500 days, and she finally felt that she was ready. Twilight had asked everypony that she knew to help her with this. From Rarity, she had learned patience and forethought. With Spike, she had come to appreciate the value of the simpler things.
Rainbow Dash had taught her that speed had its place, and that there was value in being cautious. Pinkie Pie had given Twilight unpredictability and knowing when to subvert expectations. Applejack had given her the value of a good poker face, and Fluttershy had given her economy of motion. She had read countless books, too, but that was hardly unusual for Twilight, but she would need all the help that she could get.
But her search had not ended with just her best friends. She had asked anypony who was willing, and it had become something of a tradition now in Ponyville to sit with the Princess of Friendship if she wanted to see you for something. Establishing a whole new tradition in 500 days took a little doing, and absolute commitment, but Twilight Sparkle was nothing if not commited to whatever she set her mind to.
Her own brother had taught Twilight that having a strong offense was just as important as defense, Princess Cadence gave Twilight practice at hiding traps within traps, and what they looked like. And finally, Princess Celestia taught Twilight to keep her options open.
But she was ready. Finally, after over a year of practice and study, Twilight Sparkle was ready. She took a breath to steel herself, and sat down opposite Princess Luna, and asked her question.
“Would you like to play chess?”
Princess Luna considered the question. She, of course, had not been blind to Twilight’s efforts over the past year. It was difficult to not be, given Twilight’s close attachement to Celestia.
“Very well, Twilight,” said Princess Luna, a smile flitting across her face, “I shall play you, though I fear I may be slightly rusty.”
Twilight Sparkle smiled, and pulled out her chess set, laying out the peices. Luna requested to be black, and so Twilight Sparkle obliged her. After all, she had spent just as much time perfecting her strategies for either set. She made her first move with all the knowledge that the past 500 days had given her.
****
“Check, and mate, we believe.” said Princess Luna, four moves later. “HUZZAH!”
Twilight Sparkle stared at the board. Either she had made a grave miscalculation at Luna’s skill at chess, or Princess Celestia really had been telling the truth when she said that she wasn’t that good at chess, and Twilight had been using Princess Celestia’s skill to judge Princess Luna’s skill.
Twilight thought for a minute, decided that those two things were, in fact, one and the same, and fell off her cushion and started frothing at the mouth.