//------------------------------// // 396. Compass by Jonesly // Story: The Sun and the Stars: A Twilestia Prompt Collab // by Fuzzyfurvert //------------------------------// by Jonesly *** It was a quiet night in a castle on the outskirts of a small town in central Equestria. A single light was burning in the castle that had sprung up years ago. At a small table two mares were sitting over a pot of tea. Celestia put down her cup and sighed. “I wish you weren’t leaving, Twilight.” Twilight buried her muzzle in her teacup for a moment. When she looked up, her gaze was determined. “I… I know… but I feel like I need to. I mean, who am I? I’ve never been me without you. Who am I without you? My whole life has been defined in relation to you. I’ve been your student, your protege and now your junior princess. Maybe out there beyond the borders I can just be me. I don’t know who that mare is, but I think it’s important that I find out.” Celestia lifted a small box in her magic and floated it across the table. “Take this, please.” “What is it?” Twilight asked as she opened the box. Nestled inside was a small golden compass. “A compass? How lost do you think I’m going to get?” “It’s a special compass. It points home. No matter how far you travel, it will always point home.” Twilight took the compass and looked at it, her eyes followed the point of the needle, it pointed towards the larger pony in front of her. She looked passed her Princess. “It’s pointing towards the center of town, it must be calibrated to Ponyville proper, not just my castle here.” Celestia smiled softly, her eyes shining. “It must be. Please Twilight, stay safe.” They talked deep into the night, but when the dawn broke, Celestia returned to Canterlot and Twilight set out to leave Equestria and explore the world. It had been almost three years. Twilight Sparkle had traveled far from her homeland. The first two years of her travels she had been busy. As she darted across the globe, going from here to there, she’d often get caught up in the sights and sounds. She’d gasp at the grandeur of a waterfall cascading down into a canyon so deep the bottom was difficult to see from the top. She’d gawk as she traveled through a forest of trees so large, they made the forests of Equestria look like children’s models. She climbed mountains without using her wings, just so she could say that she’d done it. People and cultures she’d only read of in books welcomed her and taught her everything she desired to know about their history. Many times when she’d discover something incredible, she would catch herself reaching for her compass. In her third year away, she started to slow down. She kept travelling and discovering, but she could not shake the feeling that something was missing. This had brought her to this final month in her travels where she’d stopped in a backwater town in an island nation of Foxes. Now she sat in an inn, staring at her compass with a supper of noodles in a spicy broth. She idly spooned some up to let it trickle back into the bowl. Her eyes tracking the needle as it wiggled slightly. It had been wavering lately. Twilight almost wondered if its enchantment was dying. Twilight sighed. “Maybe I should go home. I’m not finding anything out here. I mean it’s all so very interesting, but… it’s so hollow without someone to share it with. I miss…” “What do you miss?” It was a voice she’d often heard in her dreams and memories. “I miss you.” Twilight said absently before she jerked around to face the voice. Standing at the door to the inn was Princess Celestia. She moved over to Twilight’s table and took a seat across from her. “I missed you too.” “Princess Celestia? What? You’re here? Why?” Twilight’s eyes were wide with shock. “I came looking for you.” Celestia said simply. Twlight smiled. “I guess I mean how? You’re the Princess! Shouldn’t you be Princessing?” Celestia shrugged. “Cadance staged a coup. I’m no longer a Princess of Equestria.” Twilight boggled. “What?” “I paraphrase a little here, ‘You’re no longer fit to rule our country, you’ve lost touch with the world. Blah blah blah something about kings and successions and being caught unawares… Yadda yadda yadda. Go find that which connects you to life itself, We banish you. Get out and don’t come back… without her.’” Celestia recited in a deadpan tone. “What.” “Luna’s idea, apparently, but coming from a more liked usurper and instead of eternal night, eternal love… something or other, I didn’t really pay attention. All I know is that they both showed up one morning and kicked me out of Equestria.” “What?” Celestia smirked. “Why Twilight, whatever happened to your vocabulary? There are other words in Equish.” Twilight shook herself. “Well ok, but how did you find me? We’re a long, long way from Equestria.” Celestia levitated a silver compass out of her saddlebag and laid it on the table next to Twilight’s golden one. It’s needle pointed straight at Twilight. Twilight stared at it. “You have a compass tracking me?” “No. I have a compass that points to my heart. You have my heart Twilight, I’ve just followed it, for once.” Celestia timidly looked for a reaction to this statement. Twilight wordlessly stood up and picked up her own compass. The needle was pointing at Celestia. She moved around the table, the needle remained locked on Celestia. “But, but, you said it pointed home!” “Home is where the heart is? The enchantment has always pointed to the place you feel is home. For me, it points to you… apparently your compass reciprocates that feeling.” Twilight’s face took on a contemplative tilt. “Well now, that puts a whole new light on things. How utterly fascinating. Now this is worth exploring. Care to join me?” Celestia smiled in relief. “I’m yours Twilight. For now and for always.”