And Now For Something Exactly the Same

by Damaged

Chapter 18 Part 5

The ceremony was big and exciting and everything anypony could expect out of the coronation of a new princess. Twilight, of course, was the centerpiece of the whole event, but nopony could have missed the extravagant outfits and crowns that Luna and Celestia wore.

After all the announcements, proclamations, and speeches were done, the party began. Princesses, nobles, and special guests flooded the huge ballroom of the castle and it was an event that surpassed even the Grand Galloping Gala for excitement.

Lyra herded Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom away from the canapes table, arranging for them to be on the dais with Celestia when the first nobles braved the rich and spicy scents to sample the food.

"Why are their faces turning red?" Apple Bloom asked.

Scootaloo, who had started to build a tolerance for spicy food thanks to Lyra cooking it more and more often, was starting to giggle. "That one is actually breathing fire."

"Maybe he's part dragon?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"I'm sure they're just not used to such wonderful cuisine." Celestia was struggling to hold her giggling back, though years of practice had made her an expert at it. "I noticed you were absent during the preparations, Lyra?"

"I had to take care of important, national security matters, Your Highness. It was with the utmost urgency that I have your newest protege tested at your school and found to be so amazingly good that you're going to have to devote all your time to teaching her." As she spoke, Lyra winked to Sweetie Belle.

If there was one thing that lifted Celestia's spirits more than seeing overly pompous aristocrats trying in vain to not show the food they were eating was burning their mouths, it was catching up on the antics of Lyra Heartstrings. "Interesting. How did Professor Inkwell take this news?"

"She was so infuriated I had found a loophole in her strict requirements that she immediately fired half her staff. Now she needs several new teachers and I told her I would ask you if you could help her out." It was the most fun Lyra had had for a while. "And she said her poor receptionist needs an assistant. Perhaps it could be a rotating duty for students?"

Knowing Inkwell, Celestia knew that Lyra was making some of her story up. It was fun to try to imagine what was fiction and what was reality, though. "So Inkwell needs some new staff and you want to help the receptionist. What has been going on in my school?"

Lyra explained the actual events, including all the delicious gossip she'd gotten while helping Ink Blot. "You know, I could send a clerk or two over to help her get the reception completely in order. At least with the filing done, she can keep on top of her work."

Celestia sighed. "I'll draft an official request for that. I don't suppose you have any suggestions for teachers?"

Grinning, Lyra was already prepared. "Well, I only know of one unicorn teacher who you could ask, retired Sergeant Precise Pedagogue. The others would be retired unicorns with less direct knowledge of teaching and more direct knowledge of—"

"Guardpony retirees?" Celestia asked, and got a nod. "It wouldn't be the worst source, though, but I don't think it would be appropriate to fill half the teaching positions that way. Find me two names apart from Precise and ensure they have some experience in teaching."

Lifting her drink, Lyra saluted Celestia by raising it toward her. "How's Twilight taking all this?"

"She is putting on a strong front. I don't think she'll remember a single name she's being introduced to today, but I trust you can help her remember the important ones?" Realizing that she was behind, Celestia summoned a martini glass filled with tea and took a sip.

"Hold up. You're saddling me with teaching her? Princess, I have a lot of other things on my plate, not the least of which is teaching your new prodigy for two days a week." Lyra used her magic to retrieve a tray of canapes from one of the waiters. She plucked one of the hotter ones off the tray and popped it in her mouth.

"Ooh, is that one of those stuffed peppers?" Scootaloo asked and, when Lyra held the tray out to her, she used her wing to carefully pick one of the treats up. "Be careful, girls, these can be really spicy."

Apple Bloom reached out, as was typical for earth ponies, with her mouth. She froze a moment before her teeth closed on a stuffed pepper when her eyes started to water. Jerking back in shock, she watched Scootaloo chewing with every evidence of enjoyment. "How can you do that to yourself?!"

"Can I try one?" Sweetie Belle asked.

Lyra froze. The nobles of Celestia's court were free targets, but she didn't usually like to torment foals. "These—No, they're pretty hot. This one here—No, that has a ton of cumin in it. They're all going to be hot."

"My sister would get all bossy about it, but the spiciest thing she ever tries is mayonnaise." Using her magic, Sweetie Belle picked up one of the stuffed peppers and put it in her mouth the same way Scootaloo had. The heat was more than anything she'd ever eaten before in her life. It felt like her mouth was on fire, but at the same time that seemed to make it better. "Deefs arr wheely goo!"

