“You can’t be serious!” yelled Celestia’s chancellor. “You can’t just leave your country for a few days! Especially after what happened a few days ago!”
“Be silent chancellor.” said Celestia in an anger filled tone.
“But your highness-”
“No! I told you to be silent or I will have removed from my throne room!” said Celestia as she glared at him. “Now, I know you are concerned about the condition of the kingdom and how ponies view me due to my fight with Twilight Sparkle...however, that doesn’t excuse what I must do!”
The chancellor started to talk again but seeing Celestia’s anger filled face, he quickly shut up.
“Now, I must leave to the Tree of Harmony in a few days. Equestria is in danger chancellor, from a threat that cannot be stopped by regular means. Because of this, I must leave and see if there is another solution without involving Twilight Sparkle.”
The chancellor slumped his head from hearing these words. Celestia then spoke up, “Chancellor, I will sign the most important documents before leaving. You may put together the most important documents before I leave, but I am leaving chancellor.”
“I...I understand your highness...”
The chancellor ran out of the room, trying to get as many documents as possible. While he ran, Sunset Shimmer then entered the throne room.
“Ah, Sunset…did you find an answer?” asked Celestia with a smile.
“Um…yes.” said Sunset slowly.
“You want to continue the Sun Princess Training, don’t you?”
“How…how did you know?” said Sunset with a surprised look.
“I’ve known you for a long time Sunset…you are my student, are you not?”
“Yes…um…I have a request to make though…”
“You want to return to Manehattan, don’t you?”
“Um…are you reading my mind right now, princess?” asked Sunset with an even more shocked face.
“No…I just knew you would say that.” said Celestia as her smile got bigger. “It’s a good thing that part of the training requires you to leave Canterlot as well.”
“It does?”
“Yes. The Princess of the Sun is required to see all of Equestria before becoming the princess.”
“All of it?”
“Yes. However, I’ll make an exception with this. You may just go to Manehattan to help whatever friend you have made there. You must bring Spike with you though.”
“To send reports?”
“Yes.”
“I see…” said Sunset as she bowed her head. “Thank you!”
“Of course.”
Meanwhile in Manehattan…
“I’ve never seen you cry so much Twi…” said Applejack while eating an apple.
“Yeah…sorry…” said Twilight as she rubbed her eyes.
“Don’t say you’re sorry Twi, it’s good to cry.” said Applejack as she put her hoof on Twilight. “It’ll all be okay.”
“Thanks…”
Twilight then left Applejack and went to her room. Before she knew it, Twilight had fallen asleep. However, the other three ponies met in the Rainbooms’ meeting room. The three sat there, all ready to speak up.
“Okay y’all, somepony’s go to say something.” said Applejack.
“You just did darling.” said Rarity.
“I know…I just want somepony to say something!”
“Well, if you’re asking my opinion darling, I’m not really sure what to say about this whole situation.”
“It’s just…it’s just I can’t believe what Twi told us Rarity!” said Applejack with a hint of anger. “I mean…Princess Celestia wants Twilight to inherit some ancient mumbo jumbo to save her sister?”
“Please don’t raise your voice Applejack.” said Rarity with a glare.
“Sorry. I know I sound like I’m whining but…it just sounds like a basket full of rotten apples is all.”
“I know. It sounds absolutely ridiculous to me as well but that’s what Twilight told us dear.” said Rarity as she began to drink so tea. “We must accept this and move on Applejack.”
“Even if we accept that Rarity, what do we do?”
“I say we wait and hear what Twilight has to say.”
“She already said her opinion on the matter!”
“But she hasn’t told us what she wants to do about any of this Applejack.”
“I agree with Rarity.” said Fluttershy. “Twilight always thinks ahead Applejack. It’s the fact that her dreams and family are involved in this is why she doesn’t have an answer yet.”
“You’re right…I’m sorry everypony…”
Fluttershy then went over and patted Applejack on the back, “There there…it’ll all work out Applejack, you’ll see.”
“Thanks Fluttershy.”
