Well, is it?
Twilight sipped the last of her tea and let out a sigh. “It’s nice that you two finally get to meet,” she said, looking at Princess Celestia and Starlight Glimmer in turn.
Celestia smiled, her own tea remaining untouched. “Yes, it’s nice to see the little troublemaker with my own eyes.”
Starlight blushed and looked away. “I swear, you enslave one village…”
“I was referring to where you almost irrevocably altered Equestria’s timeline over petty revenge,” Celestia said with a snicker as she stirred her tea, “I personally would have had you locked in a dungeon and thrown away the key, but I’m deferring to Twilight’s judgment on this matter.” She took a delicate sip as an ephemeral bolt shot through Starlight’s spine. “I’m not the Princess of Friendship, after all.”
Twilight’s cheeks turned roseate as she bowed her head. “T-thank you, Princess Celestia. I won’t let you down.”
“I trust you won’t, Princess Twilight,” Celestia said. “I have the utmost of faith in you.” She looked off to the side. “It can’t turn out any worse than Discord…”
“Discord saw the magic of friendship in the end, though.”
Celestia pursed her lips. “True, although the path there was rather… rocky."
“It worked out, though.” Twilight stood up. “Does anyone want dessert?”
Celestia nodded. “Yes, that would be lovely.”
“And you, Starlight?”
Starlight didn’t say much of anything. Twilight trotted over to her and waved a hoof in front of her face. “Starlight, do you want dessert?”
Starlight snapped to attention. “Yeah, sure!”
Twilight smiled and nodded. “Alright, I’ll get you two some dessert!” Twilight looked at Celestia. “Princess Celestia, you haven’t finished your tea. Are you feeling alright? You usually get through it so quickly.”
Celestia swirled the tea around in its cup. “Best to savor it when among new friends.”
“That sounds like a good idea, Princess Celestia! I’ll have to remember that,” she said with a grin before walking off, leaving Celestia and Starlight alone.
The sounds of breathing and shuffling hooves punctuated the silence for a few moments.
Celestia leaned in. “Hey, Starlight?”
Starlight inhaled sharply. “Y-yes, Princess?”
“Do you like tea?” Celestia whispered.
“W-well, it’s not my favorite drink, but it’ll do in a pin―”
Celestia levitated her teacup and saucer to Starlight’s place setting. “Here. Finish it before Twilight gets back.”
Starlight looked at Celestia, then quickly poured the tea down her throat and grimaced. Celestia took the teacup back when Starlight was done with it.
“I see why you didn’t want it,” Starlight said.
“Yeah.” Celestia looked at the door. “Twilight isn’t the best at making tea.” She shook her head. “I don’t know how you mess up tea, but Twilight found a way.”
Starlight raised an eyebrow and smirked. “I never expected such deception from you.”
“I’m also not the Element of Honesty,” Celestia said with a snort. “Never was.”
The two giggled over that statement, then sighed.
Starlight hummed. “You know, I don’t think I’ll ever have another opportunity like this. Can I ask you a question?”
“You just did,” Celestia said while grinning.
“I suppose.” Starlight snickered. “Anyway, you’re really old, right?”
A warm chuckle escaped Celestia’s lips. “That’s one way of putting it, yes.”
“Like, Hearth’s Warming old, right?”
“One could assume as much.”
Starlight looked down at the table. “So… did it really go down like that?”
“You mean,” Celestia said before exhaling, “did windigos really freeze the founders of Equestria solid before the fires of friendships disintegrated them… although I feel like you’re asking another question.”
Starlight looked up. “If I’m overreaching―”
“Not at all, my little pony.” Celestia smiled at Starlight. “Nothing wrong with an inquisitive mind who wishes to fray the tangles of legend.”
Starlight grinned. “So it’s not true.”
“I never said that.” Celestia kept her smile trained on Starlight.
Starlight grunted. “But you just said it was a legend.”
Celestia clapped her hooves together. “So was the tale of Nightmare Moon, and I exchanged presents with her before coming here.”
Starlight leaned in across the table. “You’re not answering my question.”
Celestia leaned in to mirror Starlight. “Let me ask you this: would it matter if I did?”
“Well,” Starlight said as she pulled back, “it’d be nice to confirm the historical accuracy of the matter.”
“Let me ask you another question: Did you celebrate Hearth’s Warming Eve tonight?”
Starlight shrugged. “I was resistant at first, but I eventually came around.”
Celestia nodded. “Did you enjoy it?”
“Well, yeah, but that’s not what I’m asking.”
Celestia lounged back. “Would it affect your enjoyment of the holiday if you knew for a fact that you were observing it under threat of Equestrian destruction and not simply as an excuse to bond with your friends?”
Starlight locked eyes with Princess Celestia, glancing over her stonelike countenance. The sounds of breathing punctuated the air once again.
