Twilight already couldn't help herself from shivering once morning arrived.
Just as with the previous two days, Twilight pondered whether Celestia was okay or if she had to blindly search for her in a region unfamiliar to virtually everypony in Equestria. There still hadn't been a single message from Celestia since she left, Twilight hearing the same story whenever she wrote to Luna or Cadance about the issue.
Celestia's status could only be subject to rampant speculation at this point, the kind of thoughts that always turned Twilight's coat pale. Twilight had no choice but to try and distract herself with more research while Spike waited for news back at the castle, as per his own requests. Yet with her droopy eyes and slight headache, anxiety was already taking its toll. A comfortable bed and a glass of something soothing to drink might've been necessary.
At least the weather at Sweet Apple Acres calmed her a little, the faint breeze tickling her coat and the birds chirping a familiar tune. The nearby barn even exuded a cozy appearance, hay bales and baskets filled to the brim with apples sitting just outside. Lifting up an apple with her magic, Twilight took a small bite, cracking a smile as her taste buds picked up the fruit's juicy taste. Applejack, Fluttershy, and Starlight all took bites of their own apples, responding with grins much like Twilight's.
Everypony involved in today's research was scheduled to show up; all but one of them arrived early, Twilight not surprised about who was shaping up to be over ten minutes late.
"Where's Trixie?" Twilight blurted out. She twisted her head from left to right, approaching the red barn shortly after. "She should've been here by now." Freezing in place, she turned to Starlight and arched an eyebrow, her friend slowly making her way toward her. "Is she usually this late?"
Starlight shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "She seemed to be good with time when we first met." She paused, rubbing her muzzle before taking another bite of the apple. "I know Trixie said that she had to finish up something first, so maybe she's working on another trick. You know what she's like."
"Well, Trixie did say she was studying more." Twilight snickered in return.
"It's nice to hear how much she's grown," Fluttershy added. Flapping her wings, she approached to Twilight, hovering in the air upon arriving. She twiddled her mane. "I know that you haven't gotten along with her, Twilight, but I always thought there was something interesting about her. It was like she was looking for something."
"A friend, right?" Applejack muttered. She adjusted her hat, glancing at the array of apple trees before returning her gaze at the trio. "I won't lie, but her attitude is hard to get used to. Reminds me of Rainbow whenever she outdoes the Wonderbolts, only somehow more boastful. I didn't even think that was possible." She rubbed the back of her neck, wearing a sheepish smile. "But I guess I'll get used to Trixie."
"I bet her boastfulness would take time getting used to." Fluttershy landed on the ground, a ruffling sound reaching Twilight's ears. She then turned to Applejack. "Speaking of which, do you know how the Wonderbolts are doing? I bumped into Fleetfoot a few days ago, and she was a lot nicer than I was expecting. They seem different last I checked."
"I don't know much 'bout the Wonderbolts." Applejack shrugged. "But I remember Rainbow tellin' me that Spitfire's rearranged a lot of what they do. They're now more focused on brains than brawn, and it's working out for 'em." She turned to Twilight, pressing her weight against the barn. "It's kind of like how you described Trixie."
"They are much more effective from what I understand," Twilight said. She rubbed the top of her head, wings twitching a little. "Maybe the old way just didn't suit Spitfire, so she changed it around and found something that best fit the team. Aside from their uniforms, they hadn't changed much in over two decades, so I guess Spitfire eventually figured out what they needed."
Another series of rustles filled the air without warning, Twilight quickly turning toward the noise's source. Approaching the group was none other than Trixie, still wearing her signature hat and cape as she huffed and puffed, sticking her tongue out. Twilight couldn't help herself from grinning, if only because everypony invited had finally shown up.
Trixie wiped her forehead, panting louder than ever as she struggled to stand upright. "S-sorry," she murmured, trying to catch her breath. "I-I found this amazing spell t-that might be what you're looking for." Sitting on the grass, Trixie lifted her cape up, revealing a small pouch she had been carrying with her. She used her magic and retrieved a sheet of paper. After checking it, she brought the sheet closer to Twilight. "Surely you must be impressed that Trixie found this."