Everypony, even Celestia, stared at Sweetie Belle as she chewed away, her eyes watering a little, and eventually swallowed the pepper.

"Can I please have another? Or is there something else I should try?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"You know the best part of this party?" Celestia asked, watching as the three fillies left her and Lyra to explore.

"What's that?" Lyra asked, still a little incredulous.

"Seeing you shocked for once." When Lyra's head snapped around and stared at her, Celestia laughed. "Admit it. Normally you have this manic energy that leaves you completely impossible to put off balance. Now all I need to know is that Sweetie Belle and her friends can accomplish what timber wolves, a mind-controlling bug queen, and being turned into a pony didn't."

Approaching the two, Sweetie Drops walked up beside Lyra and kissed her on the cheek. "Nice party." She plucked up one of the little pieces of toast that had beans in a red sauce on it, then ate it. "Mmm, missing plantain."

Lyra stared at Sweetie and then looked down at the other such canapes. "Drat. Well, at least they get fiery beans and sauce."

"Mind if I hide over here for a while?" Twilight Sparkle asked, slipping up and ducking between Celestia and Lyra. "Why everypony needs to introduce themselves to me now, I don't know. They've had years to get to know me!"

"It could be," Sweetie Drops said, "that you created a new type of magic, grew wings, and sent a pulse of purple light out that covered all of Equestria. Maybe not, though." Grabbing a second treat from the tray, she tried to ignore the sense of heat she got just from bringing it near to her and popped it in her mouth.

Mention of friendship magic had Twilight's flagging energy suddenly rise again. "Okay, okay, I get it, but I just want to go home and start studying it. All this"—she waved her left forehoof at the party going on—"is just boring."

Celestia spotted the twitch in Twilight's wing when she gestured at the room. "Well, you could order some guardponies to escort you out of here. Though, you have to give them time to round up some foals they're taking care of."

Twilight turned to look at Lyra and Sweetie, hope dawning in her eyes. "Would you?"

Sweetie Drops looked over at Lyra to see her walking out into the crowd after Scootaloo and her friends. "Of course we can, Twilight. You don't need to be a princess to ask for help."

It didn't take the three long to exit through a server entrance and slip down to the kitchen with Scootaloo in tow. When they reached the kitchen, they found Blue Blood chatting away with Upper Crust and Jet Set—while all three had a bowl of stew each and some bread to accompany it.

"Here they are. Auntie's food-assassins—and I see they're foalnapping a princess. I believe that's a promotional offense." Blue flashed a grin at the newcomers. "Staying for some food?"

Twilight's eyes widened as she looked at the relaxed Blue Blood. She'd heard Rarity's lamentations of how snobby and self-absorbed he'd been. This was a very different stallion from what her friend had described.

"Oh, you know how it is," Lyra said, "if we don't make our get-away quickly, the whole castle worth of Royal Guard will hunt us down and then things will become problematic. If we beat up all of them, what will Princess Celestia do for guards?"

Sweetie leaned across to her wife and, in a loud voice whispered, "That's why it leads to promotion. You'd be captain of the Royal Guard in no time."

"Exactly!" Blue laughed, surprising even himself at how much freer he felt with himself now. "Well, don't let us keep you. I'm sure you have some crazy method for slipping back to Ponyville without anypony the wiser."

"Just a moment, please." Standing up from the table, Upper Crust bowed to Twilight, her high-born sensibilities not allowing the moment to slip by, no matter how casual the situation. "Your Highness, if there's ever anything Jet or I may do to aid you, please let us know."

"R-Right. I will." There was nothing in any book that prepared Twilight for helpful courtiers. Everything she'd ever heard from her parents regarding those who buzzed around the castle like flies was they had at least five reasons for everything they did or said.

"Come on, princess. This foalnapping doesn't count unless I can actually get you out of the castle." Lyra encouraged egress by simply putting herself between Twilight and anypony that might try to talk to them further. She did turn to Jet and Upper and gave them a nod of acknowledgment before rushing from the castle through the servants' gate.

"Do you literally know everypony in Equestria?" Twilight asked, laying on the droll tone as heavy as she could.

Scootaloo giggled. "As near as I can tell, she does."

"Lyra has this huge personality flaw." Sweetie Drops let Scootaloo take point position and took up the opposite flank to Lyra. "She meets somepony, she finds out what the biggest problem in their life is, and then she helps them work through it. It has a way of giving perspective and encouraging ponies to find ways to solve their other problems. Pretty soon, they think she has helped them solve them all."

