Blaze: The Tales of Princess Twilight Sparkle and Her Student

by JKinsley


Chapter 2: Kalon

“Thank you so much for hosting this little get-together, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. I can’t begin to tell you how rewarding it is to take a day off and spend time with my favorite student.” Twilight smiled at Celestia across the room and took a sip of her tea.

The moment she set it down, it was refilled. Twilight chuckled good naturedly. She took another sip, set down the cup, and watched as it was refilled again. Her smile broadened. She levitated the cup and made a loud slurping noise, but did not drink. True to form, however, one of the Cakes tried to refill her full cup and it overflowed.

“Gotcha,” Twilight whispered, and all three shared a hearty, if somewhat embarrassed, chuckle.

Celestia turned her attention back to the conversation in front of her, however, a debate between Rarity and Rainbow about whether Shining Armor was really going stag to the Gala or if it would just be Prince Blueblood in attendance.

“So how well would you say you know Princess Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked casually.

Celestia chuckled. “I am her personal student, so I would say I know her as well as anypony else would in my position. I’ve long admired her wisdom and compassion, that soft, easy-going—”

“How personal are we talkin’ here? Ya got any special ‘positions’ you’re fond of with her? I bet she’s loud, too, right?” Rainbow Dash waggled her eyebrows.

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity hissed. “Must you be so crude?!”

Celestia fumed silently for a few moments while she waited for her blush to subside. “It’s nothing like that! Princess Twilight is a paragon of magic, friendship, and leadership. She has done more in my lifetime to benefit Equestria than you could hope to learn in twenty of yours!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rainbow waved her hoof dismissively, “it still sounds like you’re going to be her plus one, so that just leaves Prince Hunky Armor and Prince Blue Balls—”

Rainbow got smacked on the back of her head. “Whoa, hey, miss Princess Wannabe. I’m just telling it like it is. You wanna bag the princes, and I want all the Wonderbolts. I mean, all we hafta do is agree to stay out of each other’s way and get Zecora to mix up a couple special potions so we’re not regretting anything in the morning, if you know what I mean. Maybe even a little something extra for you, because if his wings are anything to go by, I think Shining Armor might be an endurance flyer.”

Another smack cut Rainbow’s innuendo laden train wreck short, and Rarity nearly made a move to strangle the offending pegasus. “You uncouth little s—”

“Girls!” Celestia hissed through gritted teeth and burning cheeks. “Enough!”

Rarity and Rainbow quickly ducked their heads in a short bow, and Celestia turned to see Princess Twilight gracefully striding over to them. “My little ponies, is everything all right? I heard raised voices.”

Celestia bowed further than either of her friends in clear deference. “Princess! I’m sorry, we were just having a discussion and things got out of hoof.”

Rainbow Dash muttered something Celestia couldn’t hear, and earned a swift smack upside her head from Rarity. Rainbow’s glare was severely undercut by the grin she shot Celestia’s way.

“Princess Twilight, if you don’t mind,” Rarity interjected, “I believe we were just trying to clear up a few matters of the Royal Family.”

“Ah, curious about my brother, Shining Armor, are we?”

Rainbow Dash snickered, Celestia rolled her eyes, and Rarity stammered, “W-well yes. B-but not just him! I’m lead to believe you have a niece and nephew, as well?”

“It’s not quite as simple as all of that, but that is my living family. What did you want to know?”

As Rarity peppered Twilight with questions, Celestia looked over the table the Princess had just left and spotted Fluttershy behind it, opening the cage and plucking the sickly Philomena from her “prison.”

“Oh, you poor thing! I’m sure Princess Twilight is just very busy and hasn’t got around to getting you the care you need.”

Oh horse apples, Celestia thought darkly before she excused herself from the party and dashed after Fluttershy.


A pile of ash gathered in Fluttershy’s outstretched hooves, and tears streamed down her face. She had failed. Failed herself, failed Philomena, failed Celestia, failed Twilight. She would surely be banished, imprisoned, or both.

“Princess Twilight! Please!” Celestia stepped in between Fluttershy and Twilight. “This is my fault. I asked Fluttershy to do this. I’m the one responsible for Philomena going missing.” Celestia cast a somber glance back to Fluttershy. “I’m the one who should be punished.”
“Punished? Whatever for?”

“For taking Philomena without asking and allowing her to...” Celestia couldn’t bring herself to say it. She just gestured to the pile of ash still held in Fluttershy’s shaking hooves.

“Allowing her to burst into flame?” Twilight offered. Celestia barely nodded her head. “Surely, my dear student, you remember what kind of bird Philomena is?” An almost imperceptible shake. “Philomena, dear, stop fooling around and worrying everypony.”

With all the drama of a stage actor, a glorious red-and-gold bird with a wingspan to rival that of a pegasus lept from the ashes and soared above the gathered crowd before landing on Twilight’s outstretched foreleg.

Celestia visibly relaxed and wiped her brow. “Of course. Philomena’s a phoenix. She didn’t die, per se, she just regenerated.”

“That she did, and she was a touch mischievous about it, too. Have you been talking with my brother, hmm?” Twilight playfully chided. “I think you owe poor Fluttershy an apology.”

Philomena hopped off of Twilight’s leg and swooped over to Fluttershy. She nuzzled Fluttershy’s cheek and cooed. Fluttershy dried her eyes and offered a smile. Philomena hopped into the air and left behind a long, red tail feather.

Twilight smiled, too. “You must be an exceptionally dedicated caretaker, Miss Fluttershy. Phoenixes do not part with their feathers lightly, and that she offered one to you speaks volumes. I am overjoyed that Celestia has friends like you, even if she is quick to rush to their defences with hairbrained ideas of being banished.” Twilight pulled Celestia close and nuzzled her. “Take care, my faithful student, and try to stay out of trouble. I look forward to seeing all of you soon!”