//------------------------------//
// Returning Home 
// Story: The Decline and Fall of West Equestria:  Twilight's Tale 
// by StormLuna 
//------------------------------//

Post-Negotiation Discussion

I still remember the afternoon after the agreement was signed.  While Celestia was happy to have freed me, I could sense her sadness as we stepped out onto what is now West Equestrian soil for the very first time.  While we began to discuss where we would head first, Canterlot or Ponyville, the three of us could hear Starlight and her guards laughing over this, I still remember Starlight's exact words, "I tell you, when Tia expelled me and I told her she would regret it, I never imagined I would triumph like this!"

I remember her guard replying, "Well you are a lot smarter than those princess ponies are!"  And what made me the maddest was when she laughed, "Well we were dealing with an overly emotional princess wanting her wannabe daughter back!"

Celesita sighed in frustration and I asked, "Celestia, are you ok?"

She replied, "Yes Twilight, I am ok.  I am just worried about how we are going to be received when we return to our hometowns."

Luna said, "Twilight, we don't think thou will have anything to worry about in Canterlot or Ponyville as thou wast the one who was captured.  Thou didst not sign away any land."

I asked, "What about you two?  How do you think you will be received?"

Celestia replied, "Well in Ponyville I don't think my sister or myself will have any problems but in Canterlot where the ponies are used to the finer things in life, we may not be so well received."

Luna added, "Especially if they have to cut back, which they likely will."

We all nodded at one another and took off towards Canterlot to address what would likely be an angry crowd.  Everypony in both West and East Equestria knew about the split and what the effects on them would be.   Ponies in the East will celebrate the Second Coming of their beloved Grand Mage while our citizens, especially those in Canterlot, will greet us with anger.





Return to Ponyville

Given that it was late in the day when we began our journey home, the three of us decided that we would return to Ponyville first instead.  We decided this for two reasons.  First, it had been over a year since I had seen my friends and second, we did not feel like dealing with an angry mob in the evening.

Just as it was time for Celestia to set the sun and for Luna to raise the moon, we arrived in Ponyville.  The town was abnormally quiet, it seemed too quiet.   As we landed I suggested, "Do you think it is so quiet here because everypony is inside trying to figure out what they are going to do now?"

Luna replied, "They could be.  If we were in their situation, we would be doing that."

As we headed into my castle it was dark, very dark.  It was the kind of dark that would make one feel very nervous.  Suddenly the lights came on and we heard a shout, "SURPRISE!"

I screamed a bit because I was startled but then I saw it was my friends and rushed to them.  We engaged in a group hug.  The first thing to say anything was Rarity, "Twilight darling, it is so good to have you back."

Fluttershy added, "We really missed you Twilight."

Rainbow asked, "What did she do to you Twi?  When are we going to go kick some serious flank?"

I replied, "Rainbow, we can't just go and do that.  If we do, we'd start a war and Starlight would likely take the whole continent."

Pinkie jumped on me and said, "Well all that matters is that our super-duper friend is back!  This calls for a party!"

I sighed, "I'm glad we're back together girls but this isn't really the time for a party.  The three of us are very tired and what happened today is nothing to celebrate, this was a huge loss on our parts."

Pinkie interrupted, "Aww...but we just want to celebrate having you back with us!"

Celestia said, "You know Twilight, maybe a party is what we need to clear our minds."

I replied, "Oh alright, maybe it will help."

While my friends and Celestia were having a good time, Luna seemed rather disinterested and I was quite worried.  I was not worried so much about the reaction of the ponies here in Ponyville, it was the ponies up in Canterlot that worried me, especially the wealthy ones.  I knew that they would be angry and would direct it towards Luna and Celestia.  One part of me worried that there may even be rebellions across the West.

I walked over to Luna and asked, "Princess Luna, I know you two are going back to Canterlot tomorrow.  I am worried about the type of crowd that you will face."

Luna replied, "We should be alright Twilight.  Thy princess of the night knows that she and her sister will likely be confronted with an angry crowd but we can handle it."

I asked, "Would you want me to join you two?  Do you think that maybe if I am there they will be less hostile?"

Luna replied, "We shall speak with our sister and see what she thinks.  We are most sure she will want thou to stay in Ponyville with thy friends but we'll see."

I asked, "Can we talk to her now about this?"

Luna sighed but agreed.  We walked over to Celestia and began to discuss things.  I voiced to her the same concerns I did Luna.  Unlike Luna though, Celestia thought it would be a good idea for me to join them.  She figured that perhaps if I greeted what would likely be an angry crowd first, that it would calm them down.

It was getting late and I shouted out, "Ladies, it is getting late."  This caused everypony to go silent and I continued, "I'm going to join the princesses up in Canterlot tomorrow when they address the crowd."

Applejack asked, "Twilight, don't y'all think you should address the ponies here in Ponyville first?  They've been awful worried about you."

I replied, "I know they have but I really want to be there for these two.  I'm sure the townsponies will understand."

My friends sighed in disappointment but knew that I was not going to change my mind on this.  After they left I asked, "Celestia, what time do you think we should leave tomorrow morning?"

Celestia replied, "Probably around 0400.  That way we can get there well before I have to raise the sun and hopefully before any crowds gather outside of the castle."

Luna added, "Yes, we do not wish to face an angry crowd, especially that early in the morning as we would find it most unpleasant."

We agreed on this and decided to turn in for the night.  We would wind up getting far less sleep than we should have gotten but we wanted to get to Canterlot early as we wanted to beat any crowds that may show up.