"Okay, but why is it every time I meet somepony new with her around, they already know her?" Twilight asked, feeling like she was now losing a one-sided argument with reality itself.

Snorting, Lyra took a few prancing steps. "That's easy, Twilight. It's because I do know everypony." She paused at the top step of the path that led up to the castle and nodded to the guards. "Hey, Twilight, see those clouds up there?" She waited for Twilight to track along her outstretched foreleg to see the clouds and nod. "Why don't we have a race?"

Opening her mouth to ask what Lyra meant, Twilight was caught off balance as Lyra teleported herself and Sweetie Drops away from her. Unable to see where they were, Twilight rolled her eyes. "I can't believe"—she teleported directly to the cloud and cast a quick cloud-walking spell—"she thinks she can—"

"You beat us! I told you, Bonny, she's good at this!" Lyra's shout came closer before fading again as she and a very done with it looking Sweetie Drops flew past the cloud on a ballistic trajectory.

"You get used to them." Scootaloo landed on the cloud beside Twilight. "Before I could fly, Lyra would give me rides like that."

"I knew she was working on new teleportation-based travel, but this is a bit much." Twilight gestured to the rapidly approaching unicorn and earth pony.

"Last ones in Ponyville"—Lyra triggered another teleport to change their heading and aim them properly—"have to make dessert!"

Watching the pair hurtle off the side of the mountain, firmly in the grip of gravity, Twilight groaned. "I am not going to be the one to make dessert. Come on." She reached out to Scootaloo with her magic and teleported them directly to their front door.

"Wow." Scootaloo looked around, then up, and saw Lyra and Sweetie coming in for one of Lyra's typical velocity-shedding landings. "I guess we win. Come on inside."

Out of the moonlit night a pair of ponies rushed toward the ground, then back up into the air again and, finally, teleporting a short distance to land evenly on the ground.

"Lyra, why did you bother? She's a princess now, she has more magic than all the unicorns in town put together, and she's always been better at teleporting than you." Sweetie walked inside after Twilight and Scootaloo.

Not particularly fussed at losing, Lyra walked in and closed the door behind her. "I have to try, Bonny. This is just something I need to do. When we were at school, we'd always have these contests to try to beat each other at teleporting."

That got Twilight's attention away from examining the strange mix of instruments on display in the living room. "You remember all that?"

Rolling her eyes, Sweetie shooed Lyra towards Twilight. "Come on, Scoots. We'll get some chocolate mousse ready. Leave the geeks to geek over magic."

Twilight tried to ignore the gentle ribbing about being a geek. Turning her attention to Lyra, she asked again, "You still practice teleports?"

"Only all the time. You taught me how amazing magic can be, Twilight. You made me fall in love with spells and using them to help ponies. How could I forget something like that?" Lyra levitated her bass guitar up from its stand and checked the magic crystal batteries she'd put in it.

Watching as her old friend sat down on the couch and started strumming, Twilight took a seat as well. "I didn't—Well, I mean I know you liked magic, but I didn't think you liked it that much."

Lyra just letting her hooves work the guitar as they pleased. When she looked up from her guitar, she nodded to Twilight. "You bet. I mean, I already liked magic, but you showed me how to live and breathe it, and how to share it with others."

A little warm buzz filled Twilight. It was a combination of finding a friend she'd almost forgotten she'd had, the soft and thrumming music Lyra played, and the unique feeling that she'd taught another pony magic and they had done so well with it. She opened her mouth to ask something when she felt a deep hum of magic from the kitchen. "What was that?"

"Huh?" Lyra asked.

"It felt like somepony just turned on a magic snowstorm."

"Ah, quick-chiller. When you have a partner that loves making good food as much as Sweetie does, you make sure you buy her all the kitchen toys—even the ones costing mooost of my paycheck for a year. Though, you'd be surprised at what kind of discount you can get when you ask the right ponies." Lyra plucked away at the strings, interspersed with the strumming.

"Oh. I guess we just have a stove and a fridge." Thinking on it, Twilight had to wonder about her library now. "Maybe I should get a bigger place?"

"Probably a good idea, but don't feel obliged to leave your library behind too quickly. You might be a bit bigger than just the town librarian now, but that doesn't mean the town can do without you."

The reminder of her joy when she found a pony the right book to read put a big smile back on Twilight's face. "I wonder if that's how teachers feel when their students pick up something?"

