Prologue: Slide That Retire
''Girls!'' Celestia exclaimed. ''Thank you so much for coming!''
''What's wrong?'' Twilight asked out of breath, trotting up to the princesses. ''What can we do?''
''That's just it,'’ Luna said nonchalantly. ''Nothing's wrong. Everything's perfect!''
''Did y'all call us down here just to tell us that?'' Applejack asked, standing next to her violet alicorn friend.
''With all due respect, Majesties,'' Rarity said, gesturing with a sheepish hoof. ''You might want to save your urgent summons for matters that a bit more, well, urgent.''
The day and night princesses laughed graciously in unison much to everyone's exasperated confusion.
''Well, there is more to it,'’ Luna explained, voice echoing throughout the room and bouncing against the architectural walls. ''Equestria is currently enjoying its longest period of harmony in recent years.''
''And it's all thanks to you, Twilight,'' Celestia completed, ''and your friends, of course.''
''Who?'' Spike asked, smirking as he crossed his arms across his chest. ''Us?''
''Oh, sure,'' Rarity spat as she let out a posh chuckle.
''It's about time you notice!'' Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
Twilight bowed down elegantly. ''Thank you.''
Luna continued, ''because of your efforts, there's been less and less for us to do.''
''So—’’ Celestia trotted forward, away from her throne ‘’—after much consideration, my sister and I have decided, it is time for us... TO RETIRE!'' Her voice came abruptly deep that held suspense throughout the room.
Everypony on the floor gasped within a combination of shock, bewilderment, and disbelief. Simultaneously, in a bright spark of light, a draconequus conveyed into the throne room with a notebook and pencil in its paw and claw. A white shirt with a brown vest coat on top materialized over his body along with a dirt gold-colored detective’s hat with a red ribbon around it and a note stuck in worn on his head.
''Breaking news!'' he exclaimed. ''The royal princesses’ retiring! I have so many questions!'' He flew up to the princesses and slid between them, asking questions. ''Who will take over? Who will run Equestria? Will it be someone tall, dark, and handsome? Or will it be the Lord of Chaos?” Seven corresponding eagle claws formed, floating in the air, to point at him.
The princesses casually pointed their hooves at the violet alicorn who instantly gave a shocked and panicking look on her face. Her friends beside her matched the expression that she had.
''Oh, fine!'' Discord relented idly, darting his eyes around as he rested his face against a claw while floating himself in the air. ''Go with the obvious choice.''
Twilight squealed and widened her eyes, still in her shocked trance, trying to process to understand.
''You're retiring?'' she exclaimed.
''Princesses can retire?'' Spike asked, dumbfounded, flying up to the height of Twilight's face.
Luna chuckled at Spike's innocent question.
''Of course, we can. I, for one, am looking forward to a little R & R, maybe a trip to Silver Shoals.”
''And you want me to take your place?'' Twilight repeated, showing the anxiety in her voice.
Both of the princesses swiftly nodded to her question.
''With the help of your friends of course,'' Luna added helpfully.
Twilight touched her face nervously with a hoof until she saw all of her friends gathered around her, giving her assuring smiles and hoofs on her shoulder. She looked at them thankfully and returned their smile.
''We can't think of anypony more worthy,'' Celestia began, spreading out her wings to fly over to join the collective group of ponies. ''Over the years we watched you grow, you faced task-after-task.''
''Challenge-after-challenge,'' Luna added, joining the group as well.
''Countless adversities, yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it.'' Discord slid across the room, laying on his back in mid-air.
''And you always prevailed,'' Celestia included, about to speak further when a voice did first.
''I decline.''
Everyone stared at the alicorn in shock and bewilderment, having Celestia fold back her wings and tilt her head.
''Pardon?'' she asked, taken aback by the response.
Twilight felt hesitant as everyone was staring at her, but she remained firm. ''I'm sorry, Princesses Celestia and Luna. Forgive me. I am flattered that you want me to take your place, but I can't take it. I won't.''