Twilight grabbed the sheet of paper and gazed at its contents. Just like with the spell she used yesterday, this one was composed of a series of symbols and writings. However, the pages lacked the precise organization Twilight preferred, though it was still simple enough to follow. And on the sheet's upper-left corner was a familiar name, Willow Wisp, one of the wisest magicians known for crafting her own spells. However, there was just one simple problem.
A sigh left Twilight's lips. "Trixie, I already know this spell," she murmured. However, she then wore a slight smirk, playfully tapping the top of Trixie's head. "But thank you for taking the time to find it. Not many ponies know who Willow Wisp is, probably because she secluded herself in a small cabin all the time." She stepped back, stretching a hoof out to Trixie. "It may not be new, but I'm still impressed."
Trixie feigned a chuckle, standing on her own and wearing a sheepish smile. "Well, I wanted to make a splash," she confessed. "Besides, the best mages in all of Equestria should know about Willow Wisp, the mare who discovered how changelings disguise themselves. So surely finding this spell must count for something."
"It does, but let's save the self-congratulating for later," Applejack quipped. She approached the sheet of paper and briefly stared at it, immediately arching an eyebrow. "I'll leave you, Twilight, and Starlight to figurin' out this spell. None of those scribbles make a bit of sense." She inched away from the three unicorns, straightening her posture.
"Just follow along and things should work out," said Twilight. "The spell we're using was meant for tracking other spells, though I don't see why it couldn't be used for pegasi and earth ponies." Twilight turned to face Applejack and Fluttershy. "Even if this doesn't yield any results, it may teach us a thing or two about how magic works."
"So nopony's done this before?" Starlight asked, tilting her head. "If the spell's right there, surely somepony must've asked a question like yours before."
"Maybe they hadn't thought of using the spell in this way." Twilight caught her breath. "It was for tracking a unicorn's spells, and maybe they thought it'd require a thorough revision. I know some of my friends in Canterlot have shied away from a few questions because they were too complex. It might've been the same for ponies in the past, too."
Starlight bobbed her head. "If that's the case, let's first make sure we're not doing anything stupid."
"That goes without saying." Backing away from the group, Twilight then took a deep breath, recalling how the spell on detecting magic worked. She rolled her shoulders and glanced over to Fluttershy, the two making eye contact. "Fluttershy, could you fly around for a bit? Don't worry, it doesn't have to be spectacular, so anything will do."
Fluttershy took to the air once more, hovering just slightly above the earth. "If you want," she murmured, cracking a smile. "How long should I fly for?"
"I'll let you know." Twilight looked up as Fluttershy slowly flew in circles. While her friend was a much better flyer than most might've assumed, not pushing her to do anything dangerous or intense was for the best. Fluttershy was braver and more assertive now than when they first met, but still delicate in a few places. "It shouldn't take too long."
Twilight took a deep breath and closed her eyes, opening them a few seconds later. Her horn became wrapped in a purple aura as electric-like sensations coursed through her body. And in an instant, the world around her changed colors, everything gray aside from a few streaks of bright colors. Her eyes itched, Twilight wishing she could've rubbed them without possibly interrupting the spell. At least the colors near Starlight and Trixie corresponded to their magic auras. Applejack and Fluttershy had their own glows enveloping their bodies; the spell was a success.
With the first step out of the way, Twilight raised her head, eyes following wherever Fluttershy went. Yet nothing noticeable caught Twilight's attention. The fact pricked her nerves. However, as she lowered her head, she noticed a blue line connecting Trixie's horn to a nearby apple, the fruit making its way over to her. Nothing of the sort appeared around Fluttershy. Perhaps the notion of flight depending on magic was false, which hadn't exactly explained why nopony could fly without magic.
Trotting forward, Twilight squinted at where Fluttershy was once more. She noticed minuscule, yellow bubbles residing just under her friend's wings, the bubbles occasionally changing shape. They brightened up ever so slightly at times, but whenever Fluttershy was far away enough, they may as well have disappeared.
Twilight blinked thrice. The world's bright colors quickly returned as if nothing had happened. She rubbed her eyes, tears tickling her cheeks for a second or two, and waved. Fluttershy descended back to the earth upon noticing Twilight's gesture, quickly making her way toward her with a curious expression.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Fluttershy asked, crossing her forelegs. "I could fly around for a bit longer if you want." She rubbed her head and looked up, eventually bringing her focus back to Twilight. "I still don't know why we need magic to fly. It all feels like it's just the wings."
