Raising Twilight

by Art Inspired

Part One: Carried Away

The soft lights of the sun had already touched most of Ponyville. The Castle of Friendship still stood tall, and remained a part of the nearby city. It had only weathered a few strands of ivy since being mostly abandoned. Originally, Twilight had asked Rarity to take care of the place. She was mostly tasked with checking on the map, but soon enough, that task fell to Applejack, and then to Rainbow Dash, and so on.

Fluttershy was the last pony to visit, and seeing as how it had been over a year since last it had them perform a friendship quest, she didn't see much point in constantly visiting any longer. In time, she would choose to only visiting once every other month, and that was only to make sure that none of the animals happened to somehow get in.

Thus, the castle soon became vacant as the days passed, and as isolation also overtook its inner walls, it soon felt a little less inviting towards anypony that did happen to visit. Everyone except for Starlight Glimmer and her newest friend, Sunset Shimmer, however. The doors opened loudly, and in came the two friends, both wearing fair and innocent smiles. "You sure Twilight won't mind?" Sunset asked timidly, walking into the establishment for her very first time.

Coyly, Starlight replied, "I doubt it... The place hasn't seen its previous owner in forever. Twilight's been so busy, y'see... I heard a rumor that her old friends here in Ponyville were taking good care of the place, but by the looks of it..."

"They've stopped," Sunset commented boldly.

Starlight merely nodded, and resumed entering into the clearing. "Last I was here, I think I was getting my things. It's been awhile."

Starlight followed along, but the two of them would only ever get as far as the entryway. It was here that Starlight decided, "You know what? I've got a really cool idea. Why don't we practice our magic... right here?" Starlight looked around, and almost disagreed.

"I'm not sure..."

"Oh," Sunset voiced with determination. "C'mon! Think about it... It's actually the only choice we've got. All the other rooms have stuff and things that we might break, but this place... is pretty wide and clear."

Starlight had another look around, and began to agree, "Actually... I kind of get what you're saying... and, also, if we need to get out quickly because of some kind of freak emergency, the door's right over there." She pointed with her hoof, and then she smiled while shrugging, and said, "I just figured we'd go to my room where' it's a little bit more private, but now that you mention it, I have a lot of valuables in there that I'd like to keep unscathed."

Sunset chuckled while setting down her saddlebag, and said, "Figured as much, and besides, we're just doing magic, right?"

Starlight timidly giggled, and tried not to allow Sunset to see her suddenly blushing cheeks.

Together, their horns glowed, and in unison, the two unicorns began casting a wide variety of spells at their leisure. In very little time at all, they were completely distracted by their magical practices. Even though Sunset wasn't as skilled as Starlight was, she managed to keep up to a point. Everything was going perfectly for the two. Right up until the wrong combination of both their spells accidentally fused. Had Twilight not walked through the door that day, she might've been spared her fate, but as chance would have it, she had startled the two just by entering, and immediately, was struck down before she even had a chance to think.

The dense smoke within the room started to clear, and standing in the middle of the entryway, right where she had been caught by the dual combination of Starlight and Sunset's radiant magic was the princess. Although, something was definitely different about her.

Starlight gasped sharply.

Sunset seemed paralyzed.

Twilight, however, was soundly asleep. She was also a very young filly, which at first made Sunset and Starlight feel a bit uneasy to their cores, and brought butterflies to their stomachs, but as soon as Twilight started to soundly snore, the two mares within the room completely lost their minds. Together, they sighed deeply at what they were seeing. Nopony inside of the Castle of Friendship was quite prepared for what had happened that day.

Starlight in time decided to be the one to pick up their soundly sleeping infant, and said, "She's... just so cute! Isn't she cute?"

"I know!" Sunset replied, "She's the cutest little foal that I think I've ever seen! This makes Twilight two hundred percent more adorable!"

Starlight nodded, saying, "It sure does! But..." Her frown faded. "Wh-What... are we going to do about this?"

Sunset blinked, and said, "I, uh... We'll just..."

Starlight then said, "We've just created a unique spell by fusing to random ones together. I hate to say it, but I doubt we'll be figuring out the solution to this anytime soon..."

Sunset gulped, and asked, "Do you suppose that you could remember what spells we were doing?"