Starlight exhaled. “... I’m not entirely sure.”
“Then wouldn’t it be best if it remained a mystery?”
Starlight blinked, then pursed her lips as she pulled away. “Well played, Princess Celestia.”
Celestia chortled. “I didn’t realize this was a game.”
“You’re horrible,” Starlight said after groaning.
Celestia righted herself in her seat. “I have been called that on occasion.”
Twilight entered holding three Crème Brûlées and set them in front of their place settings. “And dessert has just been served.” She glanced at Celestia’s teacup as she sat down. “It’s nice to see you finished your tea, Princess Celestia! How did you like it?”
Celestia smiled warmly at Twilight. “It was up to your usual standard.”
“Really? I’m so glad that you enjoyed it!” Twilight said. “Now, let’s eat this before it gets cold!”
Celestia and Starlight exchanged a glance as Twilight shoveled the dessert into her mouth. Celestia winked at Starlight as she carefully started eating.
Starlight shook her head as she dined on her own portion.
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This was sweet
7218030 I thought so.
She can do great feats of magic!
She can sing quite well!
She can organize anything!
But she can't cook to save her life!
Am I the only one who expected that episode to end that she really did manage to cast the spell just enough to open the gateways for the return of the Windigos and she ends up taking them down with friendship at the end?
7218077 I've never really considered cooking an art, but I can appreciate how it can be interpreted as such.
7218080 ...probably?
That never really occurred to me as an option.
I like the bit about Luna.
Celestia should know better. Starlight Glimmer is a pony who knows time magic and has a propensity towards using it. Just dangling a knowledge carrot in front of her like that will only encourage her to go back in time and see it for herself.
I'd a tossed Celestia out on her flank if she gave me a smartass reply like that. lol No matter how you look at it that's just the rudest reply you can give someone. xD
7218101 Well, Twilight is under the delusion that Celestia likes her tea.
Sooooo sad celestia dont like twilight tea XD
derpicdn.net/img/2013/3/20/274935/large.png
Anyway, that was a fun read. I loved the interactions between Celestia and Starlight, especially with how playful the former was.
Missing a closing quotation mark.
Short, but sweet. I do love these little moments of "it's not what happened, it's what it means to us".
7218206 I have no idea what you're referring to, good sir.
Anywhoozle, I'm glad you enjoyed it.
7218207 At least I didn't get a nitpick train this time.
And yeah, I think it's important to remember that sometimes.
7218101
You only feel that way because you, as the audience, know that Celestia doesn't like the tea but doesn't want to hurt Twilight's feelings. If we'd seen it from Twilight's POV this entire time, we'd have seen Celestia savoring her tea, and when Twilight asked about it, we'd see a warm and motherly smile followed by a remark no different than "As good as always!", in a more refined form. Which anyone would have ignored after accepting it meant Celestia was fine with it.
Keep these things in mind! :D
I can't be the only one who dislikes Celestia here, can I? It's a cute story, but Celestia's equating a little white lie with the wilful concealment of an apocalypse level threat. If there's anything we know about Princess Celestia, it's that her monsters in the closet tend to both be real and show up at inconvenient times with about nopony ready to actually face them.
7218101
7218435
It's all fun and games until Twilight learns that her tea is terrible and Celestia has been lying to her for years. And we know Twilight will probably find out, because immortality, so it might turn into a very long-lasting lie. Then it won't be so nice.
...
My litt-le White Lie, my litt-le White Lie.
Ahh ahhh ahh ah-
My little White Lie!
I used to know that Equestria was doomed!
(My little White Lie!)
Until I met a pony who could fix it for me!
(My little White Lie!
7218563 I can understand your concerns, although I saw it more as "what does the historical accuracy matter as long as the intended effect is achieved"?
If the windigos are real, Hearth's Warming fends them off.
If they're not, everypony has an excuse to have a good time.
If Starlight enjoys the holiday, she enjoys it.
But if Starlight were to have confirmation that the windigos could return at any time, her enjoyment might be forced in the future and therefore lessened.
You see where I'm coming from?
Scenes like this really make me sad that there isn't a story attached to them. It poses an interesting philosophical question and then does absolutely nothing with it. It's not used to solve a problem, it's not used to address an issue, it doesn't change the way someone looks at the world and it doesn't affect anybody's action in the story. It's the kind of thing you'd might as well write out in your blog as a direct question to the readers, because that's all it is. It's basically just making the writer Celestia and the reader Starlight, and then posing a question to the reader that has no real ramifications or consequences in the story.
It's well-written and all, but I feel like it could be a small part of something bigger and better.
7218587 I'll take well-written.
Thank you.