"Huh?"

Twilight gestured with her forehoof—and almost fell sideways when her wing decided to move with it. Grumbling as she folded her wing back down, she briefly forgot what she was going to say. Then she recovered. "I mean, just now when you told me how much you learned about magic from me, it felt good, and it's sort of the same when I lend a pony the right book—I know they're going to learn something."

"It does feel good, doesn't it? I trained a lot of adult unicorns in using their magic in ways to help them and the ponies around them protect Equestria. I've taught foals how to expand their magic and taught them how to learn on their own and seek knowledge." Lyra took a big breath and let it out. "And, now I'm going to be helping Sweetie Belle learn magic. Professor Inkwell said she has a unique way of memorizing magic."

Perking up at the last bit, Twilight looked at Lyra with surprise. "A new way to memorize magic? And you'll be teaching her?"

"Yeah, and the last bit is the rub. It's probably going to be my weekends spent teaching her. She's going to spend some time in Canterlot learning at the princess' school, and the rest of her time she'll spend in Ponyville school with her friends." The last bit made Lyra smile, but at the same time she let out a huff. "And I need to do paperwork for the Guard, and every few months I will spend time training more guardponies, and… You get the idea."

"Maybe it's time to move-on from the Guard?" Twilight asked.

It was the question Lyra had been ignoring—the one hiding in the back of her head that she'd studiously walled up and moved-on from. "I'll need to train somepony to replace me."

"That shouldn't be too hard, surely?"

Lyra snorted. "Twilight, I do a lot more there than just train ponies. I—You're right, though. The Guard built me up to where I am today, but there's more for me to do beyond it."

Clearing her throat, Twilight rolled her shoulders and carefully extended her new wings (and managing not to knock anything over in the process). She looked at Lyra. "Lyra Heartstrings, I order you to transfer into a new E.U.P. Guard unit. You will be part of my own Guard, and you will be the best friend anypony needs you to be." When Lyra just stared at her, Twilight bit her lower lip. "Did I do that right?"

"Wings, horn, inflated sense of self—Yeah, Twilight, I think you did that right. Now I need to put things into action. You're going to have a bunch of work, too."

"What? I'm a princess now, I can order somepony else to do it."

Twilight and Lyra looked at each other, managing nearly fifteen seconds of silence before breaking into laughter.

"Thank you, Twilight. I was—I was stretched thin. I have trouble telling ponies no." Lyra looked down at her guitar and sighed. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"You have a student to teach, you have a wife to love, you have a filly who still needs her amazing role model to be awesome, Princess Celestia will still need you to do some things, and the Guard will probably want you to help train your replacement."

As she walked into the room, the tray of desserts on her back, Sweetie Drops noticed the odd mood that was present. She looked between Twilight and Lyra, trying to figure out what was going on between them. "Is everything alright?"

"Princess Twilight has demanded my service." Lyra strummed a dissonant chord on the base reminiscent of her inspiration for learning to play it in the first place.

"'Demanded' huh?" Sweetie passed out plates that had a fluted glass on each that was filled with chocolate mousse. "I'm not blind, Lyra, you've been struggling to keep up with everything, haven't you?"

"You noti—?" Lyra stopped and sighed. "Did everypony realize but me?"

"Yes," everypony, even Scootaloo, said.

Slumping back into her chair, Lyra scooped some of the whipped cream off the top of her mousse and looked at it. "I just wanted to help everypony."

"You did. You literally did." Sweetie Drops held her dessert with one hoof while she reached over to brush Lyra's mane with her other. "The Guard, every single princess, colts and fillies who wanted to learn how to protect Equestria, Trixie, Scootaloo, me, Deep Well, Shining Armor, probably all of Equestria… Batstralians too"—she paused and looked over at Twilight—"did I mention me?"

"Yeah," Twilight said, barely managing to hold back a giggle.

"Well, me twice." Content with the list as it stood, Sweetie hooked her hoof under Lyra's jaw and turned her to make eye contact. "Soon you'll spend more time running from problem to problem than you do working on them."

"But I do want to help everyone. It—" Lyra let out a whine.

"The training school almost runs itself, and thanks to Princess Luna taking a greater role in the country, she's making the decisions that need to be made. The Guard can find other unicorns to teach combat casting and, while the replacement won't be as good as you at it, you can train them to do the job as well as you do. Princess Celestia can still ask for your help, as can Cadance and Princess Luna. Research and Acquisitions will continue under my control, though I'll need a new sergeant to administrate it—and I already have one in mind. Find your own way."