"That's what I thought at first," Twilight confessed. She raised a foreleg and patted Fluttershy's shoulder. "But as it turns out, there's a small hint of magic being used to keep you airborne. You'd have to use the spell and be close by to notice it. Otherwise, it looks like there isn't a connection."
"But what about that scary thing with Tirek?" Fluttershy shivered as if a snowstorm swirled past. "I saw the damage he did, and those ponies he hurt couldn't fly without their magic." She took a deep breath, standing as tall as she could. "If we hardly need magic to fly, wouldn't losing it just make flying a little harder?"
"Maybe it's like a small but important part," Starlight muttered. "Magic plays a tiny role when it comes to flight, but without it, flight would be impossible." She twiddled her mane and gave Twilight an uncertain stare. "That's a possible explanation, right?"
"That's probably what's happening," Twilight replied. She rubbed her muzzle, donning a radiant grin seconds later. "Wait, this might be the beginning of what could be an amazing discovery! I haven't met anypony who knows exactly why pegasi need magic to fly, but this hypothesis might be the answer we're looking for!"
"So what exactly does this discovery mean?" Trixie asked with a raised brow. She adjusted her hat and nibbled on her apple. "We're much closer to finding out how magic works for pegasi, but what if there's a lot more to it? You might be on the right track, but—" Trixie winked at Twilight "—the case isn't closed just yet."
Twilight's cheeks became warm. A series of giggles left her mouth. "Well, I never said that everything was done."
A smirk adorned Trixie's visage. "Then we haven't made an amazing discovery just yet. If there are still questions to be answered, there are more pieces to the puzzle. You of all ponies should know that." She inched over to Twilight. "One of your friends can do something called a Sonic Rainboom, right? It's the one from your lecture."
"That's Rainbow Dash's signature move." Twilight quickly nodded; she already knew where Trixie was going with this. She'd suggest checking out how magic played a role in that, though Twilight already knew the answer; magic caused the rainbow-colored trail and the sudden burst in speed. "And yes, I've thoroughly studied it in the past."
"That's what I assumed," said Starlight. Her cheeks suddenly flushed. "Honestly, it was a nice lecture, even if I used it for—other means."
"Anyway, we should find out how magic works for—"
"Wait!" a familiar voice shrieked.
Swiftly turning to her left, Twilight spotted none other than Spike dashing toward her with widened eyes and a gaping mouth. She recalled the agreement both of them made earlier in the day, which narrowed it down to two possibilities. Either Celestia had returned and was waiting to share the news, or there was trouble looming in the distance. Twilight yearned for it to be the former.
Spike eventually caught up to the group, catching his breath. Raising his head, he gazed into Twilight's eyes and grinned slightly, Twilight responding in kind. At least such an expression narrowed down the possibilities, the news more likely than ever what she wished to hear. Anything else would've crushed her spirits.
"Guess what?" Spike muttered. He snickered, straightening his posture and placing his arms behind his back.
Leaning closer to Spike, Twilight's brow rose. "What is it?"
"Princess Celestia is back! She's okay and wants to talk with you right away!"
Twilight's heart skipped a beat. "Really?"
"Why would I ever lie about that?" He sprung up, unable to stand still for even a second. His eyes shifted over to the other four. "You're all invited, too. There are a few things that she wants to talk about." He paused, shoulders raised. "Don't know what it is, but it must be good!"
"That's wonderful!" Fluttershy responded, her face beaming. She approached Spike with a skip in her step, the others following close behind. "I'm so glad Celestia is okay."
"Maybe we'll learn a thing or two about those strange pillars," Starlight added. She playfully nudged Twilight with a smile on her face. "And I bet you're wondering whether towns exist in the uncharted lands. I remember how excited you got before visiting Griffonstone for the first time." She snickered, Trixie following suit.
"I guess some things don't change," Trixie teased, gently waving her hoof. "Always heading off to new, amazing places, huh?"
