was aware that she was shouting now, but was powerless in the face of her own misdirected frustration. She leaned up against the table, her forehooves bracing her as she looked down at the old mare.
The rustle of armor and wings beside her should have been an indication to stop, but Twilight was already assaulting Precise Jot with a barrage of questions.
“How do you know about this?!” Twilight waved the algem in her face. “How long have you had them?! How does it give you magic?!”
Flash hissed between his gritted teeth, ”Twilight—”
“Did Starswirl give you this?! Is that why his books are here?! I’ve read many books about Starswirl, and many by him, but nothing in Old Equestrian, except for translation guides to the new language he made! What else are you ponies hiding here?!”
“What do you mean, ’you ponies’?!”
Twilight froze.
Quartz trotted around the table to face Twilight, stepping in front of a terrified Precise Jot. “With all due respect, Your Highness, we are not you ponies. We have names. And what you’re holding, an algem, was, in fact, given to us by Starswirl the Bearded, long ago.”
“It was?” Apt rounded on Quartz. “I didn’t even know that! How did you and Mother know that, Quartz?”
“Because,” Quartz said, staring up at Twilight with ice in his words, “long ago, before it came, Starswirl the Bearded came to one of my plays. You weren’t there, Apt, because you were taking care of the Library, but she was.” He laid a forehoof on Precise Jot’s shoulder, making the mare jump. “You were there, too, don’t you remember, Miss Jot? The night that Starswirl the Bearded showed our company what he had been working on, as a way of thanking us for—”
“That’s… that’s right.” Avoiding Twilight’s confused glare, Precise faced Quartz. “That’s right! That’s where I had seen them from. I remember the little white crystals on the silver chain, but I didn’t remember Starswirl, or how they felt, or—”
“Hold on a second!”
What pulsed through Twilight was some median between anger and confusion. Whatever it was, it made her move from the table to the floor and come muzzle-to-muzzle with Quartz, wings flared, horn pointed downwards in an unconscious threat of challenge.
Quartz didn’t move a muscle, his gaze as steely as hers.
“So, this whole time, you three have known I’ve been looking for information about Starswirl, and you didn’t say anything about this? Anything at all?!” Twilight snorted hotly.
By now, Donut Joe, Braeburn, and Citrus—thankfully the only other patrons present in this mess of a moment—were glued to the scene. Twilight paid them no mind, nor did she react when Apt came to Quartz’s side and attempted to pull the stallion away.
Nor did she react when Flash Sentry, his own wings flared, came up beside her and said, quietly but firmly, “Twilight, please calm down.”
“Because, Princess—” Quartz sneered—”how are we to know if you allied with what Starswirl was trying to accomplish, or if you are aligned with those who succeeded in destroying those accomplishments and burying them here?”
Twilight recoiled at his words, her blank mind filling with one thought:
... What Starswirl was trying to accomplish?
Even as Apt threw his forehooves around Quartz’s thick neck, the larger stallion took a step towards her, his bright eyes darkening as they narrowed. “Princess Cadence may be on the right side of love, but what about you, Princess Twilight?”
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Twilight’s hooves scrambled for purchase as Flash stepped in front of her.
“Quartz, back off,” Flash growled. “I may agree with you, but that gives you no right to talk to her that way!”
Standing in front of Twilight, wings fully flared, Flash continued, “Hiding from the truth won’t solve anything. We came to you three for help because we trust you. Don’t break that trust over something that wasn’t Twilight’s doing.”
Though his words were meant to bring comfort to both her aggressor and Twilight herself, she felt them cut like a knife through her core.
Hiding from the truth won’t solve anything.
Quartz’s open jaw slammed shut. Apt pulled him back and stepped to meet Flash in the middle, shaking his head vigorously.
“I am so, so, so sorry, Princess Twilight, Sir Flash Sentry! I—I don’t know what—”
Twilight slipped around Flash. “N-no, I’m sorry, Apt.” She continued, voice near a whisper, “Quartz is r-right. I… I know you don’t trust me. None of you do. Not like you trust Cadence.”
Twilight swept her gaze around the shop. Braeburn and Citrus spun back in their seats, while Donut Joe busied himself with the cash register.
I bet even you three don’t. That’s why you’re so cordial with me—because you’re afraid.
… Is everypony afraid of Celestia and Luna, too? Do they think they’re monsters or something?
