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// Ch 6: The Art of Passing Time 
// Story: Equestria's Mark 
// by MasterZadok 
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Chapter 6
The Art of Passing Time


When I was just a wee laddie, one of the most magical places I knew of was the old replica of a an old west Main Street in the High Desert Museum. It was a fantastic collection of vintage paraphernalia, filled with enough analog bronze and brass technology to make a young steampunk swoon. But it actually wasn’t the replica bank or the sheriff's office that caught up my tender little imagination; it was the hidden speakers behind the facade. Because that’s where things were moving. I could hear teams of horses snorting steam, eavesdrop on the old cowboys moseying down the street and listen to a diligent metal smith pound out a fresh batch of horseshoes. It was all so real at the time and it was just on the other side of that fake wall...
Of course, I grew up and realized that I hadn’t found my own personal glitch in spacetime or my own rabbit hole or my own wardrobe, but the magic lingered. I made a habbit of keeping an eye out for those special details that others might miss. Even today, I can’t resist peeking behind the curtain, so to speak, to see things not immediately apparent.
That’s why, when Twilight Sparkle asked if I wanted to join Spike on a trip to Canterlot, I jumped at the opportunity faster than a cat chasing a laser.
Apparently, she wanted to supplement the Golden Oak Library with some of the stuff back in Canterlot and tasked Spike with a laundry list of titles to recover. Twilight was even kind enough to pencil in a couple of beginner’s magic school books for me to help me start my own lessons with her. Magic: Elementary by Dusty White, Theory of the Arcane by Grinstar, and my favorite, The Ins and Outs of Heaven and Earth by Mini Vera. (It had pictures.)
Besides, how could I possibly pass up a chance to go to CANTERLOT!? The capital of Equestria! Home of the royal sisters! Apex of culture and art! The shining city on the cliff! Canterlot! (It’s only a model…)(Shh!) Not to mention, it was a chance to see how the rest of Equestria went about their daily lives whenever the M6 were preoccupied with a friendship lesson.
So, without further ado, that’s where this chapter opens, on a pastry-themed train with a baby dragon for a traveling companion. From my seat, I looked down into the valley below as our passenger car climbed higher and higher along the stark mountain cliffs. Beneath me, the sunny hamlet of Ponyville was being gradually buried by a rising tide of dark and restless clouds. Even from the safety of the train, I could hear the whispers of the storm begin to rise as the pegasi prepared their downpour.
Ponyville had recovered from the ursa’s little visit quite nicely. Very nicely, actually. It’s amazing what the ponies can accomplish when everypony gets together. The only side effect, however, was that a couple of summer showers were postponed to keep the new construction dry. I didn’t have to be Spiderman to get my senses tingling every time Applejack mentioned the upcoming “doozy of a downpour” they had planned to make up for the artificial dry spell.
‘Look Before you Sleep’ was in full swing, and after the ursa incident, I was looking forward to a slice-of-life episode. In fact, I hadn’t planned to participate in this episode at all. Partly because there was nothing for me to do and partly because… well, it’s about a girl’s sleepover. It was a cute episode, but I had to be honest with myself, it would have been pretty awkward if I had stayed at Twilight’s place that night. Thus, I was spending the day with the seventh member of the main 6.
“-And after we’re done picking up Twilight’s stuff, we’ll have plenty of time to ourselves! I’ll show you everything in the city. Like the sky docks, and the cloud circuit, or even G & B Dolls, the biggest toy shop in Equestria!” Spike was bouncing in his seat, oblivious to the grey thunderheads threatening to eclipse our windows outside.
“The sky docks?” I peeled myself away from the glass. I had more than a little bit of a childish fascination with air ships and a piece of me wishes they were still being made on Earth. I even wrote a Fimfiction about one. “We can actually see the ships up close?”
“Canterlot’s one of the biggest sky ports ever!” The dragon said proudly. “Besides Cloudsdale, obviously.”
“But will we be able to see everything if this storm hits?” I was leery. “Canterlot and Ponyville are so close; don’t they share a lot of the same weather?”
“Maybe…” Spike deflated a little. “I haven’t seen a storm like this one in a long long time… But whatever we do, we HAVE to visit Doughnut Joe’s before we leave!”
“Oh? What’s so special about Joe’s?” I smirked, feigning ignorance.
“His shop is only the best-known secret in all of Canterlot!” Spike threw up his arms. “His doughnuts are always made fresh, and he’s got a secret way of stacking them so that they remain perfectly crispy. He calls it ‘Doughnutopia’.” A drop of drool slid out of the corner of the dragon’s mouth. No doubt, the little guy was imagining tearing into Doughnutopia like a Godzilla who just abandoned his diet.
“Please tell me he has coffee to go with it…” Doughnuts and a real cup of coffee… My eyes were getting misty just thinking about it.
“Meh… I don’t drink coffee.”
“I meant for me!”
“Oh... Well, sure, if you’re into that. Canterlot has a lot more coffee shops than Ponyville.”
“If, by 'a lot more', you mean 'more than zero'…” I nodded somberly. “Trust me, I checked every alley and side street. What’s a guy got to do to get a descent cup of Joe in Equestria?” Apparently, go to Doughnut Joe’s. (Great! Now I feel stupid for not catching his etymology earlier…)
“You like coffee that much?” Spike asked. I smiled madly.
“Coffee is love. Coffee is life! Coffee is religion! The mug is my censer, the pot is my altar, and Starbuck’s is my church! No, seriously, though, it’s ok. It’s just that I used to drink coffee all the time back home. It’s a perfect way to start the morning, with the hot bitter aroma wafting up your nostrils. Wakes me right up. And when it comes to getting up before the sun to meet Applejack, I need all the help I can get.”
“How’s that going? Working on Sweet Apple Acres?” Spike leaned into the train’s alley expectantly as a refreshment cart came rolling by.
“It’s pretty fun, actually. Long, but fun. The Apples and I do most all the chores before noon and we rarely work through the heat of the day.” My friend waved down the snack trolley. “After that, we either finish up our projects or go find out what the other ponies are doing. It’s about the easiest heavy-lifting job I’ve ever had.”
“Do you like working with Applejack?” Spike grabbed a stick of rock candy and tossed a couple bits onto the cart. Twilight Sparkle had given us a little 'milk money' to spend on meals and souvenirs, but self-restraint wasn’t really Spike’s strong suit. I wondered if I should be in charge of the purse for the rest of the trip.
“I thought I just answered that question.”
Crunch!
“No, I mean, do you like Applejack?” The little dragon’s sly grin probably would have been more suave if he didn’t have flecks of sparkly candy around his mouth. He looked up at me teasingly. “You spend a lot of time with her…”
“Of course I do. We work together.” I said defensively. Unfortunately, my tone only caused the little troll to push harder,
“You liiike her, don’t you?” He sing-songed.
My cheeks flushed, but not in the embarrassed way a kawaii anime characters’ might. I was actually peeved that Spike would be teasing me about something that he himself knew nothing about. Then again, when I was a kid, I was doing the same things. Come to think of it, I was always singing silly songs about alien concepts like ‘cooties’ and ‘marriage’. But his childish taunting hit a more sensitive nerve than he intended. The idea of becoming ‘more than just friends’ with a character from this world was an uncomfortable and ever-haunting issue that I knew I would be forced to face someday.
