Twilight was carefully levitating a perfectly balanced spoonful of oatmeal to her mouth when Luna suddenly looked up from the Canterlot Times.
"You should make some friends."
"What?!"
Twilight's ensuing spit take, when one looked properly at cause and effect, was entirely Luna's fault.
This of course did not help Twilight as her half eaten breakfast suddenly found itself back outside her mouth and on its way towards the reigning monarch of all Equestria.
That the oatmeal did not reach its target was by far in a way for the best.
The Canterlot Times having taken the brunt of the attack Princess Luna put the paper to one side, looking regretfully at the Hoofball section.
Fixing Twilight with a look that had sent lesser dignitaries begging for a peace treaty she spoke.
"You don’t spend enough time with other ponies. " she stated bluntly.
Twilight opened her mouth to reply but Luna raised a hoof.
"Your siblings do not count Twilight. Family is all well and good but I cannot remember the last time you left the castle for any reason other than to retrieve a book." Her voice softened. "This is not what Sunset would have wanted for you."
"Well Sunset isn't here!" Twilight said angrily. "She left."
"You know that wasn't her choice." Luna sank deeper into her chair. "We don't know what happened after she fell through the mirror."
Twilight sniffled. "You think she's okay?"
Luna nodded, her tone carrying a certainty she herself could not bring herself to feel. "I know so."
Irrationally a smile broke over her face at the idea of Sunset lording over whatever poor souls lay on the other side of the mirror. "She most likely had them under hoof within the week. We'll likely arrive for a grand rescue only to find crowds cheering her name."
Twilight smiled tearily. "You really think so?"
Luna nodded. "We will get her back Twilight. I promise." A calculating smirk snuck onto her muzzle. "Now about you going out and making some friends..."
At Twilight's look of horror Luna grinned. Crisis averted.
As her student's panic grew she softened, silently resolving to ask Spike to look out for his sister today in particular.
"Look think of it as multitasking. I was going to invite you to Ponyville with me for the Summer Sun Celebration anyway. You'll simply have an extra task to complete now as well."
"But I was going to research..."
"Anything you have to research can wait one day Twilight."
"But she's due back today!"
"And I promised you I would take care of it, did I not?"
Exuding a calm she did not fully feel Luna reached over to lay a hoof on her student's shoulder.
"You need not worry Twilight. I have the feeling today is going to be a very good day. Now go make some friends. I'll be by just before sunset to check on you."
So Sunset ended in Cantelot High by accident? I wonder how her personality is in this alternate timeline...
I want to meet Sunset in this timeline. It sounds as if she and Twilight knew each other, and that could make her redemption either easier or harder.
7670322
Thanks so much for the comments. I've gone over your suggestions and though I didn't end up changing everything there were definitely some things I'd missed so thanks a lot for that. Extra long comments like this with such great critique is my new favourite thing!
One thing is the "Night Guard" is referencing the branch of the guard in both cases rather than specific soldiers thus the lack of pluralisation.
Sorry you don't like Chrysalis. She is going to be rather different here from in show and will likely make at least couple more appearances, but is not a main character.
Yeah, Sunset is an interesting player here. I haven't elaborated on all the history there yet by any means but the prequel short story to this Sunset Impossible and the new chapter should give you a better idea, particularly with how Spike and Twilight relate to Sunset. (Clue Spike is suddenly even more snarky than in the show--I wonder who he got that from?)
I would say Luna is far less secretive. Despite a certain disdain for the elements (see The Cost of Harmony]) she was the element of Honesty and I think at least to some degree that has carried over especially in her personal life. However she is still rather cagey and isn't telling Twilight everything by long shot. She certainly isn't a saint by any stretch.
The princess capitalisation wasn't something I thought about but now you point it out it makes a lot of sense. Even in this alternate timeline Twilight is still very respectful whilst Spike is far more comfortable with thinking of Luna as simply Luna.
Admittedly the Griffon's DO have mane envy, but there is something more there.
Blueblood is in fact the one constant in a changed world.
As for the cushions I think I'll leave that up to you. You're certainly right on the two main contenders though.
7670377
Where she ended up is up for debate. But a good gauge of her personality at least in the early years is the prequel to this Sunset Impossible which is entirely from Sunset's POV about 15 years before this is set.
7670392
Who knows you may get your wish. Probably not in this particular fic though.
There is a short prequel Sunset Impossible set about fifteen years before this which has both Sunset and young Twilight so I would check that out if you're interested.
Depending on how the story flows I may also write another short prequel about how she ended up falling through that mirror, which was under far different circumstances than the show.
7668874
Thanks I'm glad you like the idea!
I liked the concept of a future where just one act had changed and where neither Celestia or Luna was really in the wrong. It was just a horrible situation.
I don't know if you've taken a look at The Cost of Harmony before coming here but that is the story of how Nightmare Moon went down in this universe.
It does give some rather interesting perspectives on exactly why it is Luna appears to be avoiding all mention of the Elements of Harmony.
First, here's a comment I forgot to write in my previous post; in To Question a Princess, you wrote:
What did you mean with 'thestrals?'
Now, onto A Discussion over Breakfast;
Ew, vomit. Twilight sure takes spit takes up to eleven.
And after discussion over Sunset's fate, I'm picturing the mirror activating as she's making out with her reflection, then deactivating as soon as she has fallen in with a noise that sounds suspiciously like 'u mad?'
As long as she ends up making the human Rainbow Dash her lovestruck queen in the other world, I'm okay with it.
I'm wondering if Luna's request to make friends is as manipulative as Celestia's was in the show, or if she's only worrying about her (apparently partly because of Sunset?), with what you said in your reply.
I've only one correction;
Add a comma after 'peace treaty'
Wait, wha?! Sunset is Two's sister in this story!? Well that's a twist...