Do they think I am one, too?
Sighing, Twilight shook her head. “I’m sorry for getting angry. I’m sorry for taking it out on you three.” She mustered a smile towards the old mare. “Thank you for testing this, Precise Jot. I have only one more experiment to perform, and then I will leave you three alone. I’m going home in two weeks, anyway.”
Apt frowned. “Princess Twilight—”
In a flick of her horn, Twilight threw the algem around Apt’s neck. “See if you can lift something with it.”
Apt appeared to swallow his objections, then turned to the coffee mug on the table, closing his eyes and bracing his hooves. Behind him, Quartz glared at Twilight, his expression only softening when Flash shot him a glare back.
Guilt churned in Twilight’s stomach, a poor match for her half-dozen doughnuts. She pushed the welling of anxious nausea in her throat aside to wait for Apt, who, despite his strain and little grunts of effort, could not move the cup.
“I thought so.” In another flick of magic, Twilight retrieved the algem. “Thanks, Apt. I suspected the algems would be tied to an individual Crystal pony. The only other thing I can think of is breaking one and seeing if it will still work.”
“It will,” Quartz said with a gruff snort. “The algems will work for their bearer no matter how small they become.”
Twilight nodded. “Good to know, thank you.” She sighed again and slung her saddlebags over her back. “C’mon, Flash, let’s go.”
While Precise Jot and Apt Drop bowed and thanked her, Quartz remained as grateful as a statue. He did, however, thank Flash when the others did. Twilight tried not to let that sting as they started out of the shop.
They reached the door as Quartz called out, “Hey, Sir Flash Sentry?”
Flash slowly turned around. “Yes, Quartz?”
“How were the Northern Lights, sir?”
Twilight looked up at Flash, wide-eyed.
That was their idea?
“They were beautiful,” Flash replied. “Thank you. And thank you, Apt, for telling me about them.”
Quartz wrapped a forehoof around Apt and hugged him sideways. “Good to hear, Sir Flash Sentry. We thought so too.”
Flash smiled. “Glad to hear.”
That was their idea… To tell Flash… And then he… And I…
And I called them abnormal, and looked down at them, and thought they were better off without each other…
Oh, Galaxia, I’m a hypocrite.
The jingling of the shop’s bell was the last thing Twilight heard before the roar of her own thoughts filled her ears.
I’m a hypocrite, and all they ever tried to do was help.
… What have I done?
~
Four books rotated in a circle in front of Twilight. One translation guide, Starswirl’s two ancient tomes, and her own notebook. Embraced by her purple aura, they spun in their steady loop around her, round and round, until their words were as meaningless as the stars outside her window.
Twilight lay on her back on the floor in the middle of her room. Although padded by a white plush carpet, she could still feel the crystal beneath. She shivered.
The algem and torchgem joined the books in their dance. Midnight chimed on the clock on the wall. Another dinner tray, brought by Flash, who had tried to cheer her up, sat untouched on her desk. The multiple mugs of coffee were cold with neglect, only a single sip taken from one of them.
Twilight closed her eyes. Her mind drifted to more of the passages in the first book.
Not until the great meeting of the tribes did the day and night meet in the sky. They came to the great establishment from a land far lost and met with those of horn, wing, and hoof. The day and night demonstrated their power before the three. The three then asked the day and night to stay and rule over their skies, for they were more powerful than the six of horn. The day and night agreed.
The three began to build a castle for the day and night, while the day and night began to drive the beasts from the forest. It was not long before the three came to know the serpent, who was both of the forest and of a land far lost.
The serpent was a trickster. The serpent ate the crops of the hoof, hid in the clouds of the wing, and stole the knowledge of the horn. The three came to hate the serpent, and came to the day and night to stop him. The day and night soon found that the serpent was not without hurt, and only wanted to play with the three.
The day held no remorse towards the serpent, though the night did not feel the same. The serpent charmed both day and night, though the skies themselves were not pleased with him. But at the great meeting of the skies in the horizon, there came a new dawn, and the serpent was welcomed into the forest. Then, the night came to know the serpent, but not as the day knew him.
Everything continued to spin as Twilight’s horn pulsated. She closed her eyes again, the words drifting in and out of her mind’s eye:
The three lived amongst each other, but little else. Those of hoof, loved of hoof. Those of wing, loved of wing. Those of horn, loved of horn. For the old world knew that same needed same. Such was the reason for those of hoof, of wing, and of horn, instead of all three, as the day and night were.