‘’Well, this ought to turn out interesting,’’ Discord muttered, chuckling to himself as he conjured up a bag of popcorn and some lukewarm tea to sip during the unanticipated show.
He then, however, noticed a pink pony looking at the draconequus with pleading eyes indicating that she had also wanted the same thing. He sighed in relent and also conjured up some popcorn and tea for her. This brought out a smile upon her face and also on the draconequus' until his most beloved pony also did the same gesture and gave some to her as well.
Hearts began circulating above his head as he stared in awe at the pegasus drinking gracefully onto some piping hot tea as well as munching on popcorn inside a bag with red and white stripes.
Luna tilted her head. ''Why not?''
Twilight mentally thought about how to structure her answer and tried to develop an argument for this. ''Well, because my duty is to be spreading friendship all across Equestria with my friends and outside of Equestria as well now too. I don't understand why you want me to take over your places. I mean I have saved Equestria countless times before but that was because I was with my friends.''
''I don't want to sound unappreciative but why me? Why do I always get the glory? You made me into an alicorn princess and gave me the title 'Princess of Friendship' which I thought was a bit stupid considering I spread friendship with my friends. I know I wanted to have something more but I didn’t realize how selfish I seemed that I got something whereas my friends had not.’’
She continued, ‘’I didn't want to say anything though because I didn't want to disappoint you but now that you are giving me this big role, I knew that I had to say something.''
Twilight's friends were muttering a few words to each other on how their violet alicorn friend had got a point.
‘’We are awesome, your highnesses,’’ Rainbow began for her friend, ‘’but what I don't like is that, what Twilight said, why does she get all the glory? I mean I get she was your student and all, but to tell you the truth; there shouldn't be a leader in a friendship group because that will just make one pony be better than the rest of us.’’
She carried on, ‘’and let's face it, we all know who is going to get the throne: Twilight. And you are immortal, right? So when you pass on that immortality onto Twilight, we will all eventually pass away, whereas Twilight will have to suffer to see us die and continue ruling Equestria on her own. Like you said before when we got Twilight's castle, 'what is the Princess of Friendship without her friends?'''
Pinkie Pie joined in. ''Not to mention that we all have our separate lives. We all have responsibilities in Ponyville which mean Twilight will have to move back to Canterlot again and she will be all alone again which will make us all so sad and Twilight will have all the fun ruling which will make us even sadder.''
Luna opened her mouth to speak but got nothing out of it when Applejack plotted another point of hers.
''Sorry to interrupt, your highnesses,'' she chimed in. ''But ya said that Equestria has been livin' in harmony for recent years but that's not true. I mean we did have to face and conquer so many evil villains, such as Nightmare Moon.'' She turned to Luna apologetically for bringing up her dark past. ''No offense, Princess Luna.''
The night princess ducked her head for a second before she could reply: ''None was taken, Applejack.''
''Anyways,'' she continued, ''we have also defeated King Sombra, Lord Tirek, Cozy Glow, Queen Chrysalis (who is still on the loose), plenty of pony villains that felt jealous... and last but not least, Discord.'' The draconequus huffed as she also brought up his dark past. Applejack bit her lip and resumed back to talking out her point, ''what I mean is that in these previous years we have lived, there had been so many villains wreckin' and attackin' Equestria. Of course, we managed to save it and I don't mean we aren't the perfect choice to rule Equestria but you are just going to make Twilight the ruler and not us. What are we meant to do exactly?''
''For once, I say this ruffian pony is correct,'' Rarity said as she stepped forward confidently with her head held high. Applejack shot her a glare but the unicorn shook it off with an apologetic smile. She cleared her throat. ''Anyways, my point is that when Twilight becomes ruler with her new title, throne, crown, and glory, it will make us look like we are nothing but peasants! Okay, maybe that’s a bit too much but still! We literally helped Twilight learn friendship and make her how she is today and we get nothing in return? Why, we will still continue on with our same lives whereas Twilight upgrades hers and gets all the glory.''
