Princess Celestia had been expecting the knock, so she opened the door right away and embraced her student, holding her, feeling the little shivers emanating from her body, the dampness of her tears.
“They don’t like me, Princess! They called me names! What do I do? Call them names? Twilight Sparkle looked up at her mentor, eyes wide and hooves folded. “What do I do?”
Princess Celestia looked down at Twilight. Closing her eyes, she spoke.
“Once, there was a filly named Circumstance who lived in a little village across the sea. Her village was controlled by a lord named Pomp, and he was not a very nice pony. Every day, he forced the villagers to mine precious metals for him, so that he could keep a life of luxury. Pomp used his position to his own selfish advantage, and the lives of the villagers were quite miserable.
“One day, after Circumstance had become a full-grown mare, she began to crave the wealth and fame that Pomp had, so she schemed with other villagers to overthrow Pomp from his oppressive reign. She managed to gain everypony’s support, save for one: an old stallion named Trivia who lived in a mountain nearby with his family and not much else in the way of material goods. ‘Pomp will get what’s coming to him eventually without any conspiracies,’ he said. ‘If you leave him be, life will improve after he is gone, and you will all be happier for it. Be patient,’ he warned Circumstance. ‘There is more to life than fortune and power.’”
“But Circumstance did not listen. The next day, Circumstance and her supporters stormed the tower where Pomp lived and confronted him. Frightened, Pomp turned and fled into the nearby forest and was never heard from again. Everypony celebrated and decided to elect one of their own as a new leader for the community, and Circumstance was the unanimous choice, and was delighted.
“‘Do not let the power go to your head,’ warned Trivia. ‘Why do you revel in your position? Do you not see how Pomp was, how he became his power? Resign and enjoy the company of your friends instead. Riches and status mean nothing after you die, and you will be forgotten.’ Circumstance ignored him and, after some time, began sending ponies back to the mines that they had been liberated from not that long ago.
“And so it was that, several years later and after much suffering, the villagers once again broke into the tower and drove out their leader. Stunned, Circumstance galloped away to Trivia’s mountain. He would support her, she knew he would!
“Inside, she found his body on what had passed for his bed. He was relaxed and had the ghost of a smile on his face, like he was at peace. Circumstance threw herself to the ground and wept over his loss and the loss of her wealth. She cried out to the heavens and pleaded with them, asked them to end her life, for there was no purpose to remain alive if she had nothing to show for it.
“She asked for the ultimate choice, and the heavens obliged.”
Twilight Sparkle was still. Not a trace of her anguish or helplessness remained as she watched Princess Celestia walked to an ornate chess table, with chairs on either side. The pieces were in a state of disarray, a game having been left incomplete. Princess Celestia motioned her student over.
As Twilight came over, Princess Celestia slid a drawer open in the table, took several pieces off the board, and placed them inside the drawer. She continued this until there were only two left: a king and a pawn.
“After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same drawer,” said Princess Celestia, removing the final pieces from the board and laying them in the drawer. She slid it shut and looked at Twilight. “Do you know what it is I say to you, Twilight Sparkle?”
Twilight opened her mouth, closed it, furrowed her eyebrows, and nodded. “Yes, Pr—” She covered her mouth and blushed. “Yes, Celestia. I know. May I go?”
“Only if you agree to bring a friend to your next lesson,” Celestia said with a smile. Twilight nodded and trotted out of the throne room.