But as time passed, the day and the night knew the old world could not persist forever. Even the serpent could see that the old would eventually come to pass. And so there came the day, after the great meeting of the skies, when the day and night came to the mage.
The mage was of the old world, but had a heart for learning. The day and night sent the mage throughout the land, speaking to those of hoof, of wing, and of horn. The day and night encouraged the mage to cross all edges of the land, in search for others who lived and loved in the old world.
It was then that the mage found the frozen north, and those of gem, who lived in a manner far different than those of the forest and its surrounding establishment did…
The books and crystals spun at full speed now. Multicolored blurs passed around Twilight as she opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. Sweat dripped down her face and mane in spite of the remaining winter.
Serpent… Day… Night… Mage… The three…
“How could I have been so blind?” Twilight whispered.
About as blind as I was—as I am—to my own hypocrisy.
Twilight growled. “Shut up.”
Make me.
The whir of the endless dance around her drowned out Twilight’s rebuttal. She shook her head again and sighed, closing her eyes as she concentrated on her aura.
Slowly, the books and gems began to slow their cycle. Now, they only drifted around Twilight in a taunting tango, mocking her with their objections to reality and history and morality and truth. Some of those same objections burned in Twilight’s own heart, but she did her best in this moment to focus outside of herself.
Discord, Celestia, Luna. The three tribes. The Everfree Forest. The Castle of the Ancient Pony Sisters. Starswirl the Bearded. The Crystal Empire.
It’s all a parable. A parable for something he didn’t want the outside world to see. The rest of Equestria to see. That must be why it’s in old Equestrian—and why it was hidden here.
Quartz’s words rang in her ear despite her desires.
Were these books buried here? Have they been purposefully hidden? Maybe Starswirl did it himself. After all, the Starswirl the Bearded Wing back in the Canterlot Archives is full of books and spells he deemed too dangerous for the general populace to see, or for him to even finish. That spell of his I finished was one of those. So maybe this knowledge was hidden here on purpose. Or maybe even by accident. Sombra did put the whole kingdom under a curse at the last moment, for a thousand years…
On the other hoof, if this is just something Starswirl wanted to hide, why is it not known in any other history book? Nothing in our books says that Discord lived with Celestia and Luna. The books just say that he caused ponies pain and grief, so Celestia and Luna used the Elements of Harmony on him.
Speaking of which…
Twilight plucked her notebook from the calm circle and opened it a few pages back. Here she had jotted down more of the translated text.
In the heart of the forest, the mage found a tree of crystal. Upon the tree were the marks of the day and night, though the day and night knew not of the tree. Twelve branches grew from the tree. In its center was a six-pointed star, which was the mark of none in the land. The serpent looked upon the tree in awe along with the mage, who then showed the day and night.
Twilight had done her best to replicate Starswirl’s drawing of the tree, which was unmistakably the Tree of Harmony. Starswirl went on to write:
In time, the mage found that only the day and the night could wield all six crystals from the tree. The serpent could wield only one, as could the mage, and the day and night could wield three by themselves. The mage sensed immense power in the crystals of the tree, and determined that they were to be used only in times of great calamity.
Twilight took a deep breath. The circle above her fell to a halt. The books and crystals drifted back to their proper places before she extinguished her horn at last.
She should have been pacing, muttering to herself, dancing a little jig, jumping for joy, weeping in sorrow, screaming in frustration—something, anything in response to this bounty of revelations, many more of which she had yet to discover and comprehend between those pages.
Instead, Twilight Sparkle stared up at the ceiling, forehooves folded across her stomach. She felt as empty as it did, rumbling to a master who didn’t bother getting up to feed it.
She closed her eyes, then opened them as the faintest of knocks sounded at her door.
Twilight sighed. “Come in.”
Twilight didn’t need to look up or turn around to know who it was.
Cadence yawned, closed the door, then joined her on the floor, stretching out on her back.
“Hey,” Cadence said, looking over at her.
“You didn’t soundproof the room.”
“Should I?”
Twilight shrugged.
“I see.”
Silence.
“Let me guess.” Twilight sighed heavier than ever. “Quartz, Apt Drop, and Precise Jot came by earlier to apologize.”
“Mmhmm.”
