Chapter 12 - Sunset
When Twilight, Spike, and Raven were back in the sitting room behind the Throne Room, and the door was closed, Twilight let out a long breath. She felt like she’d been holding it for the entire length of Morning Court. She stretched her wings all the way out, wiggled her primaries, and then tucked the wings back at her side. She stretched her neck next and would have gone on with the rest of her morning calisthenics if her stomach hadn’t made a loud growl.
“Hungry?” Raven asked.
“Starving!” Twilight answered. “Luna told me the energy requirements of communing with celestial objects would sneak up on me.”
Raven, who had no personal experience communing with celestial bodies, decided that was just something princesses said and went on. “Your friends have all asked for time so you can meet with groups of ponies.” Raven showed Twilight the list.
* Rarity was bringing Fancy Pants and other nobles.
* Applejack was bringing Filthy Rich and other big business ponies.
* Rainbow Dash was bringing Spitfire and other members of the guard and military.
* Pinkie Pie was bringing Gustave le Grand, Donut Joe, Saffron Masala, and other small business ponies.
* Starlight Glimmer was bringing Professor Crystal Clear and other staff from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.
“That’s a lot of meetings with a lot of ponies,” Twilight said.
“But they have no specific agenda, so we can be flexible about timing,” Raven replied. “If we give each group an hour, and have the first one be a lunch meeting, you can be done by teatime.”
“How about we give them each fifty minutes, and give me ten minutes between meetings to freshen up and get ready for the next one,” Twilight countered.
Raven smiled. “You have an instinct for this, your Highness.”
“At Winter Wrap Up, I’m the All-Team Organizer.” Twilight beamed.
“You say that with obvious pride.”
“Ponyville respects earth pony traditions,” Twilight explained. “We wrap up winter without magic; all hooves and wings, no horns.”
Raven raised an eyebrow. Canterlot, a city mostly populated by unicorns, used a lot of spells to clean up winter in a jiffy. “How does that work out?”
“We’ve wrapped up winter on time, six years running.”
“I never argue with Princesses or All-Team Organizers,” Raven said. She checked her pocket watch. “Take five more minutes here to get ready, then I’ll escort you to the dining room where you’ll have lunch with Rarity and the nobles.”
Twilight’s stomach growled again. “I’m so hungry! I hope I don't embarrass myself at the luncheon.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll employ a trick we use to help Princess Celestia,” Raven said. “I’ll arrange for a buffet table at each meeting. You can graze your way through the afternoon, without having to spend too much time eating at any one meeting.”
“Oh, good.” Twilight was relieved. “Then I won’t faint while trying to lower the sun.”
Raven visualized the sun getting stuck in the sky. “Keep the buffet table stocked, got it, your Highness.”
Spike slipped in the door as Raven left to finish the preparations. “I didn’t see you leave, Spike.”
“I heard your stomach growl, and figured you could use a pick me up.” He tossed Twilight a pair of oat muffins. She caught them in her field. “They’re different from Sugar Cube Corner, or Donut Joe’s,” Spike said. “But the royal pastry chefs are no slouches either.”
Twilight had her mouth full with the first muffin and was trying to act like a princess, so she just nodded in agreement.
“What do you think of Raven?” Spike asked.
Her mouth was full of the second muffin, so Twilight nodded again.
“I like her too,” Spike agreed.
“Can you do me a favor, Spike?” Twilight asked as she wiped the crumbs from her muzzle. “Go up to Princess Celestia’s chambers and check with Fluttershy to see how the princess is doing? I’m worried about her, but I don’t want that to show in front of all the ponies I have to meet.”
“On my way,” Spike said as he rushed out the door.
Moments later, Rarity entered. “There you are, darling. Fancy Pants assembled the nicest array of nobles. And we decided that meeting you was the best way to reassure everypony.”
“You girls all seemed to have had the same idea,” Twilight said. “I’ll be meeting with groups throughout the afternoon.”
“But you're meeting the nobles first, yes?” Rarity asked.
“Of course,” Twilight replied.
“Good. Good,” Rarity said. She produced her brush again and combed Twilight’s mane until it was straight and shiny. Then she swept a few crumbs from Twilight's coat and straightened her crown. “Magnifique,” Rarity exclaimed. “Let’s go meet with the cream of Canterlot nobility.”