Twilight giggled, the tip of her hoof touching her lips. "I've noticed that." She took a deep breath and then marched forward. "Let's find Rarity, Pinkie, and Rainbow. They'll want to know what's going on." Halting, she glanced over to her friends. "Oh, and thanks for helping out, too."
"We're always here for you," said Applejack. She approached Twilight and, just like everypony else, trotted alongside her. "I know I didn't do much, but at least I know what to do for next time. We can try learning more about magic tomorrow. Catching up with Princess Celestia is more important."
"Sounds like a plan!"
As Twilight and company trekked to their friends' homes, she couldn't help herself from wondering just what Celestia encountered during her mission. Given that she only just returned on the last day, there had to have been something threatening going against her. And if Spike's enthusiasm was anything to go by, the news was most likely the best case scenario.
However, the future often had surprises in store.
"Excuse me?"
If only the future was as calm as Twilight hoped, those two words she uttered echoing the thoughts of everypony except for Celestia. Even Luna, who was among those present in the throne room alongside Twilight and her friends, wore a look of disbelief. And while Twilight was genuinely shocked by what Celestia started the conversation with, it wasn't out of the ordinary. Dealing with beings such as Discord taught her that even the seemingly impossible had a chance of occurring.
Twilight made eye contact with Celestia, both of them wearing static expressions. "Could you repeat that, please?" she continued.
Celestia slowly nodded and took a deep breath. "Very well," she said. "While I succeeded in stopping the pony who orchestrated the spell, the mission is far from over. I've merely prevented the worst from happening, but that doesn't mean somepony else might try to continue his work."
"And just what kinds of ruffians might we be dealing with?" Rarity asked, hoof slightly raised. She leaned closer to Celestia. "You mentioned one pony at first, but it sounds as though there's a whole group of them." She shuddered, her cheeks turning pale in an instant. "I hope it's nothing ghastly."
"I unfortunately don't have much information. All I know for certain is that there's a group headed by an illusionist."
"So just like Chrysalis?" Rainbow pointed out. She raised an eyebrow. "I mean, we were all awesome enough to stop her, so who's to say that this group is any different?" Pausing, she glanced down at the table before her, briefly muttering something to herself. "We just don't get tricked and we're golden."
"That's only part of it," Applejack said, crossing her forelegs and giving Rainbow a doubtful look. "We've been tricked plenty of times before, and there's no tellin' what might happen. If we're going to the south of Equestria, we best prepare ourselves for anything. We can't afford to be too reckless."
"We'll need to find the right balance," said Twilight. "We can't afford to be too careful. Time is not on our side, which means we'll have to take some risks here and there." She rubbed her muzzle, a thought reaching the tip of her mind not long after. "Wait, you told me about overcoming all kinds of dangers. Remember when you saved Apple Bloom from that chimera?"
Applejack nodded without hesitating. "Of course I remember. And I get that we have to take risks." A sigh left her lips. "Just don't want y'all getting hurt or anything. Trust me, I'd do anything to help if everypony was in a pinch."
"That reminds me," Celestia added. She made her way over to the table. "There were a number of interesting sights I saw during my journey. Some of these may prove helpful if you decide to investigate for yourselves." Standing still, she then placed her hooves on the table, glancing at everypony in the room. "For starters, there are indeed villages outside of Equestria."
Twilight nudged closer to Celestia until she was on the edge of her seat. "Is there anything worth noting?"
"There is one thing that should interest you." Celestia cracked a smile and ruffled her wings. "Ponies and changelings coexist with each other in the village, all of them joyful from what I noticed. The town was ecstatic to see somepony from Equestria come by to visit, as they rarely ever get visitors."
"That sounds amazing!" Twilight rubbed her hooves together as she wore a grin brighter than the sun. "I can't wait to learn more about that village!" She took a deep breath, sliding back into her seat. A moment later, Twilight then pressed her hoof against her cheek. "But how come they left the Changeling Hive? I thought almost all changelings preferred living there."
"Many of the changelings arrived shortly after Queen Chrysalis became their leader." She trotted around the table, stopping after just a few steps. "I didn't want to press them on the subject, but I hypothesize that these changelings wanted to maintain a friendlier relationship with the outside world. That might also explain why the residents all got along."
