Chapter 2
Ponyville was in an uproar. Rumors were going around about Princess Twilight exiting a train with what many ponies identified as a large cloaked pony. Ponies everywhere noticed that said pony had a few suit cases with her, and Twilight was escorting her to the castle. Was this mysterious pony moving in with the Princess?
As they made their way to the castle, they were spotted by Rainbow Dash, who was resting on a cloud when she saw Twilight and the strange pony.
“What the hell?” Dash said before flying off after them.
When they passed by the Ponyville Spa, Rarity and Fluttershy were just stepping out when they saw the duo making their way to the castle.
“I wonder who that is,” Fluttershy asked. Before Rarity could say anything, she saw Rainbow Dash flying overhead after them.
“I think we should follow too,” Rarity reasoned. Fluttershy nodded nervously and they walked after them.
In Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie Pie was managing the counter when her entire body started twitching. Carrot Cake and Cup Cake both looked at Pinkie Pie worried.
“Oooooooooh booooooooy! Thiiiiiiiiiis iiiiiiiiis a reeeeeeaaaaaaaal biiiiiiiiiig dooooooooooooozy!” Pinkie Pie said, “I'm goooooooonnaaaaaaaaa neeeeeeed the reeeeeeest of the daaaaaaaay oooooooof!”
With that, Pinkie Pie literally vibrated all the way to the front door, Carrot Cake and Cup Cake looking at Pinkie Pie in confusion.
When she got outside, she stopped twitching. Pinkie Pie sighed in relief and fell right in line with her friends as they followed Twilight and the cloaked pony, almost like she knew exactly what was going on.
Finally, they walked past the market, where Applejack and Big Macintosh were at work selling product. Once they saw the others following Twilight and the mysterious cloaked pony, Applejack stepped out of from behind their counter.
“Big Mac, could ya manage the stand fer me?” Applejack asked.
“Eeeyup,” Macintosh said simply. Applejack galloped over to her friends walking next to Rarity.
“Any idea who that is with Twilight?” Applejack asked.
“No clue,” Rarity said, “But whoever it is they obviously plan on staying for a while.”
Rainbow Dash flew down closer to them.
“Think this has to do with Twilight's sudden visit to Canterlot?” Dash asked.
“Maybe she was asked to escort somepony important on a tour through Equestria,” Fluttershy reasoned.
“Nope, not big enough,” Pinkie Pie said simply, catching everyone's attention.
“Whatever do you mean, Pinkie?” Rarity asked.
“I sensed a HUGE doozy just before Twilight got here,” Pinkie Pie said, “Something big is about to happen, I can feel it in my tail. Or is it in my mane?”
“I hope it isn't anything too serious,” Rainbow Dash said, “Seriously, we've barely had any chance to rest. It's like every five seconds our butts are glowing telling us to go save the day.”
“While I don't appreciate Rainbow Dash's crass way of wording it,” Rarity said with a slight blush, “I do share her sentiment of wanting this to just be a minor issue.”
“Well, we're about ta hit the castle,” Applejack said, “Looks like whoever that pony is, they're stayin there.”
They all stopped and watched as Twilight walked the unknown pony into the castle. She met eyes with all of them and nodded, telling them that it was okay to come in. She looked really grave for some reason though.
Pinkie Pie didn't miss a beat, and started skipping toward the castle.
“Hey, wait up Pinkie!” Dash said flying after the pink pony. Rarity and Applejack shrugged and trotted after them. Poor Fluttershy shrank back for a second really nervous before reluctantly following her friends to the castle.
Inside, things were quiet as usual. At first they didn't see Twilight right away, but they heard her talking to someone quietly and soothingly. She then told Spike to take the pony's cloak and get a room set up. She stepped out of the library and met up with her friends in the hall.
“Thanks for coming, girls,” Twilight said with a sigh.
“We just came once we saw Rainbow Dash flying after you,” Fluttershy said, Rarity nodding in agreement.
“So, who's that other pony?” Rainbow Dash asked, “Your new lover or something?”
Twilight blushed stepping back, “N-no! Nothing like that?!”
“Then why are you blushing?” Rainbow Dash taunted, raising her eyebrows up and down.
“Take yer damn shippin goggles off fer a second, will ya?” Applejack scolded, “But seriously, ya looked mighty serious. Is somethin wrong?”
“Actually…” Twilight began right as the last pony anyone expected to see walked out of the library.
“Twilight, I need to get some fresh air,” Princess Celestia said, seeming to ignore the varying degrees of “WTF” on the faces of Twilight's friends, “Is there someplace I can go to sunbath?”
“Oh, yeah,” Twilight said, “Go up the stairs at the end of the hall and take a left. You'll find a balcony there that gets constant sunlight.”
“Thank you,” Celestia said softly. She bowed wordlessly to all of Twilight's friends, and trotted off. Once she was gone, and they could breath, they all crowded around Twilight.
“Holy shit that was Princess Celestia!”