''Not trying to make this topic sad but... Twilight will eventually have to see her friends pass away with tears and she will be alone again. I am pretty sure somepony here has already mentioned that but still! I simply cannot understand why you would give such a dreadful fate like that to us... I mean I am pretty sure you had to see your friends age and die but... you have lived for over what? A thousand years? So I am pretty sure you have gotten used to it...'' Rarity ended with a nervous chuckle surpassing through her lips.
Twilight smiled at her friends for their strong and valid points. She then faced her mentor seriously.
''Princess Celestia, I get why you would want to retire as you have ruled Equestria for so many years but Luna, it doesn't quite make sense on why you want to retire. I mean you literally just got back from the moon a few years ago from a thousand years prison.’’ She faced the night princess. ''I just want to know that: do you truly want to retire or do you want to because your sister wants to and you want to spend time together?''
''I... never really thought about that.'' Luna looked at her elder sister with a frown appearing on her face. ''I am sorry, sister. I only agreed with you to retire so I could spend time with you just like when we were fillies.'' She let out a sigh. ''I am truly sorry, Tia, for ruining the vacation we were going to do.''
Although that was not entirely true since Celestia hadn’t anticipated Twilight’s answer to be like this, she thought that since she is her role model then she would agree with her as always but she had learned something new today. However, her sister did practically ruin the vacation as she wasn’t being honest with her.
Celestia placed a hoof on her sister's shoulder. ''It's okay, Luna. You should have just told me that you didn't want to retire.'' She turned away and bit her lip. ''Although...''
''...but you really want to retire?'' Fluttershy finished for her.
''Yes,'' she replied, flinching a bit.
Twilight tapped her chin with her hoof, trying to think of another plan for the princesses. When a mental lightbulb appeared on top of her head, she trotted over to Spike and whispered inside his ear to get out a notepad and quill. Spike nodded in reply and got out the equipment she asked for, right underneath his tail. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash looked at this movement and both thought the same thing that they thought that only Pinkie Pie could do something like that.
''So you say you really want to have a vacation, princess?'' Twilight remarked, having the attention be brought back to her. ''You don't need a retirement for that! I mean I got a vacation with my family even though I am a princess. So all you need is...?''
Spike sighed behind his notepad, thinking that he could have gone with her since he is practically her family.
Pinkie Pie jumped up in the air with a gasp. She exploded confetti behind. Discord scratched his head in confusion on how she could do that.
''I think I know what Twilight is going to say!'' she said in a singsong voice, bouncing up and down. ''Instead of you two retiring, you should take a mini one week off vacation or how long you want it to be, whereas...''
''Hold up!'' Applejack interjected. ''Who is going to look after Equestria while they are gone off to a vacation?''
She smiled brightly. ‘’Why us, of course!’’
''WHAT?'' the five ponies and dragon yelled.
''Pinkie,'' said Twilight calmly. ''We just said we don't want to rule.''
''Oh.'' She gave a giggle. ''You missed my point.'' She patted her on her violet alicorn friend’s head several times. ''What I mean is that we are not going to rule but just look after the kingdom with the palace duties and stuff. And no, Twilight will not be a leader anymore!''
Fluttershy asked, ''but then who would raise the sun and moon?''
''Oh, silly!'' She patted her on the head as well. ''You don't need one position to raise the sun and moon. Remember that anniversary play we did and Princess Celestia actually raised the sun because you couldn't? They will do it when they finish exploring Equestria and it is nighttime for them. We will just look after the kingdom, so just tell us what to do, Celestia, and we will do exactly just that!''
''Sometimes I think she is a bit...'' Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack whilst she circled her hoof against her ear, which caused the latter to chuckle.
Pinkie Pie shot them a glare the two ponies didn't expect from an enthusiast like her.