“Shining’s super worried about me and wanted to come up here. Only, you told him that I needed my space.”
“Mmhmm.”
“And other than Flash dropping my dinner off and failing to get me to talk, nopony has dared to come knock on my door. Except for you.” Twilight finally rolled over to look Cadence in the eye. “Because it’s always you, doing this.”
Cadence met her gaze, then sighed. “I never meant to hurt you, Twilight. If there had been any other option than to involve you, I—”
“Do you know what the worst part of all of this is for me, Cadence?”
“What?”
Twilight rolled onto her back again. “I don’t know who to believe. I don’t know if my parents, my brother, my teachers, and my mentor taught me the truth, or they force fed me a lie. I don’t know if you’re on the right side of the truth, or if you’re just forcing some perversion down my throat. I don’t know if Clover and Orion are on the right side of love, or if Apt and Quartz are, or if even I am. I don’t know if my feelings for Flash are the product of some mistake in my thinking, or my raising, or just a passing feeling, or something worth pursuing, or something neutral or good or bad—”
Twilight paused only for breath. “I don’t know why Starswirl’s two books, written in a dead language, are here, when the Crystal Empire was gone to a curse for a thousand years. I don’t know why the books talk about Celestia and Luna and Discord and Starswirl and the founding of Equestria and the Tree of Harmony in this sort of code, or what they’ll talk about next. I don’t know whether Quartz and Precise Jot were telling the truth, or whether Starswirl gave the Crystal ponies the algems, and, if so, why. I don’t know why I was never taught any of this, and what that means, if it is true.
“And, most of all, I don’t know what answer to give you, Cadence. I don’t know whether to oppose the Order or uphold it. I simply don’t know.”
“I don’t know anything. And the worst part is… I don’t feel anything about not knowing anything.”
Cadence looked up at the ceiling alongside Twilight. She let the silence sing between them for a moment, then said, “You do feel something, Twilight. The problem is that you feel everything at once, and since you don’t know which feeling to focus on first, it all blurs into a jumbled mess. It’s easier to block it out than deal with it all, so that’s why you feel the nothing first.”
Twilight chuckled. “I guess that’s a better way of explaining it.”
“I’ve been there before. It’s not a fun feeling.”
“Nope.”
Silence again.
“I can’t give you the answers to all your questions,” Cadence began, “but I can tell you something.” She crossed her forehooves over her chest. “I… I think I was too harsh on you, asking you for an answer and only giving you a short time to do it. I don’t think it would be right of me to expect you to come up with an answer in the two weeks you have left before you have to go back to Canterlot. Nor would it be fair.”
Twilight bit her lip. “I… suppose that is a fair assessment.”
“I plan on confronting Celestia and Luna the evening after the Grand Galloping Gala. The Gala is one of the biggest events of the year, and breaching the subject before then would not be a good idea. Any sliver of positive reception I might receive will be overshadowed by Celestia and Luna’s stress over the preparations. That gives you a little under two months from the time you get back to think it over.”
Twilight fidgeted with her forehooves. “I guess that could work…” Though I doubt I will need that long.
If what Cadence says is true, I’m sure I will decide before then.
If.
“Until then, these last two weeks…” Cadence turned over on her side to face Twilight, offering her a smile. “Let’s just relax, okay? No more arguing, no more high-pressure conversations, and, most importantly, no more studying.” A swift sweep of blue magic closed the open books on the desk. “You have the resources you need, and Apt and Precise Jot are more than happy to let you borrow them for as long as you want. For now, why not enjoy the Empire a little more? I know that Shiny has wanted to spend some more time with you, and I’ve been missing my favorite sister-in-law.”
Finally, Twilight rolled over onto her side and smiled up at her. “I’m your only sister-in-law, Cadence.”
Cadence gently poked Twilight’s snout. “Well, if I had a thousand, you would still be my favorite.”
At that, Twilight answered not with words, but with her hooves. Cadence embraced her, nuzzling Twilight’s mane.
“Everything will be alright,” Cadence whispered, running a forehoof down Twilight’s back.
“I sure hope so,” Twilight whispered back.
Cadence lifted her chin. “I’m sure it will. And even after you leave here, I’m only a flight, a train, or a letter away, okay?”
“... Okay.”
After one last hug, Cadence pulled away and added with a cheeky grin, “Although, someday, you’ll have to tell me about what happened during the Aurora Borealis.”