"Do the magic pillars relate to the town?" Starlight asked. Arching an eyebrow, she stared right into Celestia's eyes. "If the villages are close to where the problem is, did any of them know exactly what was going on?" She placed her forelegs atop the table. "I'd imagine at least one resident knew."
"Sadly, they lacked any information about what was going on." Celestia caught her breath, turning to the table before her and staring at its surface. It was as if she was expecting the Cutie Map to appear once more. But after a few seconds, she then brought her focus back to the rest of the group. "I had no choice but to approach those magic pillars, which is where I met the figure responsible."
"Who might that be?" Pinkie blurted out. Her eyes widened as a gasp escaped her mouth. "Maybe it was one of those meanies we've bumped into before." She rubbed the top of her head, shaking it after only a few seconds of thinking. "Nah, Flim and Flam and Zesty aren't anything like that. It's got to be somepony we've never met before."
"He wasn't a pony, that much I'm certain of." Celestia rubbed her forehead. "All I know was that he was used illusions and had what looked like leaves for limbs. Even I never knew about him until now." Pausing, she took another deep breath, then rubbed her muzzle. "His name is still a mystery."
"Did you try asking him?" Rainbow suggested. She couldn't help herself from looking confused, turning from left to right as though she was banking on somepony else having the answer. "I mean, if you stopped him, surely he'd give you a name. Even jerks like Sombra gave ponies a name, and he rarely ever spoke."
"I tried getting a name, but he refused to mention it for some reason." A sigh left Celestia's mouth. "All I heard was that he was hoping to use some powerful magic." She closed her eyes, humming for a second or two. "Now that I think about it, he refused to tell since he claimed to have already done so."
"How's that possible?" Rainbow shrugged. "Is he crazy?"
Celestia lowered her head. "He never explained why. All he was concerned about was trying to stop me from catching him. His magic hurt more than I was expecting, but not enough for him to escape." Her eyes swiftly focused on Twilight, the latter biting her lip. "No need to look pale, Twilight. I wasn't severely harmed."
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. "Glad to know that." Her body warmed up again, Twilight placing her hooves on her chest. "Anyway, have you found out anything about those pillars of light?"
"That's part of why I wanted to speak with all of you." Celestia pursed her lips.
Twilight shuddered, swallowing a lump. Any hopes for everything being resolved quickly was dashed, replaced with the same uncertainty that gripped her chest for the past few days. The grim visage Celestia wore wasn't helping matters. And while Twilight had a hunch that her next assignment was to investigate the same lands Celestia visited ever since she received the letter, she recognized that doing so was inevitable at this point. The only bright spot that could've made itself known was Celestia taking care of the first step.
"It looks like you know where I'm going with this," Celestia continued, making her way back to where Luna stood. "We'll need to revisit the lands to the south of Equestria. And this time, I'm afraid that I won't be able to solve the mystery on my own." She wrapped a wing around her sister, Luna responding in kind. "I sincerely apologize for this."
"We've helped you out before," Twilight pointed out. She stood up, stepping an inch away from her seat. "We've already gathered supplies in case we needed to go. If we have to embark on another journey tomorrow, we should be just fine." With a curious look, she then turned to where Luna stood. "By the way, will you be joining us?"
Luna nodded slowly, glancing over to Celestia and then back to Twilight. "That's what we have in mind," she said. "We'll arrange everything so that Equestria runs smoothly in our absence. My sister and I have dealt with problems together in the past, the most recent one just before Spike visited the Dragon Lands."
"And won the Gauntlet of Fire," Spike immediately added, smugly grinning and flexing before everypony. As he saw the everypony but Trixie wearing confused looks, the wizard merely smirking instead, Spike blushed and stepped back. "Um, sorry about that." He snickered nervously. "What were you saying, your highness?"
"It's fine." Luna playfully waved a hoof, giggling. "As I was saying, both of us know what the process is whenever we're needed. Princess Cadance should agree to fill our roles for the time being, and it wouldn't be the first time she's done that." She paused and looked at each member of the group for a second. "And before we leave, we'll need to know when to leave and what we'll be doing."
"And we can't afford to leave anything unnoticed," said Twilight. She pressed her hooves together. "I'll make sure everything's organized before we leave. Right now, let's gather any additional supplies we might need before tomorrow. We'll leave tomorrow in the morning." She stood as tall as possible, then took a deep breath. "Any questions?"