Discord chuckled as he conjured up a throne for him to sit on, also materializing a halo to float between his antlers to make himself seem innocent. ''Will I be protecting Equestria as well?''
Fluttershy smiled at his innocence and ruffled his body.
''Oh, you and I will be having lots of tea parties during the princesses’ vacation.''
Everypony stared at each other with sheepish smiles.
''Why are they still not a thing?'' asked Spike, which made Rarity chuckle.
Celestia trotted up towards the violet alicorn. ''Twilight, are you sure you don't want to rule?''
''Oh, for Pete's sake!'' Rainbow Dash yelled as she stretched out her eyelids and flew over to the princess' face. ''After everything we have told you: there shouldn't be a leader, immortality, unfairness, death, and you still want her to have all the glory?''
Applejack pulled her tail to calm down and watch her disrespectful tone towards the princesses.
''Sorry, your highness. We just had a... rough day today.'' The southern pony shot her a death glare. The pegasus smiled nervously and shrunk back to the ground.
Twilight ignored her friends and answered the question. ''I am sorry, your highness. But I made my final decision, which is no. I hope you can forgive me still for ruining your plans.''
The princesses both looked at each other until the elder sister broke eye contact with her younger sister to step forward to approach the youngest princess in the room.
''Pinkie Pie made everything up and gave us a vacation so it’s all right now, Twilight.''
The violet alicorn smiled.
''I guess that means... you are all dismissed,'' Luna reluctantly announced.
And with that, everyone presented in the room all soon trotted out of the grand doors of the throne room.
Rarity had her head held high as she trotted past the guards at their posts beside the opened doors enveloped in the guards’ magic for everyone to trot out. Pinkie Pie was bouncing beside the confident unicorn along with Applejack on the other side of the unicorn. Discord had materialized a portal for himself and the yellow pegasus to go through for a shortcut. Rainbow Dash independently zoomed through the door by flying.
Everyone had left the room except for Twilight Sparkle who was about to follow them along when her former mentor’s voice had spoken up to call her back.
‘’Twilight, may I speak with you?’’ Celestia asked, nodding towards her sister to trot after the others who had gone out of the throne room’s grand doors.
Twilight turned around to face her former mentor and trotted to approach her.
''What is it, princess?''
''I am very proud of you.''
''Proud? Of me?’’ Twilight repeated, scratching her head and trying to understand what she meant in that short, simple, and elegant sentence. ''Why? I mean I just ruined your plans to retire so how can you be...?''
The elder princess continued, ''I am proud of you, my dear Twilight, for finally saying no to me and making up your own plans on your own with the help of your friends always with you. You did not hesitate to disagree with me this time, the confidence growing within you.’’
She smiled upon her. ‘’Twilight, for many years I have known you, you have never once declined me whenever I asked you to do something. You would be either scared of me or...'' A sigh escaped from her moist lips. ''I must apologize for putting this ruling Equestria upon you without giving you a choice but you did make a decision on your own and which is why I am proud of you. And you and your friends are right: one pony shouldn't get all the glory than the other or else it would be unfair. There shall be no such thing as leadership which I wish I knew before turning you into an alicorn.''
She stepped back, turning away from her former student. ''I just wish you had told me.'’ Another sigh. ''I am such a nutcase, aren't I? If that’s how the saying goes these days.'' She chuckled ever so sheepishly. ''But I suppose that means you don't need my guidance anymore as you got your friends.''
''Princess Celestia,'' Twilight said with tears in her eyes. ''You are not a nutcase and I would always need you. You are right, I should've told you but no one told me that leadership shouldn't be a thing in friendship groups and I never put much thought into it. I always thought that leaders are only meant for countries and kingdoms to provide resources and guide ponies with rules and demands. Of course, I rule a kingdom but... it just doesn't feel right.'' She looked up at her mentor and embraced her within a hug full of teacher-to-student love even if they may not be it anymore.
Celestia widened her eyes and graciously accepted the heartfelt given hug.
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👀 another what if
Nice work on ths.