Fortunately, this was not that day,
“I’ll admit, I was pleasantly surprised by Applejack. Never again will I judge a person’s intelligence by their accent.” I sidestepped the issue the way Neo sidestepped bullets. “I’m ashamed to say it, but she’s the first character with a country drawl that I didn’t automatically think was a dumb hick. Well, her and Jessie.”
“Who?” Spike’s ear scales dropped in confusion.
“The yodeling cowgirl from Toy Story.” I smiled at the memory. I had a moment of nostalgic bliss before Spike promptly took a sledgehammer to it,
“What’s Toy Story?”
It’s a good thing I wasn’t the one driving that train or else I would have slammed on the brakes and brought everything to a screeching halt just so that I could stare at the little dragon.
“You don’t know about Toy Story!?” My face melted into one long, unbelieving gaze. “Oh, man… I’m so, so sorry! I feel like you’re missing a piece of what it means to grow up! Tell me, do you feel stunted in your psychological growth? What’s it like not having a childhood?”
“Mark, you’re acting weird…” Spike wrung his claws in embarrassment. All around the carriage, ponies were staring in surprise at the crazy, hollering human. A couple of them just threw me irritated glances while a couple more surreptitiously glanced towards the exit. I didn’t care,
“Oh, man… You, my little friend, need to hear that tale! But I guess you wouldn’t have the same stories here that I grew up on, huh? Tell me, did Twilight tell you any stories when you were little… -er? Any bedtime stories or nursery rhymes?”
“Um… Sometimes she’d read her studies aloud when I was cranky.” The little dragon admitted. “Put me right to sleep.” I sighed with deep pity and put a reassuring hand on Spike’s shoulder,
“Don’t worry, kid, I’ll set you straight. I may not be the best story teller around, but I vow that justice will be done! I will tell you the tales of Toy Story and your childhood will be complete. And Finding Nemo, too! And Beauty and the Beast! Oh, my gosh, there’s so much I want to tell you.”
“What’s so important about a bunch of stories?” Spike wondered. My voice dropped a few decibels as I explained,
“Not just any stories. Children’s stories. Tales of adventure and adversaries. Villains and victory. Dreamlands and dystopias. Make believe worlds where anything is possible.”
“So, a bunch of stuff for little kids? In case you haven’t noticed, I’m too old for that stuff!” The dragon snorted dismissively. I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and asked,
“What are we, but the stories we are made of?” I let the question linger in the air for a moment. “Spike, you want to be a hero one day, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah!”
“Then wouldn’t it make sense to hear the stories about the Pevensies when they found a door to a world under the curse of an eternal winter? Wouldn’t you like to know what Bilbo Baggins did when he suddenly became his friend’s only hope of escaping the giant spiders? If you’re going to be a hero, then shouldn’t you have some idea of what Will Turner did when the cursed pirates carried away Elizabeth?”
“Are these stories… Did they really happen?” Finally, the light of interest began to flicker in the little dragon’s eyes.
“That’s… almost irrelevant.” I winked. “Fictional stories tell us who we want to be. And that’s the only thing more important than what we are.”
“So, you grew up on a whole bunch of stories?”
“Oh, yeah! I was practically raised by The Lion King and Sleeping Beauty and Monsters Inc. And not just the movies, but the books and the games, too! I’ll share with you the chronicles of Narnia and of the legendary Harry Potter, and the Redwall series, and the epic saga of Halo and Fire Emblem and… Oh, gosh… The Legend of Zelda…”
“Zelda?”
“A secondary character. Don’t ask. In fact, I could call it ‘The Legend of Link’ and you’d never know…” I had full artistic liberty! Bwahaha!
“Riiight…”
“Oh! And Marvel’s superheroes! Hey, Spike, you like the Power Ponies, right?”
“Of course!”
“Then there’s hope for you yet…” I smiled proudly.
“Now arriving: Canterlot! Please watch your hats, ladies and gentlemen, as it’s getting rather windy on the platform!” The door at the far end of the car slid open and a grey mustachioed conductor pony announced.
I quickly turned back to my window just in time to see Canterlot in all its stark glory unveiled. The capital city clung to the waterfall-draped cliffs like a rose vine. Half of its thorny ivory towers were rooted upon the shelf of the mountain while the other half floated above nothing but the distant horizons. Silken banners tugged at their poles above the golden and bronze rooftops and every surface street was laced with carefully manicured trees.  Beneath it all, countless waterfalls shed their silver mist like curtains over the distant valley floor.
Our train crept cautiously over the last precarious bridges before coasting through the front gates of the city. As the engine came to a rest and let out a contented sigh of steam, Spike and I stepped out onto the white arrival platform. An erratic breeze was growing steadily stronger and a tower of shadowy thunderheads was rising from Ponyville, but even the oncoming storm couldn’t hide the city’s radiance. Every surface was made of pale marble or glistening ceramic, polished enough to see one’s face in. Here, in the city on the edge of the sky, dust was a distant memory.
Spike and I quickly hefted our bags and plunged into the heart of the metropolis. My companion was chattering excitedly, proud to be my guide to his hometown, and even though he kept promising to take me on an official tour later, he was already frothing with everything he knew about Equestria’s capital. I listened politely, half-paying attention to his words, half-comparing the place to Earth cities, and half-simply staring at the pretty towers around me.
Canterlot was, by no means, a human city. With its isolated location and precarious architecture, it looked like something a mad minecraft artist had come up with. Technically, it wasn’t even a ‘pony’ city as much as it was a ‘unicorn’ city. Canterlot was founded by unicorns and for unicorns countless centuries ago as a testament to their pride and their technology. Being on a mountain provided them with a wealth of mineral resources, (*cough* the crystal mines *cough*) while their altitude provided perfectly clear skies from which to study the heavens.
Dare I go so far as to say that the entire place was built like an exclusive unicorn club? It was, after all, far removed from any contact with the earth ponies. However, Celestia effectively took that notion and threw it out the window when she made it her home and the official capital of Equestria. She seemed to think that it represented all three species evenly, providing an airy and open port for the pegasi’s sky ships, having proud roots in unicorn lore, and tied firmly to the earth ponies by its umbilical cord, Ponyville. In fact, it could be said that Ponyville owed almost all of its economy to the fact that it was the gateway to and from Canterlot.
“This area is called the ‘lower district’. Where we’re going is in the ‘upper district’ and then there’s the actual castle grounds.” Spike explained. “All the merchants and shops are down here while the schools and nicer houses are in the upper district.
“Merchants?” I had been wearing a carefree smile only a moment before, but a sudden thought clouded my face as surely as the storms that were shrouding the sky.
“Huh? Are you ok?” Spike noticed my change of tone. I quickly smiled and nodded.
“Of course! I was just remembering something I heard somewhere from somepony. Nothing specific, mind you… Hey, I wonder if there are any neat curio shops around here.” My imagination darkened with images of a shadowy street, a sleazy merchant and a black amulet. “You know, for souvenirs...”
“I don’t know about curio shops,” The little dragon muttered, “but Twilight’s shown me just about every book store in the city.”
“I see…” I kept my smile, but my troubled thoughts remained. The recent incident with Trixie was still fresh in my memory and even though she wouldn’t reveal herself again for a long time, it was going to be a dark day when she did. Somepony, somewhere in this city would eventually have a powerful artifact for sale and if I’ve learned anything since starting my adventure, chances were ‘Magic Duel’ would be more dangerous in reality than it was in the TV show. I found myself pondering what the implications would be if I somehow stopped the episode from ever happening in the first place.