A few hours later…
Twilight walked into the room to find a bored Applejack and Rarity making a dress while using Fluttershy as a model.
“Fluttershy…please don’t move…I’m…just about done…” said Rarity as she twirled her sewing needles with magic.
“Hey…Sorry I fell asleep everypony…” said Twilight as she entered the room.
“Ah Twilight…don’t worry about it darling.”
“Thanks…” said Twilight as she rubbed her eyes. “Girls…I would like to ask you all a big favor…”
“A favor?” asked Applejack.
“Yeah…I don’t know what to do girls…I’m still not sure what to do about all this…”
“That’s fully understandable darling. I wouldn’t know either.”
“I was going to ask…after a few days you all are going back to Ponyville…” said Twilight with hesitation. “I was wondering…um…if I could come with you all…”
“You want to stay in Ponyville?” asked Applejack.
“Yeah…I want to just…you know…I need some time to get my mind off all of this…”
“Let me guess darling…if you stay here, all you’ll do is research the Elements of Harmony?” said Rarity with an eyebrow raised.
“Yeah…” said Twilight as she rubbed her hoof on the back of her head. “I need a break from research…”
The three other ponies looked at each other and then said, “It’s no problem Twilight.”
“Yeah sugarcube, we don’t mind you coming to Ponyville.”
“Indeed…but where will you stay?” asked Rarity.
“Oh…um…she can stay with me…if that’s okay.” said Fluttershy. “I have a spare room at my house…”
Twilight then shined a small smile, “Thank you Fluttershy.”
A few days later, Celestia returned to Canterlot. There, her adviser then asked her one simple question.
“Your highness…did you find another solution?”
Celestia then sighed and said, “No…I did not…”
“Oh dear…”
“Yes. It seems only Twilight Sparkle can inherit the elements now. I tried to use them but…there was no response…my connection to them is truly gone…”
“So…do we keep searching for Twilight Sparkle?”
“No…while I was there…well…let’s just say the trip wasn’t a total waste of time.”
“Really? What do you mean?”
“According to what I found…even if I don’t train Twilight Sparkle in the ways myself and my sister were taught long ago, the elements will still connect to Twilight.”
“So you mean…”
“Yes…despite how much she hates it…it seems the elements want to be with Twilight Sparkle.”
“I have one more question your highness…”
“When will the elements go to Twilight Sparkle?”
“Yes.” said the adviser, nodding.
“That’s just it…I don’t know…and I think I can’t influence when it happens…”
“So…it could happen before or after Nightmare Moon comes and we won’t be able to even predict it?”
“Yes.” said Celestia as her head lowered in sadness. She then said, “It seems that no matter what happens…the very chains of fate have decided that Twilight will be the inheritor of Harmony.”
Well, looks like Twilight isn't getting out of being the bearer of Magic no matter what. One can only hope she has made her mind up by the time it happens about accepting her 'destiny' anyway, otherwise she just might go on a rage inducted rampage or something. I also liked that bit about only Alicorns or destined alicorns being able to wield the element of Magic, explains why Celestia can find no other replacement - I figure unascended alicorns aren't exactly common, if Cadence is the only one to pop up in 100 years for now.
I am a bit confused about the Princess of the Sun bit though - what does that mean exactly? Celestia transferring her power and alicorn status to Sunset somehow? Even if that is the case, I'm not sure how that would help - I mean, if Nightmare returns and kicks Celestia's ass, surely she will go after Celestia's successor next. Unless Celestia wants Sunset to go in to hiding with her power or something.
Looking towards to more, things are getting pretty interesting, more so than the heists.
5752048 Plus if she still doesn't like it but still gets them? She'll try and blame Celestia instead of actually being a mare and actually accept her responsibility. Okay she doesn't want to be The Element of Magic. I can respect this one not wanting to outright accepting her destiny. But honestly? From the way they're talking about it this doesn't seem like something that can be ignored and on top of it? This is something BIG. Something that could affect all of Equestria so honestly? Why shouldn't she accept it. It'd FINALLY be a good retirement option AND none of their former targets? Will not even be able to TOUCH them since they'll have Royal pardons.