Rarity ensured Twilight made an appropriate entrance and Fancy Pants led the nobles in honoring her as befits the Princess of the Day. As Twilight was being introduced to everypony, Spike slipped into the room. Twilight looked over at him. Spike held two claws next to his head and laid it over, miming sleep. Twilight relaxed and engaged with her guests.
However well intentioned Twilight’s schedule was, no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. The challenge was how do you keep the Princess of Friendship from making new friends? The girls had done an outstanding job by bringing in ponies that were accomplished, diverse, and interested in getting to know Princess Twilight in her new role. And she enjoyed getting to know each of them. In meeting after meeting, Twilight would tear herself away from one interesting conversation only to begin another with a new pony she was meeting for the first time.
It dawned on Twilight that she could make decisions in Court that changed pony’s lives. With that realization, discussions with the ponies she met didn’t just feed her omnivorous curiosity; they laid the groundwork for any future rulings. Once, the fate of Equestria had depended on her making the five best friends anypony ever had, so together they could wield the Elements of Harmony. Now, pony’s futures could depend on whom she got to know, and how well she understood their needs and interests.
The meetings did their job in relieving the fears of the attendees. Those who met Twilight as Princess of the Day saw her genuine interest in understanding them and their concerns. She went from being an image of a heroine in a stained glass window to being a real pony who was trying to do her best for Equestria. The influential ponies that met Princess Twilight this day would spread their impressions of her far and wide throughout Canterlot.
In her orgy of friend making, Twilight forgot her intention to graze on the buffets and stretched each meeting till the very last moment. If it weren’t for Spike surreptitiously grabbing snacks and offering them to Twilight as she rushed from room to room she ‘d have keeled over before teatime.
Her final meeting, which Starlight set up with the Provost and staff from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, was more reunion than “meet and greet”. Professor Crystal Clear and the others had been Twilight's teachers, mentors, and confidants. After she graduated, some were even collaborators in arcane studies.
Starlight was reluctant to engage, but Twilight was a proud teacher showing off her first and thus prized student. Though Starlight was self-taught, she was a prodigy, and once the arcane discussions got technical, she wowed the assembled staff with her power and brilliance.
Because this was the last scheduled meeting of the afternoon, the SGU reunion went on far longer than planned. Offer academics free food and drink, and interesting ponies to talk to, and they won’t leave until you kick them out.
Finally, Raven caught Twilight’s eye and tapped her pocket watch. Twilight nodded. “Thank you, everypony, for your good wishes and for all the amazing work you’re doing at the School for Gifted Unicorns. The future of magic, and magicians, is in good hooves.” The assembled academics glowed at the praise. As she exited the reunion, the warmth of the sun was not the only feeling that lifted Twilight, but also the fires of friendship.
“I’m afraid you missed teatime, your Highness,” Raven said as she led Twilight up the stairs.
“Totally worth it,” Twilight replied. “What’s next?”
Raven led Twilight into the sitting room adjacent to the Grand Balcony. Luna and all her friends except Fluttershy waited inside.
Luna strode forward. “What’s next Twilight Sparkle is the setting of the sun.”
Her friends all talked over each other. “How wondrous.” Awesome.” “Congratulations, sugarcube.” “Yes, indeedily.” “Great job Twilight.”
Twilight was both elated that she’d made it through to sunset and disappointed that her time as Princess of the Day was coming to an end. She was especially sad that Fluttershy and Celestia couldn’t be here at the end.
Luna opened the double doors. She and Twilight stepped onto the Grand Balcony. Twilight’s horn lit, and she gazed out at the sun. She could feel its warmth within her. She mouthed silently, “Thank you for your light and warmth. Thank you for providing the energy for all the ponies and creatures and living things on this world. Thank you for supporting me throughout the day so Celestia could rest. And thank you for being Celestia’s friend and my friend too.” She nodded her head, and the sun dutifully dipped below the horizon. The sky blazed with a purple sunset. “The day gives way to the night,” Twilight said.
Luna’s horn lit, and she took in a great breath. She raised her head dramatically and the full moon rose over the horizon, bathing the world in its silver light. “The night accepts dominion,” Luna replied. She turned to Twilight and gave her a comradely hug. “Congratulations, Twilight Sparkle. Your day is successfully completed.”
