"Ponyfeathers," Celestia swore, staring down the newsstand on the main road and ignoring the slightly fearful looks the owner was giving her, "it seems the news remains the fastest force we know." Twilight grabbed a paper and frowned. Every paper featured some variation of the headline Twilight Sparkle Faces Inspiring Struggle With Immortality, more information on page c3.
"Inspiring struggle with immortality?" She read, bewildered. "I'm not struggling with it, I only just discovered it this morning!"
Twilight looked up at Celestia and Luna, who were in the middle of sharing an unreadable look.
"Twilight," Celestia began slowly, "Equestria is a great nation, and its ponies are prosperous. We have an overabundance of food, magic, and vaguely shaped modern art. This is in large part because of how we stick together as a whole. Our order and our consistency are what we are known for." Celestia sighed lightly, her head lowering a bit. "Unfortunately, that means big changes can cause mass reactions like this."
Luna put a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "Our little ponies will attempt to understand your immortality by empathizing with how they think it will affect you. Everypony has their own way of going about it, and now that your immortality is so widespread, everypony will act soon to curry your favor or encourage you. Truly, most will believe their work noble and a great aid to you."
Twilight's ears folded back slowly. "Everypony is going to try to talk to me?"
Celestia nodded. "Talk to you, give you gifts, recite you poems, and all at once probably." She patted Twilight's back. "And they'll continue with commendable determination, most likely for many days." Celestia turned back towards the castle. "We should probably leave now and get you someplace in the castle with a lot of guards so you don't get cornered by nobles. You are welcome to stay in the castle for as long as you wish, and please do not hesitate to contact Luna or I if you find yourself stuck."
Celestia stepped forwards, and suddenly noticed Twilight's lack of response. "Twilight?"
Twilight was as stiff as a board, her eyes impossibly wide and her mane slowly standing up in random places. Spike looked at her in concern, tentatively waving a paw before her eyes. After a moment, he poked her in the side. She didn't even twitch. Spike sighed.
"I'll go get the wheelbarrow." He muttered.
Spike stood on the bedstand to get a better look out the window at the courtyard below. He let out a low whistle at the sight of the growing throng of ponies attempting to enter the castle.
"Wow, looks like a lot of ponies are showing up to see you." He chuckled. "Hey, maybe you could hold a day court."
Twilight responded by continuing to breathe rapidly into a paper bag. Spike jumped up on the bed she was curled up on, rolling his eyes.
"Twilight, come on," Spike said, "it's not as bad as you're thinking. So a few ponies are coming to wish you a happy eternity." Spike looked back out the window. "Uh, so a fair bit of ponies are coming to wish you... So a lot of ponies are... A sea of ponies... Hey is that Discord?"
Spike gulped, closing the window and pulling the curtains quickly. "Uh, nevermind. I think trying to encourage you just discouraged me."
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the hall. Twilight and Spike both jumped in surprise, and threw themselves under the bedsheets in a meager attempt to hide. Just as they did, the door was flung open.
A swarm of ponies all dressed in robes entered the room, circling around the bed. Twilight looked into the hall with a gasp to see the guards had been tied up and were lying on their backs while looking slightly upset. She pulled Spike close to her protectively, and threw off the sheets.
"Stay back, all of you!" Twilight yelled with wings flared, lighting her horn and levitating a shield of books in front of her. After a moment of hearing nothing, she peaked over her book palisade.
Every single one of the robed ponies was bowing down. Twilight stared blankly at them, folding her wings back and shifting uncomfortably as she lowered her books.
"Uh. C-can you stop that?" Twilight asked nervously. Immediately every single pony shot to their hooves.
"Of course, your majesty." A taller grey unicorn said earnestly. "Anything you command."
Twilight frowned deeply. Spike looked out from Twilight's close hold on him.
"Hey can you command to have a tray of gems?" He asked. Twilight shot him an incredulous look, to which Spike shrugged. "Hey they said anything."
"Absolutely." The unicorn nodded quickly. "The Church of Friendship is devoted to whatever you may need."
Twilight's face suddenly drained of all emotion, leaving a blank stare. Her jaw worked up and down, but absolutely no sound came out. After a moment, Twilight let out a low groan.
"Church of Friendship." She repeated emptily.
"Yes your majesty." An orange pegasus said. "We have long followed your teachings on friendship, since when you ascended. Now that you have become a goddess, it was only right to-"
"Goddess?" Twilight sputtered. "No! I'm just a regular alicorn!" She cringed a bit. "Uh, I'm just a regular alicorn as in I am of the non-goddess alicorns." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Uh, actually Celestia and Luna have asked ponies many many times to stop worshiping them so I don't really think any of the alicorns are goddesses."
Silence reigned over the room for a long moment, and Twilight heard a few ponies coughing awkwardly.
The gray unicorn looked up at Twilight with tears in his eyes. Twilight sat down, looking concerned.
"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry if I was harsh. Was I harsh? I didn't mean to be." Twilight tried to assure them.
"Such humbleness and grace!" The gray unicorn whispered, a single tear falling down his cheek. "Truly one so pure and mighty could only be a goddess!"
"But she just said she's not a goddess!" Spike exclaimed.
"She is testing our faith!" A pony yelled, and everyone else took up the call.
"Surely it is a test from the Lady of Knowledge! Have no fear, we shall not be shaken in our faith now that we have seen your glory with our own eyes!" The orange pegasus cried.
Twilight breathed slowly, putting her hoof to her chest and extending it as she breathed out. Every pony in the room immediately imitated the motion.
Twilight screamed in frustration, holding tighter to Spike as she kicked the window open and fled outside. The ponies left inside the room stared on in awe.
"The anger of the goddess is a righteous sign," the unicorn began gravely, "come my brothers and sisters, we shall act with the force of our Lady's glorious wrath!"
They all cheered and galloped away. The two guards on the floor shared a look.
"Hey do you think that was a bit ominous?" One asked.
"Nah." The other said.