Everypony else merely glanced at each other, shaking their heads in unison.
"I think we have everything straightened out, dear," said Rarity. Standing up, she inched away from her seat, the rest of the ponies sitting down following suit shortly after. "Of course, if anypony thinks of something marvelous that might help on our journey, I'm more than open to listening."
Starlight raised her hoof with a sheepish smirk on her face. "I still need to get a few things," she said. "I'm probably a bit short on supplies." In a flash, she turned right to Trixie, waving a hoof at the mare. "And I'm pretty sure Trixie still needs to get a few things if she's joining us. Isn't that right?"
Trixie crossed her forelegs, then nodded. "I'll get anything that might prove useful," she replied, wearing a confident grin. "And I'm okay with sharing what I already have." She winked at the group. "Just let me know if anything piques your interest."
Nodding, Twilight approached Trixie with a smile of her own. "Thanks for the offer," she said, placing a hoof on Trixie's shoulder. "I don't know if we'll have to share, but it's definitely something to keep in mind." She paused, turning to where the other ponies were. "That being said, some overlap is okay, but let's not get too carried away."
Whispering something to Celestia, Luna then stepped over to the table whilst wearing a brooding expression. "There is one thing I want to discuss with you, Twilight," she said. She glanced behind her shoulder, making eye contact with Celestia before returning her gaze to Twilight.
"Of course," said Twilight. Pursing her lips, she cocked her head and raised her brow. "What's on your mind?"
"We'll get there soon enough." Luna exhaled, both she and Celestia wearing faint smiles as if to reassure Twilight that everything would be just fine, even if Twilight was expecting the opposite. "For now, please take your time preparing for the journey ahead. We'll meet up with you at the castle in about an hour."
"This should give you enough time to arrange things," Celestia added. "And don't fret about being late. We've waited for guests back in Canterlot plenty of times before." A faint giggle left her lips, Celestia then releasing a soft sigh. "There also haven't been any meetings with Blueblood to get me riled up." Pausing, she pursed her lips, wings twitching. "Anyway, we wish you the best of luck."
Twilight nodded without hesitation. "Thank you," she said, hoof touching her chest. "I'll get everything ready as quickly as possible." She looked around the room, assuming eye contact with everypony for a second. "We'll report back at the castle once everything's set. And after I meet with the princesses, we'll go over final preparations. Any last questions?"
Nopony spoke a word, their faces static.
"Alright, let's get to work."
As Twilight turned away from the throne room and trotted down the hallway once more, she couldn't help herself from wondering what else she needed for the journey at hoof. There were the basics, of course, but Celestia's tales also proved to be both relieving and stressful news. The former was due to the presence of friendly villages, likely having shops to help travelers; the latter involved the mysteries still awaiting Twilight and the weight crushing her shoulders.
Then there were the mysteries surrounding magic, the ones she studied before this new quest of hers. Twilight wanted to continue reviewing these questions in some form, though finding time was destined to be a challenge at this rate. Maybe researching such questions during quieter moments was the key.
Twilight felt shivers down her spine nonetheless. She hoped that her latest quest as well as the meeting with Celestia and Luna turned out well.
Meeting privately with either Celestia or Luna always sent chills down Twilight's spine; all of her friends were still making preparations while Twilight was only one of three strolling throughout the castle. Sure, each occurrence went without anything horrible happening, even during the moments when one or both of the two sisters furrowed their brow and scowled at her. Yet the thought of screwing up in front of them refused to leave Twilight. It never mattered that she was now a princess just like them, possibly even better at some magic than both of them. The two sisters had a palpable aura wherever they went.
Given how their chat was moved from the throne room to the balcony, Twilight wondered if the fresh air was supposed to symbolize something. Luna in particular was fond of finding appropriate locales to discuss things, likely a byproduct of the countless dreams she visited.
As Twilight finished ascending a few flights of stairs, she arrived at a small hallway with a door to her left. Approaching it, she pressed her hoof against the smooth surface. Her foreleg twitched momentarily as she pushed the door open, a soft breeze greeting her by tickling her cheeks. And as she looked through the doorway, she noticed both Celestia and Luna staring at her.