I shook my head dismissively. I had no address to the secretive shop, no giant bag of gold, and no assurance that ‘Mr. Curio’ even owned the amulet yet. Not to mention, stopping the duel would leave Trixie with an unresolved grudge for the rest of her life. I desperately tried to push my thoughts aside, to enjoy my time here in the city, but I couldn’t lie to myself, I was a worrier.
We hurried to a large book store/library/thing called the Book Hive. (I don’t know why it was called that. Probably because the owner, a pale pink unicorn with dinner-plate-sized glasses, had a cutiemark of a bee hive.) It was easily as large as a cathedral and filled with honeycombed shelves, but it was vacant and quiet inside. Apparently, it was a book warehouse, and it supplied any customer from school districts down to personal collectors. I could see why Twilight liked it.
Unfortunately, that’s where my enthusiasm for the place ended. Spike immediately began filling out Twilight’s order with the bookseller pony. The two of them began chipping away at the bibliophile’s list while I merely hung in the background, bored and useless. I tried to entertain myself by admiring the architecture, but that only occupied me for about 7.3 seconds. And that’s because I did it twice. I tried perusing the scrolls and books nestled into the wooden shelves, but I might as well have tried to read Braille or even binary code. Without any knowledge of the alphabet, I could have stumbled upon Starswirl the Bearded’s Darkest Secrets, without ever realizing it. Instead, all I could do was sigh and sway back and forth on my feet. So, my thoughts turned to what they usually turned to whenever I was bored,
“Hey, Spike? You want me to run out and grab dinner or something?”
“Oh! Great idea, Mark! You could go buy doughnuts!”
“Doughnuts? Spike, you already had candy on the train. Don’t you want dinner?”
“Doughnuts first! Joe might close early because of the storm!” Spike pleaded with his giant, glassy eyes. I rolled my eyes, but laughed,
“Fine! Doughnuts it it! Gotta love the bachelor life!” I took the purse and stepped outside. Already, the storm had blotted out the sun and the crisp mountain air seemed to pierce right through me. I reminded myself to invest in an all-weather coat next time I visited Rarity’s boutique.
The streets were almost vacant and I saw more than one shop close up as I wandered past. Everywhere, ponies were hunkering down for the imminent downpour. I know the pegasi had their watchful eyes on the storm cell, but this was the first time I got an impression of how much control they actually had. To put it simply, the pegasi were like shepherds; they could guide the clouds, but they didn’t command where every raindrop fell. To be honest, it was a nice change to see everypony treat the weather like something wild and unpredictable. It felt more like home. And I always did enjoy a good storm back home.
Spike’s meticulously detailed directions were, “Just go down Elephant Street. You can’t miss it!”, but with the aid of a friendly carriage driver and a police guard who was obviously leery of non-ponies, I finally found Doughnut Joe’s.
All the stores, from perfume markets to pet stores, looked like lacy doll houses, so I ended up finding Joe’s place via smell long before I recognized it was a bakery. Then again, the giant pink doughnut above the door was kind of a giveaway too…
In the end, I arrived just as the brawny brown baker locked the front door and flipped the sign hanging in the window. My heart dropped into my toes.
“That doesn’t say, ‘closed’, does it? Hello? Hey! Joe?” I quickly leapt forward and rapped on the window, but Doughnut Joe had already vanished into the back room. The restaurant went dark and I was left outside on the street. “Oh, come on!” I mimicked Sweetie Belle as I pushed myself away from the door. My arms flopped hopelessly to my side as I wondered what I should do next. I had to come up with something and soon or else the entire city would be closed for the evening.
“Oh? You’re Mark, correct?” A musical voice, like sunlight on a lake, floated from behind me. I glanced over to see the last person I ever expected to see standing there,
“P-Princess Celestia?” Words failed me. The ruler of Equestria herself was standing only a couple yards away and even though she was smiling warmly, I didn’t know if I should bow, curtsey, or fall flat on my face. I tried to lower my head respectfully, but the gesture was as awkward and jittery as an epileptic puppet. And I really had no idea what to do with my hands. “Good evening! I mean, afternoon! Or…”
“It’s good to finally meet you too.” Celestia stepped forward, her movements measured and fluid, a stark contrast to my own. “I’ve heard so much about you from my student, Twilight Sparkle, but I didn’t expect to see you so soon.”
“I could say the same thing! I mean! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say it like that. I meant, forgive me, your highness, but you surprised me.” I kept my eyes lowered.
“Is everything all right?” She laughed musically.
“My apologies, your majesty, but I’m afraid I have no etiquette training when it comes to addressing one such as yourself, your highness.”
“Well, you’re doing quite well.” Celestia encouraged. “But we aren’t in court, and you don’t look comfortable standing like that.”
“Thank you, your highness.” I tried to relax and stand up straighter, but my shoulders were still as tight as iron cables. Celestia’s presence was almost tangible, enveloping. Even under a cloudy sky, her glistening coat didn’t seem to cast a shadow and her mane flowed slowly behind her, completely separate from the skittering breezes fluttering by.
“Tell me, Mark, what brings you to Canterlot on this lovely day?” Now that I was over the initial shock, I realized just how soft and informal the princess’s voice was.
“Um…” Good question. What was I doing again? “Oh, yeah, Spike and I are running an errand for Twilight, I mean, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Oh, and how is Spike? I’ve missed him since he and Twilight moved to Ponyville.”
“He’s good. I mean well. He’s well.” Grammar class, you see. “He asked me to fetch some doughnuts from here, but…” I looked back helplessly at the bakery.
“Is that so?” Celestia’s eyes twinkled. “Well, we can’t let a growing dragon go without his snacks, now, can we?” Her ivory horn shimmered and she unveiled a white cardboard box from behind her. Inside, she showed me rows upon rows of fried circular treats.
“Your highness?”
“There’s nothing quite like spending a rainy evening indoors with a box of Joe’s doughnuts.” The princess explained. “Of course, I simply had to prepare for tonight. Perhaps you and Spike might join me?”
“We would be honored.” I answered automatically, dumbfounded. “As far as I know, he’s still at the Book Hive.”
“Then we’d best return quickly.” Without any physical indication, Celestia signaled for me to follow her. “I wouldn’t want the castle guards searching for me in the rain.” It took me a second to understand what she meant.
“Pardon, ma'am? Your guards don’t know where you are?”
“Now, Mark, are you implying that a princess would sneak out into the city for a mere pastry run?” She glanced back at me. I stared at the princess, then at the box of doughnuts, then back at her, but said nothing. She, in turn, merely gave herself a satisfied smile and continued walking.
I found myself moving robotically besides the princess as I collected my thoughts. I’ll admit, her behavior caught me off guard. Whenever I thought of Celestia, I always pictured her as a ruler, as an alicorn, as a unique and powerful creature in the land of Equestria. One that had waged fierce battles and stood before terrifying evils to create the happy kingdom I knew from the show. She wasn’t omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent, but she was the closest thing this world had to a god. Not to mention, being an alicorn, she was the perfect arbiter between the three pony species. Yet everything about her seemed to deflect those tags that I would use to label her. She carried herself with flawless poise, but she did not exude power. Her confidence was soft, not hard, and her voice, especially, sounded almost motherly instead of lordly. I was unsure what to say around her or how to say it.
