Cutie Mark Achievers

by sparklepeep

Chapter 3: Twilight Sparkle

Twilight Sparkle, heavy with sweat caused by the seventy-eight suns and twenty-two moons now simultaneously flying over Equestria, collapsed on the floor as she walked in to the cave that she has been living in for the last week.

"Oh, my little pony! Are you all right?" Princess Celestia lifted Twilight on to her bed, a pile of rocks with spiderweb sheets, with great stress, "did anypony see you?"

"No, princess," Twilight said with a smile, "and here, I found you half an apple."

"Twilight, I think you need it more than I do."

"No, I can't. You're the princess! You should have the apple."

"Well, my faithful student," Celestia gave a sad smile, the closest that she's gone to a real smile in months, "I think we may have a hundred princesses now."

"No we don't," Twilight snapped, "we have one"---Twilight caught her mistake too late, but Luna was too busy curling up in a useless, mentally broken pile to care---"two princesses! Those imposters can never replace you!"

"Oh, Twilight Sparkle," Celestia hugged her and they both began to cry. In tears, they shared the apple between them while Equestria continues to be torn apart by these ponies with powers that they did not deserve.

"Did you hear that, Princess?" Twilight Sparkle bolted up all of a sudden, forgetting that she was in searing pain.

"Yes, Twilight. I can feel the bass under the rocks. They are close."

"We can't let them find you. I'll---"

"No, Twilight. You will do nothing but rest for the next hour. I will get Luna ready for travel."

"Princess---"

"The imposters claim that I mistreat fillies and dishonor my students. I will not have them proven right. Now, Twilight Sparkle, as your princess, mentor and friend, I order you to take a nap. Right now."

"Yes Princess. But please, be careful..." Twilight barely got the last word out before she involuntarily closed her eyes and dreamt of a time when all her friends were eating donuts with her in Canterlot. Oh, what magical times.