Feeling almost ready to sulk, Lyra turned to look at Twilight.

"I have an order for you, sergeant." Twilight hoped against hope that she was getting things right. She ignored Sweetie Drops' raised eyebrow and Lyra's look of surprise. "Once your arrangements have been organized, and except for the work you promised Sweetie Belle, you will take two weeks off."

Sweetie Drops lowered her eyebrow and smiled. She really liked the way Twilight was handling this. "Maybe I should transfer too? No, that's just a joke. I'm perfectly fine where I am." She booped Lyra on the nose. "This will give you some time to breathe."

"But—" Lyra gulped. "What if something happens? What if—What if the changelings return?"

Finishing her mouthful of mousse, Sweetie snorted. "The same thing everypony else does, Lyra, you call the Guard."

Lyra's mouth fell open. "But—"

"Well," Twilight said, "I wouldn't object to you helping deal with them. You will still be a Guardpony, but you'll be in my Guard."

Eating more of her mousse, Lyra contemplated what that would mean. "So, this new friendship magic. Could I work with that?"

"Do you want to work with it?" Twilight asked and, when Lyra nodded, she said, "Then your first task, after two weeks of relaxation, is to explore at least three spells for it."

"'Explore'?" Lyra asked, about to deliver more mousse to her mouth.

Twilight could hear the curiosity in that single word. "It's new magic, Lyra. There are no spells. What do you think explore means?"

A raw and new enthusiasm filled Lyra. New vistas and plans were swirling around in her head as she pondered what types of spells to make. "Do I get to name them?"

As Lyra and Twilight exploded into conversation regarding magic, Sweetie settled herself a little more and breathed a sigh of relief.

"I didn't even really realize what was happening." Scootaloo had been quiet only in part due to eating her mousse, but also she hadn't known what to say to Lyra. She'd noticed Lyra doing more and more work of late, but hadn't identified it as a problem. "Is there something I can do to help?"

Shaking her head, Sweetie Drops said, "No. I think she's got just the right pony to help her here."

Author's Note:

To Cadence: Any advice for your sister-in-law now that she’s earned her wings?

Looking somewhat in a panic, Cadance spread her wings wide in alarm. "Don't, whatever you do, take anything Celestia tells you as law. She will test you and use every trick in her arsenal to shape you into the perfect princess."

---

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Comments

[Damaged]

This story is coming to an end. . .

Only for another to begin after it! This is a major seachange in Lyra's life, and Equestria as a whole, and as such it's a good breaking-off point. There will be an epilogue, but that will come out at the same time as I publish the first chapter of the new story.

Thank you for joining me on this adventure—I hope to see you on the other side.

[Kiper]

I was expecting an ending soon. Cant wait to see where you go next!

[Venerable Ro]

To Cadence: Any advice for your sister-in-law now that she’s earned her wings?

Looking somewhat in a panic, Cadance spread her wings wide in alarm. "Don't, whatever you do, take anything Celestia tells you as law. She will test you and use every trick in her arsenal to shape you into the perfect princess."

Message received! Asking Discord for advice...

[Booster Spice]

Twilight ab/using Lyras teleportation tricks.

Who needs to reach for the asteroid belt when you have Mach 6 non magical shrapnel just half a planet away?

[redmar]

Lyra can't do everything by herself and needs to prioritize more. The concern for the changelings is relevant but with their existance exposed they pose less of a threat. Twilight needs to get some staff for herself and Lyra's a good start.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Lyra’s good, but she can’t be everything for everypony everywhere. The good news is that she’s made a point of building up those she’s helped so they can carry on the work without her, which means she can move forward into brave new frontiers without worrying about them. (She may still worry about them, but she doesn’t need to.) The timing with Twilight’s ascension couldn’t have been better; somepony needed to bop Lyra over the head with royal authority before she finally overtaxed herself.

Looking forward to seeing how this chapter of the Heartstrings saga ends and the next one begins.

[MerryGold]

To Joyce Mango: Have you been as much a presence in Princess Luna's court and personal circle as you have been in Princess Celestial's or has your sleep schedule precluded tea time with the night princess?

[tsaukpaetra]

11780794
Correction: She said you could use it. 😎
It's really fortunate they stopped her spiral before she could turn manic. All the things she was getting into made us wonder how she was so good at juggling.
Time to close out the projects and begin some new ones!