The only thing about her that I knew for sure was that I had finally found somepony taller than me.
Even when we rendezvoused with Spike at the book shop, his tone towards Celestia was respectful and courteous, but also excited and enthusiastic. Watching the two of them was like watching a child upon seeing their favorite baby sitter again. Not quite the sovereign-subject dynamic I expected.
“Princess Celestia!”
“Hello, Spike! How has my favorite dragon been?”
“Great! I can’t wait to tell you what Ponyville’s like. It’s been really fun, and I thought it would be boring, but that’s not it at all!” Spike spoke with his hands as much as with his mouth.
“I’m glad to hear that you’ve grown to like Ponyville.” Celestia beamed. “And I think you’ve grown a little as well.”
“You really think so?” The little guy stood up straight, craning his neck like a heron.
“Are you all finished up here, Spike?” I asked, looking around at the darkening book store.
“Yup!” He dusted off his claws. “The books should be on our train tomorrow. You’ll never believe the library that Twilight lives in now, Princess! It’s inside a big tree! And she loves it there with all her new friends and her new studies.”
“I can’t wait to hear about it.” The princess grinned proudly. “You must tell me all about it over dinner.”
“Sounds like a good idea! I’m starving. Come on, Mark!”
“… Of course.”
“Are there any special requests from my guests?” The princess asked.
“Rubies!”
Hamburgers!
“I have no preference, your highness.”
“Is that so, Mark?” Celestia tilted her head. “I heard from Twilight Sparkle that you’re quite fond of pot pie, and that you’ve been searching everywhere for some coffee.”
“You know what? You’ve proved me wrong, princess!” I finally smiled.
Princess Celestia led the way up to the highest point of the city, the castle grounds. With my shirt collar pulled up against the slicing wind and the first cold droplets of rain pelting me, I couldn’t really appreciate the exterior. However, once the three of us were inside and the front doors were closed against the oncoming storm, I gave in to the beauty around me. Celestia’s home was like her in many ways, elegant, bright, warm, and regal. The walls and floor were draped in colorful tapestries and carpets, giving the mighty stone hallways a softer, quieter touch.
“Your majesty!” The instant we stepped through the front door, our party was ambushed by two stern-faced pegasi guards. Their glistening plate metal looked like something an elvish prince would don and they held their heads up stiff and proud beneath their frilled helmets. “Our apologies! We were unaware that you were not in the castle!”
“Good evening, Rain Worthy, Thunder Clap. There’s no need to apologize. My friends here were just outside and I wanted to welcome them in. Please pass along to the staff that I will be entertaining two guests for the night.” If they weren’t obviously made of granite, the pegasi guards would have relaxed at Celestia’s soothing voice.
“Of course, your majesty!” As crisp as paper and as sharp as razor blades, the guards flashed a quick salute before snapping an about-face and vanishing into the depths of the castle. I stared after them, wondering if their role was primarily for customs and courtesies or if they actually had combat experience. I was also wondering how they could do an about-face with four feet. In any case, they didn’t seem like the kind of ponies to cross on bad terms.
“I really shouldn’t tease them so much.” Celestia leaned over to whisper to me, “But they take their duties so seriously, I can’t help but enjoy seeing them a little flustered.”
“It’s not just duty. Wearing that armor in your service is a badge of pride, too.” My eyes continued to sweep over the gleaming palace walls.
“The pegasi are especially stoic. They claim they have the longest history of military traditions.” The princess quickly led us into the safety of the cathedral-esque main hall. All around me, the castle was decorated with regal paintings and flowers, but also an occasional piece of ornamental armor or a marble bust of some ancient noble.
“And do they?” I ventured.
“Hm?” Celestia glanced at me. “Do they what?”
“Have the oldest traditions? I mean, you would know.” I suddenly caught my words as they leaked out, “I mean, I didn’t mean to say it like that. I didn’t mean to infer your age or anything, but-” I was cut off by the princess’s laugh,
“When did a long life become something to be ashamed of? I certainly hope that my wealth of experience could aid more budding historians like yourself. Or do I really seem so imposing?” I didn’t know how to answer, so I merely told the truth,
“Where I’m from, a lady’s pride is her youth. Until age is something that can no longer be cheated, it is usually treated as something to be avoided at all costs… in many cases, with unsavory results.” I shivered at the memories. “I wish more women had your wisdom on the issue.”
“You refer to your home, Oregon?” The princess stared straight ahead. “I am very curious about the land you come from, Mark, and would love to speak with you whenever you’re available.”
“Of course, your highness.” I swallowed nervously. Suddenly, Celestia leaned down again, her eyes glancing around warily,
“Yes, the pegasi were the first to form an army, but the earth ponies had warriors before them.” She straightened up as if nothing had happened. Spike and I shared a smile among ourselves that grew into a stifled chuckle.
In that moment, the mood felt light and easy. I felt welcomed and safe, so I figured I’d try and take the opportunity to investigate a little more of Equestria’s lore. Perhaps I could find out something not properly covered in the show. So I asked,
“If you don’t mind me asking, princess, how long have you lived, anyway?” My intentions were innocent, but within the next moment, I immediately regretted my words.
It was only for an instant. A second so splintered that I may have imagined it entirely, but the radiant face that Celestia wore faltered, revealing something else underneath. Something dark? Heavy?... Painful? With a slight twitch of her head, she recovered,
“Far too long, and not nearly long enough.” Her delivery was so polished, that I don’t think Spike even noticed her moment of hesitation. Or the weight of her words.
“I see…” I whispered.
“Do you?” She looked back at me.
The three of us had just entered the dining hall where the sound of a dozen chefs (and a particularly boisterous and rotund head chef) was rising up in the air. The musical racket of plates, goblets, chairs and trays was like listening to hail falling on a tin roof. Spike dashed forward to his personal chair, but Celestia and I hung back for a moment.
“Do I what, your highness?” I clarified? “Do I ‘see’?”
She nodded ever so slightly.
“Oh…” I lifted my eyebrows. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was supposed to be a riddle. I just figured that it wasn’t pleasant for you to think back on, so I didn’t press the issue. Saying that you’ve lived for ‘too long’ means that you’ve left things in the past that you wish would have stayed with you forever and you miss them. Living ‘not long enough’ implies that you’re wise enough to know that you still don’t know everything and recognize your limits. You know that you’re still learning every day.” I looked back up at my host, but her expression was devoid of the earlier shadow I saw.
“That’s very interesting.” She beamed, but I don’t know if her demeanor was meant for me or for the rest of the ponies in the room. “Are all humans as witty as you? Let’s hurry, I think the table is ready for us.”
“Witty?” I frowned to myself. That wasn’t a word I would use to describe myself. Or that little conversation. But I didn’t press the issue.
After that, the dialogue flowed pretty effortlessly. Spike began talking non-stop about Ponyville and the adventures he and Twilight Sparkle had encountered. Celestia, on her part, kept masterful control of the conversation, nurturing Spike’s simplistic and young communication skills into a flowing conversation. I found myself admiring the way the princess carried on from one topic to the next as easily and gracefully as a kite surfing on the wind. Must be a royalty thing; I’ve heard the queen of England is the same way.
