Celestia listened to Twilight's report on what was to come with some concern as she sipped her tea. "It would not be the first time ponies have tried to stop the Ceremony. But it has been several centuries since the last time."
Twilight sighed in annoyance. She had been afraid of that. "But why now of all times? Why not last year, or the year before that?"
Celestia could only shake her head. "I believe it has something to do with the fact that you are now Ruler of Equestria, Twilight. Ponies may believe that you are more open to what they are demanding. Your opening of the School of Friendship caused more ripples than you think."
Twilight blinked. "Like what? I thought everything with the Equestria Education Association had all been worked out after Cozy Glow's tried to steal all of Equestria's magic?"
Celestia nodded. "It was. But that is not what I mean. The School of Magic here in Canterlot was quite peeved in fact, until I reminded them of whose name is on the side of the school. And they were not alone. Ponies across Equestria were quite peeved in fact, though thankfully it was only a small portion of the whole."
Twilight digested this. This was news to her, but a part of her felt she should have seen this coming. Her idea had caused quite the stir in Ponyville. Why should not the same apply to all of Equestria as well?
At that moment, a young Pegasus came over to refill both alicorns' drinks. Around her neck was a diamond necklace. "Here you go, girls." She gave Celestia a knowing look. "You really should visit more often, Celestia. It is kinda lonely around here without you."
Celestia giggled. "Thak you, Sweet Pop. But I have spent more time in this place than even I care to count. I need to get away from Canterlot for as long as I can." She smirked, ruffling the filly's mane. "And I see you have not changed much at all."
Sweet stuck her tongue out at the alicorn. "I do not miss this, that is for sure. None of us do. Princess Twilight is too nice for that."
Twilight sighed. "Sweet. What have I said about calling me that? We have known each other for years. There is no need to call me Princess."
Sweet shook her head. "I can't do that, Princess Twilight. Not while I am on duty at least. If there is one thing Miss. Inkwell tells us more often than not, it is to show proper respect to the princess." She smirked. "Even when we have known each other since you were my size, Twilight."
Twilight giggled. She could not argue with that. And it was true enough. While most of the staff of the castle treated her with the respect that bordered on worship (much to her annoyance), the Eternum staff was much more open and playful. Especially those fillies and colts that were still new to being Frozen. She looked around after a moment however. "Where is Pearl? I thought she was on call today?"
Sweet nodded. "She was. But she called in sick this morning, so I am taking over till she's better. I do not mind though. I need to get out more often anyway. Cleaning up after one of your all-night sessions is not fun at all. I do not know how Spike does it."
Twilight pouted, while Celestia giggled. "I see that you all have not changed how you treat each other. Many ponies were not as quick to do so," she said, taking a sip of her drink.
Sweet rolled her eyes. "Ponies making a fuss about the Ceremony again?" Twilight nodded. "Have they not learned their lesson yet? If you did not do it for me, Celestia. Why start now?"
Twilight nodded. "I have no plans to stop now, Sweet. Ponies have every right to not agree with it, nor to make their opinions known. Goddess above, I know I used to hear grumbling about it every year in Ponyvile. Even when nopony was picked to be Frozen."
Celestia nodded. "I commend you for this, Twilight. But this is more widespread than it has been for many centuries. Many of the Eternum staff can tell you what it was like when Luna and I first instituted the tradition. It was not only to save the colts and fillies from sexual deviants that we gave them a home here and in the Everfree Castle but to keep them safe from ponies who would try and reverse the process."
Sweet nodded. "I still remember how someponies looked at me and Pearl when we were chosen. Ponyville is tight nit, but even someponies there were not at all happy about it. Guess some things never change."
Twilight bit her lip. "But what can I do? Some of these ponies I consider friends. Very good friends in fact.
Celestia did not respond for a moment, while Sweet excused herself. "There is one way, Princess Twilight. One way to end this forever. Bring it down. Lay down the Ultima. Do what Luna or I could never do. Break the cycle forever."
Twilight blanched in horror. "No. Unless there is no other choice. I will not use the Magisterium. It has only been used once, and even now I wonder if there was not another way."
Celestia nodded gravely, but her expression did not change. "And if ponies try to use force? Or worse? Then what? This is your first true test, Twilight, as Ruler of Equestria. Look weak now, and your enemies will know how to use it against you. In ways that even you cannot imagine."
