//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: The Phoenix Tear 
// by CartoonNerd12 
//------------------------------//

The dream came back and Twilight was tossing and turning. It was the same dream, all right, that she had for as long as she remembered, but something was different this time. The lantern that had the orange and red sun cutie mark was lifted high into the sky, but it was met with a lantern that had her own cutie mark on it. The two lanterns collided and they lit up the whole sky. The light was so intense in her dream that Twilight squirmed in the bed and her back legs ended up kicking Flash out of their bed.

Flash woke up with a startle and looked up to see his wife tossing under the sheets, "Twilight! Twilight, wake up!"

She gasped, sat up, and found her husband lying on the floor, "Flash? What are you doing out of bed?"

"Funny you should say that, since you were the one who kicked me here."

"I did? Oops…" she went pink.

"What happened? Was it a bad dream?"

"No, it was…" But she wasn't sure she should say, since she hadn't told her sisters or parents about this recurring dream. It was mainly because she knew it would go away, but it was strange how the dream would suddenly add something. She certainly didn't end up kicking her husband out the bed for the past twelve years of their marriage, so she ended up telling him.

Flash thought through the information his wife was telling him, "So… this dream started when you were a little filly and it only happens around the time of your birthday, but once your birthday is over, it goes away until the next year?"

"Right."

"Why didn't you ask your Aunt Luna? She's the keeper of dreams."

"I would have, but then I didn't want her to tell Mom and Dad and find that there might be something wrong with me… The dream only lasts until my birthday and then it's gone for a whole year."

"But you have no clue as to what it means?"

"Not a single one."

"Hmm… Maybe I could find what it means while you're preparing for your coronation."

"Ugh, don't remind me. I have to meet with Kibitz, Mother's scheduling advisor, first thing in the morning because he'll give me the protocol of what a queen must do and what I have to do when preparing for my coronation after the Summer Sun Celebration…"

"Then we best get back to sleep before-"

"Mommy? Daddy?"

They turned to see their daughter Starling, looking scared and worried.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Twilight questioned and went to pick up her little girl.

"I can't sleep. I think there's a monster under my bed…"

"What makes you say that?" Flash said as he took their daughter from Twilight and set her down on the bed.

"I heard a 'rawrr' sound. I'm pretty sure a monster was there under the bed, waiting to grab me in my sleep!"

"I'm pretty sure you've been spending too much with your brother telling those scary stories…" pointed Flash.

"And that 'rawrr' you heard was Uncle Spike's stomach in the other room. He tends to get hungry in the middle of the night."

"Are you sure? Really sure?" Starling whimpered.

"We're sure. Now, why don't you go back to your own bed and let Mommy and Daddy sleep in their bed?" Flash gestured.

"Aww, can't I stay here with you?" she used her big blue eyes.

Flash knew he had to stay strong, but whenever he looked at that adorable face, he knew he couldn't resist. Finally, he broke down and said, "Oh, why not? We could always use the company…"

Twilight shook her head. She knew they shouldn't be mollycoddling their daughter like this, but since it was so late, she decided not to put up a fight. Besides, it was only for one night.

The next morning had arrived and just after Twilight finished breakfast, Kibitz had her on her feet and was keeping track of the time with his pocket watch and a list of things that needed to be done before the day was up.

Twilight was standing on a platform as royal seamstresses were fitting her in a pink and white gown that she would be wearing at the coronation.

Kibitz started to fret a bit, "Oh, dear, we're running behind! We only have twenty, maximum twenty-two minutes for your royal fitting! Then we must move on to have tea with your parents! After that, we have to rush and rush to your lessons…"

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer was busy as well, doing her chores that Starlight assigned to her before she left, which seemed to be more than usual. No doubt it was punishment for considering leaving this place.

Twilight was feeling overwhelmed and so as Kibitz was still listing off the things they needed to do, she slipped away quietly. Once she was out of earshot of him, she started singing, "All my life, I've always wanted to have one day just for me… Nothing to do and for once nowhere I need to be… With no lessons, lords, or lunches or to-do list in the way! No one to say when to eat or read or leave or stay! That would be the day…"

Sunset sang as she did her chores, "All my life, I've always wanted to have one day for myself… Not waking up with a pile of work on every shelf! With no hems in need of pressing… And no shelves in disarray… No dust, dirt, or anything filthy to sweep away! And no debt to pay!" She sighed, "What would it be like to be…"

Twilight sang, "What would it be like to be…"

"Free!"

"Free! Free to try crazy things!"

"Free from endless IOU's!"

"Free to fly!"

"Free to sing!"

Twilight looked down in the window to see her husband playing with their children, looking like they were having fun, "And be with those I love…"

Suddenly, a guard came in saying, "Your Highness, these packages came in for you. Where should we put them?"

"Oh, just… put them over somewhere. I'll look at them later."

The guard nodded as delivery ponies came in with gifts.

She sang, "You would think that I'm so lucky that I have so many things… I'm realizing that every present comes with strings!"

Sunset sang while washing dishes with Sugar Belle in the kitchen, "Though I know I have so little… My determination's strong! Ponies will gather around the world to hear my song!"