The dinner the princess provided was pleasant and welcoming. Outside the palace’s arching windows, the storm beat like a myriad of fists, but inside, the bright halls were safe and dry. Despite my earlier apprehension around Celestia, the princess gently, but surely, pulled me into the conversation until I was as at ease speaking with her as Spike was.
“… and then she just lifted the ursa minor above her head and sent it all the way back home!” Spike leapt up in his chair, pantomiming Ponyville’s most recent episode with his little arms. “Trixie didn’t stay long after that, let me tell you! There’s no way she could ever match Twilight!” I smiled to myself as I listened, a mug of piping hot coffee clutched in my fingers and a half-eaten glazed doughnut in front of me. It was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.
“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear that.” Celestia was a self-declared tea fanatic, but I had convinced her that coffee was the only drink to accompany doughnuts.
“Pleased to hear that an ursa attacked?” The little storyteller’s jaw dropped.
“No, Spike, I’m glad to hear that humility is still one of Twilight’s strongest virtues.” The princess explained.
“Hey, that’s what I said.” I mimicked Pinkie Pie. “I get the feeling she’s never going to lose that…”
“Do you think she might become a strong leader someday, Mark?” The princess glanced over at me. I almost laughed my coffee all over the table,
“Hm?" I recovered quickly. "I already think she’s a strong leader. Though she has a lot of emotional growth to go through yet, no one can deny that she has the right heart. She has a level head in times of crisis… most of the time… (except ‘Lesson Zero’) and thinks nothing of herself when faced with danger.”
“Is that so?”
“It is…” My voice faded as I thought back. “Despite how afraid she was that her friends would reject her for her magic ability, she was willing to throw that away if it meant stopping the ursa. And when she faced Nightmare Moon, I watched Twilight Sparkle challenge her horn-to-horn with no hesitation. I don’t think Twilight is a warrior… yet,… but she has the right mindset. Brave, but humble and serving. And that’s just as important.”
Celestia studied my face carefully before she spoke,
“Then, you know what happened on that night?”
“It was actually that night that helped draw me to Ponyville. I had only been wandering through the forest prior to those events…” I thought back to my first night in Equestria. The ‘Longest Night’. The night six unlikely ponies found the hero within themselves and united under the magic of friendship. The night I witnessed something truly amazing. I dropped my voice thoughtfully, “And a remarkable series of events it was.”
“You sound as if you can appreciate the full weight of what happened.” Celestia invited. I fell for the bait,
“They risked everything for each other, for their homes, for their families, and for restoring harmony." I explained. "They faced a nightmare and pierced it. Not to mention, your highness, restoring your sister to you in the process. The weight of what happened? That night was nothing short of world-altering! You only have to look at the clean surface of the moon to see that.” Maybe it was the coffee, but I was getting pretty energetic. I continued,
“And that’s what I don’t understand. How can the bravery of those ponies go so… what’s the word I’m looking for? Overlooked? Unsung? Ignored.” The last word pricked me with anger. “Looking at them today, you’d never know that they had saved the world from a maniacal Nightmare… No offense to Princess Luna.”
Celestia lifted an interested eyebrow,
“And, would you rather that they had been?”
“I’d rather that they had been given more recognition than they did! I mean, that’s hardly fair for those girls to merely go about their lives without so much as a ‘thank you’ card for their efforts. Honestly, I remember this one newspaper article, and it still gets under my skin, that skipped over the issue of Nightmare Moon’s defeat like a rock on water! There was no recognition of what my friends did, no acknowledgement whatsoever. They didn’t even get their names in the paper! If you ask me, whoever wrote that column was quite the troll!” I folded my arms to keep my white knuckles hidden.
To my surprise, Celestia laughed. She even pressed her napkin up to her mouth to conceal her composure. With my face plastered in confusion, I looked at my host, then at Spike and then back to the princess. She finally calmed herself and said,
“Well, that was unexpected. I know I’ve been called such before, but certainly not to my face.”
“You!?” All my emotional momentum hit a speed bump and did a magnificent face plant. “You wrote that article?” I hesitated, my eyebrows lowering and my jaw dropping. I stared at Celestia, then looked down into my lap, then up to her again and finally folded my hands resignedly between my legs. I sat there silently, unmoving. After a moment, Celestia spoke to me again,
“No comment? I didn’t expect you to be the kind who could be stunned into silence, Mark.” She fixed me with her elegant stare. Spike glanced at the two of us from the other side of the table and slowly shrank into his seat.
“Awkward…” The little dragon whispered.
“What is to be said?” I picked my words carefully. “You already know my opinion on the issue. To backpedal now would be to imply that I would have said something different in your presence. That would be implying that I speak only to flatter you, which would be disrespectful to you as a princess and as a lady. It’s obvious that I don’t understand your motives, so all I can do is wait and see if you will enlighten me or if you decide that it is not my place to know.”
“I see…” The encouraging smile returned, “I appreciate someone who thinks before they speak. Yes, Mark, I was the primary reason that article was published, although the newspaper itself was unaware.”
“But, why?” Spike asked. I held a finger to my lips. A faraway look filled the princesses’ eyes as she said,
“Because they’re not ready for this.” I looked around me, wondering if the princess was talking about the palace? The royal court? Canterlot society?
“By ‘this’, do you mean the life of a celebrity? Because Rarity was born ready. She-”
“Of course, it looks grand from where you sit, Mark, but do you really know what life in the royal court is like?”
I had to admit that I did not. I was, after all, as far removed from royalty as culturally possible.
“It is a world of politics. Of orators and lawyers, of contracts and jurisdiction. And though it is a world brought up in an era of peace, it has bred a culture that typically overlooks what should be the most precious. Friendship.
Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle all found something simple and beautiful within themselves that resonated with the Elements of Harmony. Little virtues in their hearts that were powerful enough to change the world. But the bureaucracy of Canterlot would never understand such novel ideas as laughter, kindness, generosity or friendship. All they would see is power and they would overlook the very concepts that the Elements of Harmony are built upon. 
I only wanted to spare Twilight Sparkle’s friends for now.”
“Instead of just throwing them to the sharks.” I whispered.
“I know I can’t hide them forever.” Celestia continued, “The moment they activated the Elements was the moment they became players on a much larger stage. And they will have to take their place in it one day.”
“But first, you want to teach them how to deal with the moochers and the bloodsuckers who just want to get on their good side for their own profit. Show the girls who they’re really dealing with without them getting caught up in the web of glamour and red tape.” My own outlook on politics was a little less flowery than her highness's.
“Well… that’s one way of putting it.” The princess conceded.
“Not to mention, the initial burst of interest in the Elements has faded pretty quickly. When the names of the ponies become public knowledge, you think they’ll still be able to live their lives in peace?”
“That is my wish. Their friendship sprouted in Ponyville, and it is my hope that they will never forget where they come from.”
“How do you plan on introducing them to Canterlot life?” I ventured. “Not many of them have even been in this city let alone mingled with the lords and ladies…” My voice trailed off. Suddenly, I looked over at Spike and burst, “The Grand Galloping Gala!”
“Huh!?” I wonder if dragons molt, because Spike almost jumped out of his skin. (I didn’t think this scene was too boring or long-winded, but apparently the little Dragon did if his heavy eyelids were any indication.)