Starlight carefully hoofed her chin in thought, and said, "I was trying to turn a pumpkin into an orange crayon, and I believe you were tending to your illumination spells, right?"

"Right," Sunset agreed. "And then the door opened without any warning, and I panicked, and shot a laser at the door... Good thing you were able to cast something in time, too, right?"

Starlight mumbled while rocking the baby back and forth for a bit, "I... don't really know what I used, but come to think of it... I don't necessarily think it was a spell that I meant to cast... I'm honestly not sure what spell I used, either."

Sunset just stared into the eyes of Starlight, and said, "I... think that we should go into hiding... What do you think?"

Starlight shook her head, and asked, "Are you crazy? They'll understand our story if we just come clean about it. Besides, where do you think we'd go?" Sunset's mouth opened, but it appeared that she couldn't think of a proper answer, so Starlight simply said, "I don't think that we should run, but at the same time... we just turned the new princess of Equestria into a foal, so I get where you're coming from... Still...."

They both just kept glaring at one another in disbelief of what they had just done. In time, they'd come to the right decision. They travelled as hastily as they could via train in order to reach Canterlot, but it would unfortunately be another day before Princess Celestia would arrive in order to figure out what to do about this strange situation.

Knowing their luck, though, they'll probably end up being stuck with caring for Twilight until something can be done turn her back to normal.

Comments

[Spazz Kid]

Yes.

Just, yes.

[DawnOfsnow]

Very cute, and the writing is quite good! I think there were a couple of instances where you said “Starlight” instead of “Sunset” and vice versa, but that was the only “spelling” error I caught. Nice job so far!

[Art Inspired]

10512890
Thank you for the hint. I found the part you were talking about.

Starlight's mouth opened, but it appeared that she couldn't think of a proper answer, so Starlight simply said,

Fixed, thanks again!

[Sunny_and_Auri_23]

Honestly, I'd do the same if I were in their horseshoes. 'Lil Twily is just SO adorable
I just wanna hug her

[Nineveh Orion]

The soft lights of the sun had already touched most of Ponyville. The Castle of Friendship still stood tall, and remained a part of the nearby city. It had only weathered a few strands of ivy since being mostly abandoned. Originally, Twilight had asked Rarity to take care of the place. She was mostly tasked with checking on the map, but soon enough, that task fell to Applejack, and then to Rainbow Dash, and so on.

Back up. Is this post Twilight becoming God Empress of Equestria? That's the only way any of this makes any sense. Otherwise, you need to redo the whole chapter.

I love the idea by the way :D

[Art Inspired]

10513277 It's after she becomes an alicorn, and after she takes complete charge of caring for Equestria while Celestia and Luna have their retirement.

I believe I see what you're saying... but the Castle of Friendship could've just as easily ceased being Twilight's primary home since she became the ruler of Equestria, so at least for the story's sake, she actually lives in Canterlot.

Sorry if I've missed something.

[titanhades70]

Being mostly abandoned? Isn't Starlight and Sunburst and possibly Trixie living there still, so would be keeping an eye on the map and the castle.

[Twilight_Shimmer]

"Oh," Sunset voiced with determination. "C'mon! Think about it... It's actually the only choice w've got. All the other rooms have stuff and thinks that we might break, but this place... is pretty wide and clear."

I think you meant to say "Thing's" and not Thinks. and "we've" not w've

[Art Inspired]

10513391
I'll be sure and expand on these details in the following chapter(s). If you watch the ending to the series, though, I think it's possible that Starlight goes to Canterlot with Twilight to help her adjust to the challenges that comes with ruling a nation. Trixie is... Trixie. I'm honestly not sure where she'd be. She could be traveling... and I imagine that Sunburst would have his own place, and be too busy as a teacher to take care of the Castle of Friendship.

I had to double check a few of those last couple of episodes.

[Art Inspired]

10513400
Fixed, thanks!

[Zhafran]

Sunlight just stared into the eyes of Starlight, and said, "I... think that we should go into hiding... What do you think?"

[Art Inspired]

10513486
I love their characters, but I was worried something like this would happen.

Fixed, thanks.

[The Weaver]

Quick! Through the mirror!

[Art Inspired]

10513688
We'll talk on the way!