Sugar Belle sang, "Can I come along?"

Twilight then sang while heading towards the balcony, "Now I fear I'll never be…"

Sunset sang while heading to her tower room, "Soon I will forever be…"

They both sang at the same time, "Free! I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away… I could take flight but would it be right… My conscience tells me stay!"

Twilight sang, "I'll remain forever royal…"

"I'll repay my lifelong debt!"

Both sang, "Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret!"

"But I'll never stop believing!" Twilight sang.

Sunset sang, "She can never stop my schemes!"

They finished, "There's more to living than gloves and gowns and threads and seams! In my dreams… I'll be free!"

Sunset yawned when she finished shelving the books in the manor's library. Night Gilder came in and noticed, "Tired?"

"A little." Sunset admitted.

"From the extra chores?"

"Yeah." She was partially telling the truth, but she was mostly tired because she had a rough night from the dream she had every year before her birthday. The reason she knew about the day of her birth was because Starlight found a note in her basket from when Sunset was a foal. This note had the filly's name and birthday on it. This time, the dream was different. Yes, it had the flying lanterns and the strange cutie mark that was not her own, but in the dream last night, she saw a lantern with her cutie mark and it was colliding with the lantern that had the twelve-pointed star. There was a bright light that made Sunset squirm in the bed and was forced to wake up.

"Well, if you need any help, you know where to find us." Night Glider took her leave.

Sunset knew she had some time before waking up Starlight for dinner. She headed outside to the stables, where she found Troubleshoes and his small gypsy wagon that was big enough for him.

She called out to him, "Troubleshoes!"

Troubleshoes poked his head out the door and said in a somber tone, "Oh, Miss Sunset Shimmer…"

She gave him a small smile and said, "How you doing?"

"Can't complain… Got some hot cider on the stove… You want some?"

"No, thanks. I'm going to have dinner soon. I was just wondering what it is like when you take Starlight to the next town. I long to know what goes on away from this place."

"Not much to say… Just ponies going about their business while I wait for the mistress to do her business…"

"What's the town you go to?"

"You mean towns. The mistress has me stopping at other places…"

"She does?"

"Yup. Appleloosa, Dodge Junction, Ponyville, Canterlot…"

"Canterlot?"

"It's a city that's attached to a mountaintop."

Her eyes gleamed, recalling that she was making a painting of a castle attached to a mountain. Maybe it meant something and could be a clue to her dream. She quickly asked, "Troubleshoes, is it possible for you to take me there?"

"I would, Miss Sunset, but aren't you supposed to stay here under the mistress's orders?"

She sighed, "Yes…" But suddenly, she had an idea and she looked up to Troubleshoes, "I'll be right back." She went back inside.

Twilight was in her parents' royal suite as her mother was teaching her the art of the fan, but Twilight wasn't putting much effort into it.

Celestia noticed and asked, "Darling? Is everything alright?"

"Hm? Oh… I'm sorry, Mother… I'm just… feeling nervous, I guess…"

Celestia gave a small smile and wrapped her wing around her youngest, "Darling… it's going to be fine… You will make a wonderful queen…"

"I know you think that, but what if something goes wrong? I could ruin everything that you and Daddy have worked so hard on!" She turned to face a portrait of her father having his coronation. Then next to it, a portrait of her parents' wedding. Finally, it was just a portrait of the two of them, with single portraits of her sisters in their birth order. She found hers and tried to picture the coronation crown atop her head, but couldn't.

"Sweetie…" she felt her mother's hoof on her, "I have seen you make choices and they are always the correct ones. You have a good head on your shoulders. You don't need to worry about leading the kingdom to its destruction."

"But… I disobeyed you when we were supposed to have marry other royals…"

"But you followed your heart, and that was making the right choice, if even it seemed that it wasn't at the time… Now you see what I'm trying to say?"

She nodded her head.

"I think that's enough queen lessons for the day. Go and enjoy yourself, talk to your sisters, play with your children…" she smiled.

Twilight gave her a hug before turning to go out.

Sombra had walked in from the next room and overheard everything, "It seems our sweet Twilight is having doubts…"

"Every new ruler feels that way… You told me yourself that when your father gave you the throne, you were worried that you would not earn the ponies' approval."

"That was so long ago… and yet, I remember it well…"

Celestia nodded, "I remember when Star Swirl had crowned me and Luna as Princesses and protectors of Equestria. I was so sure I was going to let the ponies down and that I would fail to protect them from harm…"

Sombra shook his head and nuzzled his wife's head, "Well, you certainly proved yourself wrong there…"

She giggled and then went to the nightstand to pull out two music boxes, giving her husband one of them.

"It really was such a wonderful anniversary present…" Celestia opened her box and it started playing while golden figures of her and her husband twirled.

Sombra opened his and the music started playing. They both started to sing, "Constant as the stars above… Always know that you are loved… And my love shining in you will help you make your dreams come true… Will help make your dreams true… Will help your dreams come true…" They stared at each other lovingly before they went in for a kiss.