“Wake up, Spike! Princess, was that a part of your plan? To use the Gala as a way of introducing the girls to Canterlot society?”
“Actually, yes. At least a part of it. I had also wanted to officially meet each of them aside from my brief visits thus far.”
“But then why did you only send two tickets in your first letter?”
“You saw that, did you?” The princess took a sip of coffee.
“Saw it? I watched poor Twilight go on the verge of an emotional meltdown. I had my radiation suit ready and everything.”
“It was a simple test. One that she passed with honors.”
“You were testing her? What kind of test was it?” I asked. Celestia closed her eyes as her now-iconic smile spread over her lips.
“My student, Twilight Sparkle, was still very new to the concept of friendship. I had no idea how she saw her friends, but I could only hope that they were all equally precious to her. However, there was also the possibility that she would distinguish between ‘best’ friends. I didn’t want her to fall into foolish habits like that, so I needed to see if that was the case.”
“But she tore herself up because she couldn’t bring herself to disappoint any of them.”
“Like I said, she passed with honors. I was very proud of her. Of course, Mark, I had the other tickets ready to be sent one way or another.”
“So, that wasn’t just the miracle of TV editing that caused Celestia to reply so quickly.” I mused to myself. I was right in the middle of processing the princess’s words when I realized their weight they carried,
“So… Just like that, you proved that no one pony was better than the others?”
“You could say that. After all, it's what I believe to be true.”
“Huh.” Was all I said, but inside, I was shouting, “Oh, my flippin’ gosh! Only one episode after the pilot and already Princess Celestia was trying to demolish the entire concept of ‘Best Pony’! If I ever get back to Earth, this revelation could change the face of the brony world forever!” (Well, for starters, the Google + community would wither away into nothing…)
“Of course, I couldn’t possibly exclude any of Twilight Sparkle’s new friends.” The princess explained.
“But, you know that you’re not going to have much time to meet each of them, right?” I reminded her. “Between being the hostess of the events and the princess of Equestria, each and every one of your guests is going to want a piece of your time. I know it’s probably your duty to entertain them, but that doesn’t give you any time for yourself or for the girls.”
“And you don’t think that’s a perfect illustration of what we’ve been talking about?”
“Ohhh… I got ‘ya…” It all made sense. A subtle, sly, clever kind of sense. I'd just never thought of Celestia as tricky or subtle like that before.
“You wouldn’t believe it if you saw it now, but the Grand Galloping Gala used to be a very… rambunctious event.” The princess had a little nostalgia on the corner of her mouth. “It was an anthology of all the equestrian families from all over the land, and everypony loved nothing more than to share their culture and their forms of celebration with others. But somewhere along the way, the representatives became emissaries, which became delegates, which became lords.”
“I see what you’re saying. What better way to disillusion the girls? Show them the contrast between their idea of a party and a politician’s?” I was never a fan of starchy events. If I were more perceptive, I might venture so far as to say that Celestia didn’t either. I thought about the season 1 finale and how everything was going to fall apart. Was that the princess's intention after all? Come to think of it, didn’t she imply something to that effect at the end of the episode? About making the Gala exciting? I narrowed my eyes and said,
“On a related note, that kind of a realization might come as quite a shock to the girls. Do you have a contingency plan to make sure they have a good night no matter what happens? Something to make sure it's 'the best night ever'?”
“Hmm… I may have a couple. What did you have in mind?”
“Not me. That little guy over there.” I gestured at the dragon sitting across from me only to realize that ‘sitting’ was a liberal description. Spike was fading fast, melting into the soft cushions of his chair like wax on a candle. Sleep was diligently coaxing his eyes to close.
“Spike!”
“Huh?”
“You’re having dinner with the princess; don’t you think you could at least stay awake?”
“I’m sorry. I just haven’t eaten so much in forever…” Spike looked back contentedly at his plate, which had recently been filled with a large pile of rubies and doughnuts. “What were you talking about?”
“Don’t you have a ‘famous secret’ that everypony who visits Canterlot must try out?” I gestured at the empty cardboard box on the table. “I think Twilight’s friends will want to try Joe’s for themselves.”
“Hey, yeah! Good idea, Mark! When they come for the Gala, I’ll have to show them everything around Canterlot… and Joe’s… and…” Spike’s eyes unfocused. “… Stuff…”
“Aaand, he’s out for the count.” I shook my head as the little guy collapsed back into his chair.
“Treating everypony to Doughnut Joe’s sounds like a wonderful idea.” Celestia rose from her seat and I quickly did the same. “But I think it’s time for our little dragon friend to get his sleep.”
“Agreed…” Per habit, I looked out the window to check for the sun’s position in the sky, but there was nothing to be seen except the rolling gray clouds.
“My aid will show you to your room, Mark.” As gentle as a sunbeam, the princess lifted Spike with her magic aura. “Do you have any requests during your stay here?”
“Thank you, your highness. But I’m sure everything’s perfect.”
“Then I will see you again tomorrow.” She nodded and I bowed.
My own room for that night was a far cry from Twilight’s library and yet still very similar. It still had the extra wide, extra low, bed designed for occupants with four legs. Still had a cold hard floor instead of fuzzy carpet. And still had enough room for the occupant to turn around without bumping into the furniture. If anything, the biggest difference, aside from the fine linens and mattress-that-I-could-swear-was-filled-with-pegasi-clouds, was a welcoming fireplace. One advantage of not living inside a tree, I guess.
I spread myself out on the sheets and let my breathing grow soft and shallow, but sleep evaded me. I felt excited, special, honored to have had dinner and a conversation with Celestia herself. The weather didn’t help, either, with the rain ringing like wind chimes and the thunder pounding out percussion. And I did like a good storm.
Finally, after about an hour of fruitlessly pursuing sleep, I decided to give up the chase. I peeled myself out of the mattress’s embrace and wandered out of my room into the palace’s hallway. The sun had set and the servants had retired, giving the whole building a breathless and tranquil feeling. Opposite my room, the hallway’s far wall was nothing but a series of immense windows, letting me peer into the heart of the evening storm like an aquarium.
My reflection in the glass was my only companion while I turned over the day’s events in my head. I had absolutely no regrets on missing ‘Look Before you Sleep’ for this visit. Standing in Canterlot felt nothing short of magical, walking the streets of a city I had only dreamed of. Celestia, however, had been a completely unexpected surprise. Pleasant, sure, but unexpected. From watching the show, I had no idea that she was still so involved in her student’s life. I found myself wondering just what else she might be up to behind the show’s episodes.
That’s where I was when I discovered that I didn’t have to wait until the dawn to see Celestia again.
“Was the room to your liking?” In the dusky light, the princess’s ivory coat took on a resigned silver hue and her billowing mane rippled in slow motion.
“Your highness?” I straightened up, surprised. “You’re still awake?” For being a bright white, aurora-laced, gem-adorned horse, this was the second time she had managed to sneak up on me.
“It seems I’m not the only one.”
“I blame the coffee. Which was excellent, by the way, thank you again for hosting us tonight.”
“It’s really nothing.” She sighed, “It was nice to meet you and see Spike again. It feels like ages since I’ve tucked him in bed like that.” The white alicorn joined me in front of the window and together, we stared into the inky darkness. A flash of white light cracked the sky and within moments, a mighty burst of thunder shook the windows.
“That was a good one.” I mused.
“You enjoy the storm?”