5752213
That's a good point about retirement actually - or rather, it makes me wonder why they haven't retired already. They must have made more than a few hundred million bits by this point - what's the point of continuing
They already have more money each than a normal pony would make in their entire lifetimes (like, several times more), so unless they plan on living like nobles or something in huge personal mansions in canterlot (I doubt it), what's the point of continuing the heists even now - they could all lie down comfortably at this point.
And yeah, accepting it seems like a good idea (since they are good to retire anyway, unless they are continuing the heists for the thrills of it, in which case it's a bad idea) - all she has to do is this one job for Celestia and the princess would owe her some huge personal favors, which is never a bad thing to have,
5752456 True that for accepting it, but it seems unfair that Celestia tried to somewhat force Twilight into taking them. It's revealed now that the elements want her and only her, but I sympathize with Twilight here. She's got a life she loves, with friends that care for her, and a job that helps not only her and her friends, but the police force. I think Twilight shouldn't have to accept, since not only does she not want to, but it may endanger her friends. However, it is for the good of Equestria, and not accepting sounds selfish. But I would say no. How about you?
5753449
I dunno, I might consider it? I mean, after finding out exactly what it entails - if it's basically one day's job that earns me some bigtime favors with the monarch of the country (and Celestia would owe Twilight big after this), then that sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
I certainly respect Twilight's wishes to not get involved, but from my position I guess I would accept, provided there are no further things attached and it's just about me saving Celestia's sister with the artifact. Past that I'd cash in my royal favor (or perhaps hold on to it for a raindy day, in case I had millions of cash lying around like Twilight does and am not in an immediate need for anything) and go about my life.
If there are other obligations attached to it I might not accept. Though granted, the world being destroyed would kinda suck which would involve my life regardless, so this might be being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don't think Twilight quite believes it though.
5759610 You have a point, but doing this would expose her name and her looks EVERYWHERE, and someone might recognize her from a heist. I know she doesn't go on them ofter, but Equestria would be staring at her for a while, unless it's like the show and it doesn't matter the next morning.
Sure, Tia owing Twilight big time is good, but what can she ask for? Money? She's got millions! A house? They've already got bases. Secrecy? Not likey something she'd be able to grant, since they pull off huge heists.. I can only think that maybe she might let her friend's dreams come true (example, tell the Wonderbolts to consider Rainbow), but it would kinda dissolve what really brought them together(ponies of broken dreams) or grant them pardons if they ever get caught, but then Celestia would know who they are, enabling them to never thieve again.
And for a one time thing? There are other dangers as well, not just Nightmare Moon. Would Twilight want to risk her life again after she was promised to be left alone? And even if Twilight does say yes, how do you know it will work? Yes, I know Harmony chose her, but with her extreme reluctance, will it really work? In the show, she was able to harness the energy of the elements every time her friends felt intense friendship for each other. She's only doing this to get Celestia and her conscience to quit pestering her.
Ok, the world might be destroyed (Cadence exists, ya know), but the Rainboom Thieves look likely to survive under Nightmare Moon's rule. They could steal from her and take her down themselves, they could run off since they've definitely got the cash to, or they could be employed by her and then take her down or serve under her.
Overall, Twilight doesn't actually need to say yes. Celestia can't give her anything, saying yes would lead to a chain of never-ending events, and she'll live if Nightmare Moon comes to pass.
Man, I wish the writer wasn't on break sometimes.
5760915 No you don't get it... the other enemies that lost to the Elements? THEY'D KILL THE NEW WIELDERS. They won't take a second chance the moment they hear about the elements having new bearers... so NO they WOULDN'T survive under any of the new regimes. Also the ponies of broken dreams being what brought them together? Glad to see that their FRIENDSHIP isn't what's keeping them together.
You are developing this nicely, good work.
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5760915
Your conversation was just as interesting to read as the actual story. You guys(im assuming you're guys) make very good points and I can't choose a side I want to support. You guys are awesome!