Twilight blinked once, then again. A wave of fatigue washed over her. The warmth of the sun still embraced her, but it wasn’t holding her up anymore. Intellectually, Twilight knew this was for the best. She felt like she’d been up forever, and it wasn’t healthy to go without rest for so long. Twilight knew she wouldn’t be awake for much longer, and felt sad that she wouldn’t see Celestia before she went to sleep.
The sound of stomping hooves and adulation exploded out of the sitting room, as all Twilight's friends applauded and whooped. Luna released her embrace and Twilight turned to thank her friends.
All her friends. Rarity and Rainbow. Applejack and Pinkie. Spike, Starlight, and Fluttershy. And standing taller than the rest, white coat shimmering in the silver moonlight, rainbow mane flowing in an unfelt breeze, wearing gleaming golden crown, torc, and boots, and a sporting a magnificent smile that Twilight was absolutely, positively, one hundred percent sure was just for her, stood Celestia, stomping away with the others. Celestia’s eyes were moist and glistened. Twilight hoped they were tears of joy. She knew hers were.
“Thank you,” Twilight said. “Thank you all.” She blinked again, both from fatigue and to see through the tears. “I couldn’t have done this without all of you.”
Celestia stepped forward onto the balcony and laid her neck along Twilight’s in a gentle nuzzle, then enfolded her in wings so large that Twilight practically disappeared. “You were a magnificent Princess of the Day,” she whispered. Twilight melted into the embrace, but was so fatigued that she couldn't form a reply.
Celestia turned to the assembled. “Twilight has not slept for over a day and a half and has borne the weight of the sun and of Equestria itself. It’s time for her to rest. We’ll celebrate when she awakens.” Twilight’s friends quieted down. Even Pinkie put a hoof over her muzzle to keep from calling out. Applejack spoke for them all. “Sleep well, sugarcube. We look forward to getting together after you've had some rest.”
Celestia lit her horn, and a golden glow surrounded her and Twilight. When the glow faded, they were on Celestia’s balcony. She opened the double doors into her chambers, then levitated Twilight and carried her through the sitting room and into the bedroom. Celestia lay Twilight in her own great bed. “You’ll rest here, set aside as it is for the rulers of Equestria.”
Twilight felt her crown and boots be drawn away. As her eyelids drooped, she saw Celestia lay them on the cushions that normally held her own. Silky sheets and soft quilts enveloped her.
“Thank you, for everything,” Twilight whispered. And then sleep took her and all traces of worldly tension fled her face leaving only serenity. The last thing she knew was Celestia leaning over her and placing a chaste kiss on Twilight’s forehead at the base of her horn. Twilight let out a small sigh, but her sleep was not otherwise disturbed.
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this is beautifully written.
Dawwww
Very touching chapter at least everypony was reasonable about it
So I take it that this story will be a long one?
8142928 My draft is about 35 chapters / 100K words.
(And why aren't there any Luna Emogies!)
8142754 Thank you for the kind words.
8142528 So many great ideas for interactions with Luna!
8142948
35 chapters / 100k words?
Yay, i enjoy the longer stories!
I love it - but these chaste kisses are killing me
I've read the tags over and over again, convinced that only the sudden onset of a vision problem can reasonably explain the lack of Romance tag. Out of respect for your artistic integrity and in acknowledgement of my shipping goggles, I've been withholding this plea, but my restraint has run dry - please, please, please, please ship it 
8143481 as much as I enjoy my Twilight Celestia ships I'm loving even more the bonds of sisterhood that are forming in this story.
It's nice to see Twilight step of of Celestia's shadow to stand besides her.
8143729 Thank you.
8143481 There's friend shipping and then there's romantic shipping. This story is barely 1/3 over. We'll have to see which direction the shipping goes.
8144001
Oh Bear, you big tease
missed an 's'.
8452697
Got it. Fixed.
Thank you for the close reading.
You've really hit your stride on the craft side of it now. I love bringing it full circle with the kiss, the sigh, and the otherwise undisturbed.
It's nice seeing Twilight let Celestia rest and care for the kingdom in her absence.
The politics in this was handled so deftly, I am just in awe at this point. I don't think I've seen a better attempt at showing Twilight's introduction to ruling, with the possible exception of The Demesne of the Reluctant Twilight Sparkle, and even that is more comedic and bureaucratic than this is. This feels like a day in the life of the
PresidentPrincess. Good stuff.This is... a really unusual metaphor in a clean story.
Best
I do adore the callback to Twilight doing the same to Celestia.