Twiight's ears fell, as she took another drink. "Then we will cross that bridge when we get there."
Interesting, I wonder what happened when Tirek or Cozy Glow stole all the pony magic, when their collars were sucked of their magic? in fact could Cozy be one of them despite not having a collar, it might explain why she was so smart; or could it be she was an experiment in trying to replicate the same magic. I would wonder how easily influenced these forever foals like children despite all the life times of experience they have, do they ever get to make choices for themselves as in the last story they had to have an owner. Can forever foals own their own property, or inherit it from dead relatives that they outlived them or was the last survivor member. Do they exploit their youth to get extra benefits in doing some crimes or get revenge on other ponies, I would get it passed them that they are impulsive or vicious like foals. What happen when a forever foal does really bad crimes like murder. Do noble family also use them as living artifacts of their family heritage, and have kept them on staff for centuries. How does really old and extremally conservative foals would be like, having their minds stuck, set in their ways, in the past that does exist and things that the old(and often very bad) traditions should be kept, like herding, gelding, slavery public exaction, or even extremally bigoted one that predate the unification of Equestria.
11083351
Tirek I can answer since it won't come up in the story. This whole thing started after Celestia and Luna fought him the first time, so they designed this magic with countering him in mind.
The magic that sustains each foal can only be cut off if their necklace is removed, and only an alicorn can remove them. So even if their magic is removed, the necklace would keep them alive.
Cozy, in my head, was a filly who wasn't chosen to be one, and decided that if she couldn't have magic like that, then no one would have magic, and whatever nonsense she said in Season 8's finale.
The rest of your comment is actually tied into what Celestia hinted at Twilight use. But more would be spoilers, so đ.
Wait⌠so if they choose a new one every year then wonât there be like over 1000 foals???
11083438
Yeah. I thought of that after I started writing this. I do have something in mind that will explain it. Just won't say what yet.
11083443
I wonder if⌠the real reason why the sisters did thisâŚ
Mwhaha I the evil villain will take over Equestria! Youâre Royal Guard was super weak no creative can stop me now.
Oh I got back up
Back up? Your army is down who else do you have to call foals?
The children love a new toy to play
Wait what?
Mine! Mine! Mine! (Thousands of foals running to play with their new toy đ§¸)
11083416
Hum, sounds like you are going out of your way to keep your original idea intact. IT's not biggy for me if you want to keep it that, but I thought it was worth asking the question.
By the way did you consider that collar sort of froze their minds from their era, staying in perfect clarity to them, but everything after what would have been their original life time they eventually is just forgotten if not constantly reminded or stimulated, like if you make a Forever foal a friend if you stop seeing them or have some form of contact with for a few years they just eventually forget who you ever were.
11083450
... No comment .
11083455
Dude. You really need to stop thinking so depressingly about this. If you want doom and gloom, go read the original story. Yeah, I did think of that. And immediately threw it away because there's no reason for it to be a thing.
Except for drama sake maybe.
So... there are some foals who've accepted eternal youth (and everything that comes with it), to give their Princesses - the ponies revered by pretty much everypony in Equestria, whom they'd do just about anything for - a chance at being a parent without having to worry about outliving their children.
Unless it's one of the birth parents or other legal guardians objecting, I can't imagine why anypony would have any legal right to interfere in a foal's choice to accept this.
Until next time...
Anon e Mouse Jr.
P.S.: The Princesses must get swamped with Mother's Day cards from their adoptive foals every year.
11105753
"Unless it's one of the birth parents or other legal guardians objecting, I can't imagine why anypony would have any legal right to interfere in a foal's choice to accept this."
Back when it all started, ponies thought it was unnatural and went against the natural order of things. Which to be fair, they had a point. But still.
Now someponies are just too stupid to know they will never win. Just look at our world and how people try and stop all kinds of things they object to. To no avail in most cases. Those that do win usually have someone in a position of power that gives them what they want.
11106309
Mm.
Yeah, I can see that... I wonder how they'd react though if it was presented not just as a way of staying a foal forever, but as a cure for senescence, the process of deterioration with age.
Until next time...
Anon e Mouse Jr.