This demands a rebuttal.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/5/15/1154398__safe_princess+luna_princess+celestia_screencap_cute_animated_edit_magic_eyes+closed_spread+wings.gif
7218712 I don't even know how to respond to that.
7218716 Sex.
7218724 That I can do.
7218727
7218435 What makes it mean-spirited is Celestia's shared wink with Starlight. That turns it from feelings-sparing to making her the butt of a joke, and it feels unearned for Celestia to be joking at the expense of Twilight (who she presumably cares about) with Starlight, who's practically a stranger.
7218773
Again. Perspective. We know that because we are the audience. The original post was as though the person was in Twilight's position. In which case they would not have known, invalidating their bashing.
It's a big issue in this community where people either can't think beyond what's shown on the screen, or they don't realize that just because the audience knows something doesn't mean the characters do.
Cute confused Glimglam is best Glimglam.
Here's my rebuttal. :P
7219132 This post is Majin Syeekoh approved.
7219137
It's a fair question. Liked this, Majin.
7219460 Thanks.
Trollestia strikes again!
Sometimes, I think I should reply to that statement just how Celestia did, but just grin uncontrollably and say "What is it?" My face would look like this:
And they would be like:
I thought that was great! Although, Celestia was acting a bit too funny for her own good. Perhaps Trollestia?
Nah. I'm kidding.
7218820 Perspective isn't universal, it's character-dependent. If I heard an evasion like that, I'd assume the worst. And if Twilight heard anything but obvious praise, she'd assume the worst too.
I liked how Celestia was like the tea's not horrible and made it seem to Twilight it was the best thing ever. Only Celly, could pull off such a feat... or rather anyone who knows Twilight's personality.
The idea of the mystery has really been the topic at large the last few fics I've ready. I have to say one pony shouldn't be enough for windigos to come back, but it's nice that Celestia wasn't all like 'you MUST belive or else' kinda thing. Loved the bonding they did too.
I would tend to interpret that to mean that the official story is true. It would be much easier to enjoy a holiday thinking it as whimsical and of little consequence, than knowing for sure that if you don't enjoy it...everybody dies.
7218098
I will read this spiritual sequel.
7218435 Um, no. And holy wow this place doesn't change one bit. lol Anyone who replies with the words "Up to your *own* standards"just being a smartass as that is not a serious answer to the question at hoof.
No one replies to a question like that except in jest or in this case at Twilight's expense. She avoids the lie part altogether since she never directly says she likes it, which would be a lie, or outright tell Twilight she's terrible at tea. It's called SPARING one's feelings. I'm no stranger to eating or drinking foods offered to me I'd rather not if only to be polite if I see someone's gone through the trouble of preparing and setting things up so well.
Up to your personal standards? That could have been the first line of the fic and anyone with half a brain could tell that's not how you give a response to whether you liked something or not. I should know, I say stupid things like that all the time. Though not in Celestia's exact wordings. xD
The amount of hurt over my poking fun at Celestia there is astounding. It's good to be back!
7218113 Yeah, I read the story. lol I just found that line to be a pretty hilarious, going out of her way to avoid telling a lie, bit at Twilight's expense. We already knows she loves Twilight to death which is why she puts up with the terrible tea. lol But you already know I enjoyed the fic, so no need to comment further there. lol I forget how much my words attract the shark jumpers at times. Curious as to how many people read the fic before my comment. xD
Celestia. Always being cryptic. Always the troll. It's always amusing if you are not on the receiving end
Still, a nice short read
7218583
You just said "everypony" unironically. Disgusting.
What a nice bit of short fluff. Had a good wry grin just about beginning to end.
Great job!
Nothing is easier than messing up tea, seriously. Let it steep for longer than exactly 2 minutes and 45 seconds and it becomes completely undrinkable. All the tannins and stuff, you know. They start to dissolve by that point.
Maybe the problem is our human perspective: ponies may be content about living near monsters who would kill them all and threats which would bring their civilization down given the chance; our natural response however it would be more like this:
media.giphy.com/media/LgBTPJf8B0jtu/giphy.gif
7220789
That makes absolutely no sense
Changes in trace minerals in the water, small variations in temperature, different elevation, differences in the leaves (agricultural products are never completely predictable).. all kinds of variables could easily change your "hard and fast" number by quite a lot.
It's all in your head, man.
Hahahaha, short and funny. I love it!
7220919
Actually make some tea sometime. You'll find it works, in fact, exactly like that.
It should be mentioned that Princess Celestia does not actually hate ALL tea... just Twilight's.
Twilight horribly over-steeps the Camelia sinensis leaves, which she'd left open to the air rather than sealing in an airtight container to preserve the delicate flavors, in violently boiling water until the resulting infusion is as bitter as gall, then adds a plethora of herbs with completely un-complementary flavors because they're 'medicinal'.
The final product is something that tastes a bit like boiled vomit and brussel sprouts.
7220847 That was my response to the squirrels that dug up my pumpkin seeds.