“What is she doing here in Ponyville?!”
“Nothin's happenin in Canterlot, is it?!”
“Does she need someone to make her a dress?! Oh, I would be so honored!”
“This was the doozy! THIS WAS THE DOOZY!!!”
“Girls CALM DOWN!!!” Twilight shouted, using the Royal Canterlot Voice that she learned from Luna, immediately quieting her friends, “Come into the throne room. I'll explain everything there.”
~Five Hours Ago
“Move her to Ponyville?” Luna asked Twilight. Upon her request, Twilight met Luna in the library of Canterlot Castle, where she told Luna her plan to help her.
“She needs constant reassurance,” Twilight said, “I can't afford to leave my post in Ponyville for too long, but I don't feel comfortable leaving Celestia alone. I mean, I know you're here too, but-”
“No Twilight Sparkle, you are correct,” Luna said somberly, “I had summoned you here because you are capable of more than I in this situation. I just want my sister to be well. If there is no other option, then please take her to Ponyville with you.”
“Thank you Princess Luna,” Twilight said.
“No, thank you, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said with a saddened smile. Twilight could tell that she wanted to do more herself, but she appreciated the help Twilight gave her.
When she returned to the room, Celestia had a few bags packed. Not a whole lot, just a few necessities. Anything else she needed would be supplied at Twilight's castle or she could get in Ponyville. Over her usual regalia Celestia wore a brown cloak with a hood.
“Is all of this really necessary?” Celestia asked.
“Unless I make a public announcement about you staying in Ponyville, then yes,” Twilight explained, “Mind you, the ponies there are a little more used to royalty now, but we still don't want to attract any unwanted attention.”
Celestia nodded and turned to look around her room. She had planned on staying in there for the entire day crying, and now she probably wouldn't see it for a few months. However long it took for her to recover.
“Princess?” Twilight asked.
“There's a part of me that's wondering what the point of all of this is,” Celestia admitted, “This is a sadness I have held onto for centuries. He and I were truly in love, and he actually understood the pain of longevity. When I lost him the first time, I felt like a piece of myself was torn out. I was upset at Starswirl, for it seemed like he just didn't understand my suffering.”
“How do you feel right now,” Twilight asked.
“Honestly Twilight, conflicted,” Celestia said, “I know that what we did was for the best, yet I can't help but feel resentful.”
Celestia walked to her balcony again and spotted one of her guards talking to a maid. The way she blushed told her everything she needed to know about their relationship.
“I see my ponies enjoying their lives, finding and being with somepony that they love, and how happy they are. While I do not fault them for being happy, I am a pony as well. I have wants and needs just like them. The idea that I can't be with the pony that I love… it tortures me…”
Twilight wanted to tell Celestia that she could always find love elsewhere, but she stopped herself for a number of reasons. One, she had never fallen in love that hard before, not even with Flash Sentry, so she couldn't say how easy it was to let go of those feelings. Two, Celestia was a long lived entiry. Not immortal like most ponies seemed to think, but her lifespan was a lot longer than most ponies thought. She'd outlive just about any stallion that she loved. And three, she wasn't just anypony. She was Princess Celestia, primary royal figure of Equestria. Though she was a pony, very few ponies recognized that. Mostly they all saw a figure head, a symbol. Hell, it wasn't until a little while ago that Twilight had seen the broken, fragile mare behind the crown and royal regalia.
“Is there anything I can do to help you?” Twilight asked, “Like, right now. What can I do right this second to help you get through this?”
Celestia looked like she was about to answer immediately, but Twilight raised an eyebrow at Celestia, in a manner similar to how Celestia would to her when she didn't put enough thought into a question. It seemed to have the desired effect, as Celestia closed her eyes and thought for a few seconds before speaking again.
“It would be nice… if you didn't call me Princess…” Celestia said after a bit.
Twilight was surprised to hear that, but she soon smiled and nuzzled Celestia's side.
“Then that's what I'll do… Celestia.”
“And that's how I ended up here,” Twilight said to her friends, each one of them including Spike sitting in their respective thrones.
“Poor Princess Celestia,” Fluttershy said sadly, “I never would have guessed that she was so upset.”
“When ya think about it, it was sort of obvious, don't ya think?” Applejack asked, “I mean, if I had lost the pony I loved, I'd be pretty messed up myself.”
“She should just get over it,” Dash said lying down in her throne actually, “There are a ton of guys out there that would love a piece of the Princess.”
“Shows what you know about romance!” Rarity scolded, throwing a random ball of paper at the cyan colored pegasus, “The problem isn't that she can't find love. The problem is that she can't be with Sombra. Imagine if you couldn't get into the Wonderbolts, no matter what. I'm sure you could just find another dream to follow though, by your logic.”
Dash sighed, “No, you're right. I was insensitive. Look, I've never been in love, okay? I don't know how that works.”
“Either way she's sufferin,” Applejack said, “An' what about that part of her possibly becomin like Nightmare Moon?”