“Of course. Nature is full of beauty, but nothing quite rivals the dark majesty of a good thunder storm.”
“Mmm…” Celestia nodded silently. “That sounds like something Luna would say. She always did see beauty where others did not.”
“How is she, by the way?” My ears perked up at the mention of the brony community’s favorite princess.
“She is well, thank you for asking. If I had to guess, I would imagine she’s enjoying the storm up close tonight.”
“Pfft! Lucky.” I smirked. “But I mean, how is she really?”
“Pardon me?”
“I’m just asking as a concerned bystander. As someone who saw her nightmare form, I feel as if I owe her a follow-up. Make sure she’s settling into everything OK.” The princess fell into thoughtful silence. “I only ask because earlier you said we weren’t bound by court formalities. If it’s not my place,-”
“No, that’s all right, Mark. I trust you’re sincere. As I said, she’s well. We’ve had many talks, but I can tell that many things have changed since she was sealed away. The culture has changed. Familiar faces are long gone. Even the mountains have bowed a little since she last saw them. So many things have changed. And I fear I’m one of them.”
“Is that bad?”
“Coming to terms with a changing political landscape is one thing. Adapting to a government that doesn’t weigh on her shoulders so much seems to be a painless process for her. But having her sister change is another thing entirely. I’m probably much more penitent now than I was a thousand years ago, and that unsettles her.”
“I see… But at least you two are together again. As nerve-wracking as the return of Nightmare Moon was, it must have been exciting to see your sister again. I can only imagine the bond that immortality forges between two hearts.” And, once again, I didn’t stop my mouth from flapping soon enough, “Makes me wonder why you disappeared when Nightmare Moon returned. Where were you?”
Lightning lit up the hallway again. Its evanescent glow gave me a glimpse of Celestia’s face. Her graceful eyes were shimmering like rivers about to break their banks. I quickly bit my tongue and mentally kicked myself. I had finally overstepped my place. But chastisement wasn’t on the princess’s mind that night. Instead, she whispered,
“Mark, can I trust you with a secret?”
“I can keep a secret.” I’d been able to keep my carnivore-ism secret, for example. “That is, I’m a lot better at keeping secrets than Twilight.”
“I was hiding.” Celestia stared at me with a hard, unwavering gaze. “That night was the culmination of a plan one thousand years in the making. A plan I carefully designed and orchestrated for the sole purpose that I wouldn’t have to face Nightmare Moon again.”
“Hiding?” I said uncertainly. “But everyone thought something terrible had happened to you. They look up to you as their protector.”
“And that’s exactly why I couldn’t face her.” Celestia’s mane covered one of her eyes. “I couldn’t disappoint them.”
“But you fought Nightmare Moon once before, right?”
“And I lost…” The princess paused as the memory washed over her. “How is that for a budding historian like yourself? Not many books choose to remember what happened that night, but when I was faced with my sister’s wrath, I was overwhelmed. She may have given in to madness, put on a mask forged in rage and twisted desires, but she was still my sister.” Celestia’s gaze fell to the floor. “I couldn’t bring myself to hurt her. And in the end, the nightmare almost killed me.”
“But this story had a happy ending, right? You just used the Elements of Harmony, right?”
There was a flash of lightning and I caught a glimpse of a tear as it fell through the air.
“Oh…” I breathed. “I’m so sorry… I guess most ponies only focus on the peace that followed after the battle. They always seem to ignore what it must have been like for you. What you must have gone through.”
“I did it for them… I did it for her…” Even with tears falling down her muzzle, Celestia’s voice was soft and measured. “Together, we had fought for years to carve out a land of harmony for the ponies of Equestria. We had sacrificed our personal safety to give each and every one of our subjects a chance to live a happy life. Who would have guessed that the price for peace would cost me my heart as well?”
“The Elements of Harmony?...”
“They were not meant to be wielded by one bearer. It was only because of my all-consuming wish to save my sister that allowed me to use them that one time. And even then, their true power was not brought out. They only delayed the inevitable, and scarred the moon as a reminder that I had failed the pony most precious to me.”
“Your highness… Celestia…” I tried to console her, but I had no words. What do you say to a creature that willingly suffered self-damnation to protect her land? How can you relate to someone who lost their family in the name of preserving harmony? How can you comfort a lady who saw her own sister fall into the abyss of despair? I whispered,
“Thank you…”
“What?”
“I’m not saying ‘thank you’ as you’ve probably heard it a thousand times before. I’m not saying ‘thank you’ for vanquishing a monster. I’m not thanking you for restoring harmony to the land. I’m not thanking you for taking on the sole responsibility of raising the sun and the moon. I’m thanking you for putting your subjects first, even when it cost you everything.”
“Do you really understand?” She whispered.
“I didn’t know it was supposed to be a riddle.” I smiled reassuringly. “You were hailed as a hero when you knew you were the villain that night. You smiled for the ponies who needed to see a strong leader when anyone else would have been consumed by despair. You held on, hoping that one day you’d be able to save Luna. It couldn’t have been easy. A thousand years is a long time to walk the world alone. So, I’m saying ‘thank you’ for being strong.”
“Mark… No… You’re right… It wasn’t easy.” She gave me a thoughtful look, but I couldn’t quite read the expression on her face. “Are all humans as perceptive as you?”
“Comes with being an emo teen, I guess.” I shrugged. "You can see the dark side of every happy story."
“As you said, I almost crumbled. Especially when I was forced to face Nightmare Moon’s glare. Every. Single. Evening. I questioned my place as a leader, as a symbol of peace, and as a sister.”
“What got you though it?”
“Hope.” Celestia looked up with a new light in her eyes. “I made a promise to my sister that I would use the millennia I bought to find a way to bring her home.”
“Aside from just using the Elements again?”
“As I said, I could not wield them anymore. They were never meant to be used by one heart alone. I began to realize that the source of their power came from individual destinies being intertwined. Pure Harmony. Thus, to bring out their full magic, perhaps I would need to find six new souls to bear up their mantle. And I? Perhaps it was time for me to step aside as Equestria’s sole protector.”
“How could you possibly choose those six girls?” I wondered.
“I couldn’t.” She explained, “But I could prepare their way. Even a century after my battle with Nightmare Moon, the Palace of the Two Sisters was utterly abandoned and the memory of my sister was villainized. The dark forest consumed our old home and the one place where I needed the new bearers to venture to had become utterly taboo. I helped found Ponyville to be the gateway to the Everfree forest; the place Nightmare Moon was most likely to reappear.”
“Whoa… Seriously? And here I just thought it was a place where the Apple family could lay down some roots. Literally.”
“Whoever said it wasn’t? Though Canterlot’s economy certainly helped the little settlement rapidly grow in popularity.”
“Princess…” I fell into a deep pool of thought. What I found there was as clever as it was unnerving, “Would I be right in assuming that you gave Twilight Sparkle that book? The one that sent her on the path to find the Elements of Harmony?”
“Of course.” To my surprise, Celestia laughed. “But my eye was on my dear student long before then, Mark. After all, many centuries had passed by and I was beginning to fear that Nightmare Moon would return before I found all the spirits of the elements. Twilight Sparkle saved me. How could I mistake her cutiemark as anything other than the Element of Magic surrounded by the five other Elements?”
“And that’s why you immediately took her under your wing. Figuratively, of course.”