Discord walked aimlessly around his chaotic house pondering. "She really declined become ruler, huh? I guess I don't have to follow through with my incredibly convoluted scheme of disguising myself as an ancient evil and uniting several villains seeking to destroy Equestria, all to give Twilight a confidence boost when she defeats them."
10713223
haha
Can we please get a link to Animation Crusader's story?
Not gonna lie, this reads exactly the same as a lot of other fics with the same premise.
It's EQUESTRIA! and it's I am such a nutcase.
10722038
Thanks
rd makes a REALLY good point
another good point
11112617
11112619
Fluttercord4life
What part of no doesn't Celestia get? Twilight says no I don't want to be the ruler and the whole I'm an alicorn and immortal is is more than enough for me in fact it was too much but no let's ignore the no and try a second time.
11137633
Right
Anyone else wants to know what will happen in this universe after Twilight refuses? Personally, I’d see Chrysalis try to make one last attempt to get her revenge before being sent to Tartarus, many of the show’s plot holes being tied up, a different cast of villains to form the Legion of Doom (or the Anti-Six), and the Windigos serving as the final bosses.
And why should she? You haven't exactly given Twilight a reason to in the first place, what with the fact that you let the ponies build you up as some mighty goddess and hadn't tried harder in telling them they shouldn't do as such. Why else do you think Twilight wants everything to be perfect when you come near her? Because she picked up the mindset that makes her believe should she anger you, you would give her a punishment for making a simple mistake that offends you in any way. You're the one who should have told Twilight to simply treat you like her equal, but no, you thought letting her figure that out on her own would be hunky dory. It's one of many things about you that disappoint me, Celestia, you'd rather run away from your problems than confront them head-on.
On that we can agree. The fact that you realized you treated Luna so badly to the point she became Nightmare Moon, you banishing her, and having to move the sun and moon for a thousand years while wondering what might have been, and not even telling someone how you felt at that time, has made you insane. You don't show it often, but it is obvious if one looks closer at you.
The point is, like a root taking hold in the soil, you allowed everyone to view you as some mighty being and didn't try hard enough to show them you're just a normal pony. You had many chances to, and you blew all of them. And at the end of it, the only pony you can blame for that is yourself.
(Sigh) Well, good luck with your next life. You're gonna need it big time.
BTW, I don't hate Celestia, just the fact she committed those actions without a second thought.
11505583
I don't hate Celestia either but I do agree with you that what she was doing was wrong.
The fact that her sister felt low because of her or the fact she pressured things on Twilight and Twilight alone. Twilight never wanted this and weren't her friends on the adventure with her?
In the show Twilight wasn't really given a choice to turn down the position bestowed upon her. Her friends were rooting for her including her mentor/idol and she didn't want to let them all down. She wanted to be seen as perfect beside her idol but Celestia never reassured her that she wanted to be seen as her equal nor the fact told everypony she's just a normal pony like them.
But oh well. The show's over, and we can still write fics to redeem her...
11505610
Just goes to show that Hasbro was more interested in merchandizing than storytelling. Didn't help either that they still treated the girls who watched the show and have grown up like young girls who don't know better.
If Twilight in this story realized how her friends and mentor were treating her, she would've told them off for it, starting with a quote by a certain Disney Princess:
"How dare you. All of you! Standing around, deciding my future?! I am not a prize to be won!"
11505625
Right.
That quote should be said by Twilight, it's only valid. The thing is she's too nice and meek to even speak up, one of Celestia's faults.
This story is pretty old but I'll reread and perhaps even rewrite it.
11505625
She could never say no to Celestia because she can't take her off the pedestal twilight puts her on because of her title and seeming niceness.
11677018
That's the thing that irks me the most. She's blinded by the fact Celestia is like a perfect goddess despite the fact she's made mistakes and they're friends now. I just wanted season 9 to show Twilight's development of her having her own decisions and finally standing up to Celestia having a mind of her own.