“Surely that can't actually happen, can it?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight sighed before speaking, “I don't know. I want to say “not a chance”, but you all saw her. She's really torn up by all of this.”
“It wouldn't take much,” Rarity said looking away from everyone, “All darkness would need is something to latch onto. Fear and jealousy are one thing, but grief is one of the strongest emotions for it to use.”
Twilight looked at Rarity sadly. She spoke from experience concerning how easy is was to fall into darkness. Besides Fluttershy or Pinkie Pie, Rarity was probably one of the nicest ponies you'd ever meet. So generous and loving, who would have thought she had enough insecurities to be captured and turned into her Nightmare equivalent?
Surely none of them.
“Maybe all she needs is some time away from her royal duties,” Pinkie Pie reasoned, “I could plan a “Don't Worry, Be Happy” party for her! I know all of her favorite foods, party games, what sort of venue she'd like, and that she loves quesadillas!”
Twilight's eyes went wide when Pinkie Pie said that, and she shuddered. Hopefully Pinkie Pie didn't bring any of… those. They were so cheesy…
“I think the best thing ta do right now is give her time,” Applejack said, “She came here ta feel normal and deal with her grief. If she has all of us crowdin around her plannin parties she'll feel claustrophobic.”
“Um, hello? That's why I want to plan her a party!” Pinkie Pie said as if it were obvious, “I throw parties for all of my normal friends, and this is my chance to finally make it official!”
“Well, we can discuss all of that later,” Twilight said, “Right now, Celestia needs some rest. I'll check with her to see what she wants, but I get the feeling she'll want to keep things private for now.”
“If you need anything at all, you'll let us know, right?” Rarity asked.
“I will. Thanks girls,” Twilight said. After escorting everyone out, Twilight sat back down on her throne. Spike walked up to her and put a clawed hand on her hoof.
“What's wrong Twilight?” Spike asked.
“I don't know what to do for her, Spike,” Twilight admitted, “Normally when I have a problem that I can't solve, I turn to Princess Celestia for help. This time it's Princess Celestia that has the problem. Spike, I don't know if I can save her.”
“You don't have to save her,” Spike said, “Just be her friend. You know how to do that, don't you?”
“Me, friends with Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked looking at Spike like he was crazy.
“Why not? She's not your teacher anymore. You're a princess too. That makes you two equals now,” Spike reasoned.
“I've never seen myself as her equal,” Twilight said, “She's lived so much longer than me, and has so much more experience.”
“So what?” Spike asked as if it were nothing, “Okay, so she's well over a thousand years old. That doesn't mean she's any less of a pony. Isn't that the problem she's having?”
Twilight thought about what Spike said, and then nodded, “You're right, Spike. The reason losing Sombra hurts her so much is because she feels isolated. If I can show her that ponies actually see her as a pony and not just a princess, that can at least start the healing process,” she pulled her assistant into a hug, “Thank you so much Spike!”
“Aw, you're welcome Twilight,” Spike said returning the embrace.
Twilight let go of Spike and galloped to the balcony she told Celestia about. When she reached said balcony, Twilight froze when she saw the Princess. She stood on the balcony with her wings spread out, both of them with a bright golden glow as she absorbed the sunlight. Her eyes were closed, giving her a serene expression that betrayed the turmoil she suffered through.
Twilight couldn't help herself. Her heart started her racing looking at the Princess.
“Is there something you need, Twilight?” Celestia asked, startling Twilight.
“Pri- uh, Celestia!” Twilight cried, “H-how did you know that I was here?”
“I heard your hoofsteps when you came up the stairs,” Celestia said turning to Twilight with a somber yet oddly alluring expression, “That, and you always smell of lavender.”
“Ah… I see...” Twilight couldn't help but blush. She shook her head before she spoke up again, “Oh, Princess. I wanted to ask you. Have you decided what you wanted to do about staying here? Whether or not you want to keep your visit here a secret?”
“Actually, that might have taken care of itself before you came here,” Celestia said. Confused, Twilight stepped out to the edge of the balcony, where she saw a number of ponies looking up at the balcony with surprised yet confused expressions.
“Uh oh,” Twilight said, her heart racing once again, this time for a completely different reason.
“I'm positive you'll figure something out,” Celestia said turning to walk back into castle.
“W-wait, me?!” Twilight asked, “You're not going to give me your two bits or anything?!”
“This isn't my kingdom, Twilight,” Celestia said, “And you're no longer my student. I have faith in your decisions,” she stopped and held a hoof to her head, “I think I need to rest. Even after getting energy from the sun I still feel so tired.”
“I read in a book once that depression saps energy,” Twilight said, “Maybe going to lie down is a good idea.”
Celestia nodded and walked out of the balcony, leaving Twilight alone to her thoughts. Now the whole town was going to be in an uproar unless she did something. Celestia trusted her judgment, so maybe she could actually fix this.
“This is going to be a pain either way...” Twilight said with a sigh.