“Cadence...”
“If you want to. It sure was beautiful, wasn’t it?”
Twilight couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, it was.”
“Good.” Cadence rose to her hooves. “I’ll leave you be. It’s late. If you need me, just knock on my door.”
“Will do.” Twilight stood up as well, yawning.
“Goodnight, Twilight.”
“Goodnight, Cadence.”
Before Cadence left, she blew out the candle burning to a stump on the desk.
Darkness billowed through Twilight’s room. She embraced it, wrapping herself in the night along with her sheets and blankets as she curled up in her bed. Through her wall, she heard Flash snoring, and smiled.
The last thing she thought as she closed her eyes was the Northern Lights, and the way Flash’s wing felt as it wrapped around her.
She clung to her blankets, then fell into a deep sleep.
~
“... Mmmmrgh?”
“Shhhhh.” Kicking off her horseshoes, Cadence smiled down at her half-awake husband. Once she placed her tiara on the nightstand, she crawled into bed beside him, wrapping her forehooves around his barrel. “It’s just me, Shiny. Go back to sleep.”
“... Mmmmrgh, too late.” One eye open, Shining embraced her in return, pulling her close.
Cadence sighed as she laid her head against his chest. “Sorry.”
Shining yawned. “Were you talking to Twilight?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Ah.” Both of Shining’s eyes were now wide open. “And?”
“... I told her that it wasn’t fair of me to put so much pressure on her, and that she has until the Gala to make a decision.”
Shining shifted his position. “Sounds reasonable.”
Cadence nodded against his chest.
Shining stroked her mane. “What do you think she’ll decide?”
Cadence looked up at him and grinned. “If her interactions with Flash are any indicator… I think she’ll figure it out.”
Shining visibly stiffened. “Cadence…”
“I know, Shining, I know. And I’ve kept that in mind, as well. But remember what we talked about… I think it will all work out in the end, even if our approaches differ.”
“I just don’t want him to get hurt.”
“And I don’t want that either. But I also don’t think that Twilight can be wholly objective about this. Or that she should be.”
“Many ponies respond better to objective facts than subjective experience.”
Cadence cocked an eyebrow at him. “Since when did you start talking like that?”
Shining laughed. “Where do you think she gets it from?”
Cadence snorted. “I suppose.”
“Anyway,” Shining said, bringing his muzzle down to rest atop hers, “maybe I’m wrong. Maybe your way is better. But either way, I don’t want them to get hurt. I don’t want either of them to suffer for this. Especially Flash. Other than this recent… thing, he’s been a great Guard. He’s good at it. He has a future in it, if he wants to. I recognized that. Hay, even Ironhoof recognized that. I just… I just don’t want him to lose it all.”
In the darkness, Cadence grinned, bright and triumphant. “You’re already thinking of him like a little brother, aren’t you?”
Shining snorted. “Not exactly.”
“Suuure.”
“Just a friend looking out for another friend. Which is what I hope Twilight and Flash can approach Celestia and Luna as.”
“... I think that ship has already sailed, Shiny. But in case it hasn’t, that will work, too. I’m sure Twilight will go to her friends about this, anyway.”
“... You think that’s a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Maybe her friends won’t react as warmly as she thinks they will. Just like she didn’t react the way that I expected.”
The pain in his voice was masked by a yawn, but Cadence saw right through it. She nuzzled his chest and held him tight in response. “She’ll come around, Shiny. And I’m sure she’s not the only one of her friends who questions this. They’re a bright bunch. At the very least, they’ll bounce some good ideas around.”
Shining sighed. “I sure hope so.”
A warm blanket of silence fell over the both of them until Shining’s snores filled Cadence’s ears. She rested her head against his chest, right above his heart, letting its strong beat lull her to sleep.
Along the way, Cadence thought of his words, and the argument that they had had a little over two weeks ago. Only time would tell which one of their approaches was correct, but, in the end, she hoped for both Twilight and Flash’s sake that what Shining Armor had said would not come to pass.
Nevertheless, if it did, Cadence had a home for one or both of them here in the Crystal Empire, and intended to keep it that way.
Cadence, the pegasus who became an alicorn, fell asleep to the heartbeat of the one unicorn who had been allowed to love her, and hoped with all her heart Twilight Sparkle would not have to be as lucky as she had been.