“And literally.” The princess smiled at the memories. “To be honest, her brother’s cutiemark also had my attention, but he was destined for other things.”
“Come to think of it, all of the girls got their cutiemarks on that same day. Did that help you find the others?”
“No. I didn’t know that. How did you?” The princess stared at me curiously. My throat suddenly grew tight, but I managed to say,
“Um… No reason, really. They told me.”
“Well, you can imagine my panic when Twilight grew up without any friends. I waited for as long as I could, but I guess all she needed was a little nudge.”
“And the rest is history.” I nodded. “Nightmare Moon returned, but you didn’t have to fight her again. The ponies recovered the Elements and instead of just banishing the nightmare, they purified it.”
“As I said, the Elements were meant for six wielders.”
We both fell into silence, staring out at the rain-strewn windows. Random flashes of lightning split the sky, but I couldn’t enjoy the spectacle as before. My mind was elsewhere, trying to digest all I had just learned. It was no new information, and yet it was a completely different way of looking at the same story. I couldn’t imagine what it was like for Celestia to go through what she did. A thousand years was a long time to stave off depression and despair. What does all that time do to a person’s mind? How can they see the world in the same way we mortals do? What must it be like to see generations rise and fall like waves on a beach? Who just thinks, ‘I want a town there’ and builds one? Apparently, Celestia.
“Is something bothering you?” The princess wondered.
“Pardon?”
“I may not be human, but I know a thoughtful look when I see one.” She explained.
“I see…” I scratched the back of my head. “I really don’t know how to ask this, but… about what you were just talking about… It seems kind of freaky to me. Don’t take it wrong, I’d trust you as my princess, of course. It’s just… What’s it like, being able to manipulate pony’s lives on such a grand scale?”
Celestia drew a sharp breath. She stared out the window for a few seconds and I was beginning to wonder if she wouldn’t answer. Then she said,
“Mark, I want you to listen very carefully.”
“Yes?”
“Metal is manipulated. It is dead, unresponsive, and will not yield unless overpowered. A flower, however, is nurtured. It is alive, tender, and will grow with or without the gardener’s permission. For all the thousands of years that Luna and I have walked this world, we know there is nothing more precious than a single life. I would never inflict my will, unwanted, on anyone. I will, however, strive every day to nurture their full potential.”
“It still sounds like a fine line, but perhaps I’m simply not wise enough to know the difference.” I bowed my head in a subtle gesture of apology.
“You may soon learn for yourself…” With the top of her hoof, Celestia lifted my chin until I was staring up into her face. “You bear an unusual name, Mark. Whether it is the name you were given or the name you chose for yourself is irrelevant. I feel that you, more than most, are driven by a powerful force. You are here for a reason. A great destiny brought you to this land. But in the end, it is up to you to decide what kind of mark you will leave on the world. I only hope that you will choose wisely.”
I remained frozen even when she took her hoof away. Her words meant more than their immediate translation. There was something beneath them, behind them, concealed under them that I couldn’t decipher. Did she know 'Mark' was a false name? Did she know how I had come to Equestria? Did she know about Earth?
Unfortunately, those questions wouldn’t be answered that night.
“It’s getting late. I won’t keep you any longer.” The princess turned and began walking down the dark hallway. “Have a good evening, Mark. Rest well.” She called lightly. And then she was gone.
I was left in the hall alone. The air was still once again. The storm continued to pelt the walls outside. It was as if Celestia had never been there at all. Like a ghost, I floated back into my room and sank into my bed. By morning, I had begun to wonder if I had really met with Celestia at all or if it was all some kind of lucid dream.
Her demeanor the next day didn’t prove one way or the other, either.
“Have a safe trip! Be sure to visit the palace whenever you find yourselves in Canterlot!” It was a brilliant crystal-clear morning with the sun shining brightly through a storm-scrubbed sky. The light danced like water off the glistening roves of the city and everywhere, ponies were reemerging from their homes. The princess escorted Spike and I to the front gates of the palace where she gave us a warm farewell.
“Or, you could visit us sometime!” Spike exclaimed. “Like, just stop by for lunch! And bring rubies! Please? Pleeease?”
“I would love to, Spike. I promise I’ll come soon. Today, however, I have to meet with Prince Blueblood.”
“Keep an eye out for that one.” I muttered out of the corner of my mouth.
“What was that, Mark?” Celestia smiled.
“I said, 'keep 'in touch I'll have fun'!" I grinned feebly. "Thank you for everything, princess. It was a pleasure. Perhaps someday we can meet again.”
“I’m sure we will, Mark. Thank you.” With a bow and a final farewell, Spike and I left the princess and the palace behind us.
“That was a lot of fun!” Spike declared as we neared the train station. “It was nice spending the night back home.”
“What? The library still doesn’t feel like home to you?” I asked.
“Eh, I have a hard time calling any place home that doesn’t serve frosted quartz for breakfast.”
“Ah, yes, ‘the way to a man’s heart’ and all that.”
“As if you’re one to talk. All princess Celestia had to say was ‘coffee’ and you were sold! But I think you enjoyed yourself, too.” Spike pointed a claw at me. “When you first came in with the princess, you were all like, ‘yes ma’am, no ma’am, your highness, your majesty’. But you finally loosened up.” The little dragon mocked my etiquette, straightening his back and tightening his shoulders like a little tin soldier. He even lowered his voice to mimic me.
“Who’s that supposed to be? It sounds nothing like me!” I shook my head.
"Does too!"
"All right, then, how about this?" I scrunched my voice until it was nice and gravely, "Hi, I'm Spike! I learned to talk from a guy named Ash Ketchum! Gotta catch 'em all! But I especially wanna catch Sableye! That one makes me hungry!" I would have continued, too, if my words didn't degenerate into an uncontrollable bought of coughing and hacking.
Spike and I checked our luggage, double-checked on Twilight’s book order, and stepped onto the train platform. Even the engine and cars looked fresher in the crisp morning light and clouds of pure white steam rose into the air. I looked behind me to get one last look at the towers of Canterlot and the palace above.
“Say goodbye to Canterlot. At least, for now.” Spike grinned up at the hazy view of the castle’s towers. “Oh! That reminds me, Mark, here. Princess Celestia wanted me to give this to you!” He reached into his bag and revealed a sealed scroll.
Confused, I gingerly took it and broke the ornate golden wax sealing it. Immediately, the paper rolled open and a single golden ticket fell into my hand. I looked at it for a long second. I didn’t even have to read the letter to know what it said.
“Awesome, Mark! It’s a ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala! I guess this means you’re invited too, huh?”
“No. Really? I thought it was an invitation to the chocolate factory.” I continued regarding the stiff piece of gold-embossed paper in my palm.
“You’re so random sometimes. You should hang out with Pinkie Pie more.” Spike shook his head and hopped up into the passenger car.
I turned the ticket around and around in my fingers, a frothing mixture of thoughts sloshing between my ears. The ticket was an invitation, all right, but what kind of invitation was still a mystery. It could be utterly innocent, a friendly gesture, a hoof of peace. A warm welcome to the only human representative in Equestria. But, coming from Celestia, it could also be so much more. The token between my fingers could be a sign of something else entirely. A sign that Celestia was going to continue to play her great game and I was cordially invited to become a player.
With a glance back up at the palace, I tucked the ticket into my pocket and stepped onto the train.