"Thank you for coming, Twilight," said Luna, waving a hoof. "Join us outside for a second."
Twilight crept forward as instructed, gently closing the door upon passing through the doorway. "Well, I wouldn't refuse a call from either of you," she said, chuckling nervously. She straightened her posture with a sheepish smile. The moment she was right beside the two mares, Twilight arched an eyebrow. "Just wanted to check, but how come you moved the conversation up here?"
"It's nice up here." Luna cracked a faint smirk, though it vanished seconds later. "But you know there's more about why I moved our discussion over here."
Nodding, Twilight at least took comfort in knowing that her first hypothesis was correct. There was indeed something about standing so far above the earth, looking down on the growing town of Ponyville as it went about its usual business. Though lately, usual was atypical of the town, some of it Twilight's own doing.
"This view represents how far you've progressed," Luna continued. She approached the balcony's edge, resting her forelegs on the gold railings. "After Nightmare Moon was stopped for good, I distinctly recall how small everything felt." She turned to Twilight once more, her smile returning. "This town's growth was partly thanks to you, Twilight. Remember that whenever you're in a bind."
"I always saw my ascension to Princess of Friendship was in part from everypony who helped or taught me something." She shrugged and donned a confused look. "But why do you tell me this now? I've been a princess for over a year now, and even with these wings, there's still a lot I have to learn."
"Learning is never over," said Celestia. She approached Twilight and gently touched her shoulder. "You know that my sister has learned many things since her return, some that you've helped her with. And despite everything I have witnessed, even I learn a few new things here and there." She knelt down until her eyes were level with Twilight's. A bright grin adorned her face. "It's just that sometimes, I feel as though you're too hard on yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"I know when you're afraid of what might happen." Celestia took a few short steps back. "There was a look in your eyes that told me you didn't want to make a mistake in front of us. You were afraid that something might go wrong. I saw it when you arrived a few minutes ago, when I was frustrated at dinner, when Discord crashed the Grand Galloping Gala, and so on. While I can't force you to feel calm, just know that a few mistakes won't end our friendship."
"But what about—"
In a flash, Celestia lifted her hoof next to her lips. "You're a princess for a reason. Nothing you've done since that moment has even come close to taking that away." She paused and took a deep breath; Twilight did the same. "And remember, if something ever concerns you, please write to me or my sister."
"You've helped us dozens of times before." Luna's smirk widened. "And even though you haven't written reports to us in a long time, keeping in touch and being honest will help." She made her way toward Twilight once again until they were inches apart. "It may not seem like much, but you'll be thankful for doing it." Both Luna and Celestia looked at each other for a moment, then back to Twilight. "It's better to be reassured than worried, and I can speak from experience."
Twilight's lips curled into a faint grin. While it wouldn't be effective all of the time, there was something comforting in knowing that Celestia and Luna supported her for a reason, going so far as to remind her that she could write to them about anything. Why this never crossed Twilight's mind was something that stuck to her, but at least she could rest easy knowing that it was acceptable. It also warmed her heart in a way, Twilight feeling as though a cozy blanket wrapped around her.
"Thank you," Twilight said. She took a deep breath, chest briefly puffed out. "Is there anything else you want to ask?"
"Be sure to bring your research along with you," said Celestia. She turned to her right, then back at Twilight. "The journey will be a long one, and there will likely be periods where there's nothing to do. Furthermore, we recommend that there's a way to communicate with all of us." She paused and gently shook her wings. "If Spike wants to come along, you can take him with you, but please make sure he doesn't hurt himself." Celestia rubbed the back of her neck, snickering. "You know what he's like."
Twilight giggled in return. "Yeah, that's Spike for you."
Luna joined in on the laughter, her visage as jubilant as ever. "Shall we head back to the throne room?" she asked.
"Sounds like a plan!"
Leading the way, Twilight passed through the doorway and descended down the staircase, head raised. While she recognized that the conversation hadn't eased all of her anxieties, it was an important start when it came to being a princess and working with Celestia and Luna. However, Twilight could only focus on those pillars and the mysterious world to the south.
Perhaps Celestia and Luna's words of wisdom would've also been helpful for the journey ahead.