The Queen of the Dark Ch. I

by Forcalor

Step 3 — "Life keeps on trotting" — Princess Twilight Sparkle

Deep in the bosom of the night, Ponyville was a safe and familiar place that was slumbering under a distant blanket of watchful stars.

A mysterious, benevolent artist had covered its canvas with a beautiful scene and then breathed life into it, and it brought the warmth of the hearth, and the little city became filled with decorated houses that spoke loudly of the affable characters of their owners, and the street corners blossomed with the colors of flowers that were waiting for an observer's eye. The clear fresh air was a sweet feast for the soul, leaving it always longing.

Everything here seemed magical.

Twilight's spacious study, doubling as her bedroom, remained an exception—it was magical without a shred of a doubt. Magic was all over the place, awaiting own discovery amid all the ancient and new books on bookshelves, as well as various gizmos, appliances, and apparatuses, and even on a desk with papers (and more books), and especially in the corner, where an alicorn peacefully slept.

She had a knack for creating highly organized artistic bedlam. Come now, take a closer look at her. For example, just who sleeps like that? One foreleg is on an opened book, and the other one hangs from the bedside. Both wings are looking in completely different directions. Blindfolds are moved down on the muzzle and now obstruct the snout, so the mouth is opened wide to compensate. Loud snores were befitting of a foal, not a Princess. A big, colorful nightcap almost fell from her head and was dangling on the last inches of the tip of a horn.

And yet she was so cozy, all drowning in softness… Only a slight personal touch was enough for her to reach a perfect harmony of comfort.

So she slept soundly, until—

"Twilight!"

A new day broke in. The young alicorn stirred and, completely clueless, almost fell to the floor.

"No-no, I'm not oversleeping, am I?"

She removed the blindfolds, blinking rapidly like a startled little critter. She still had time aplenty; that was simply Spike who urgently waddled in. His clawed hand held a scroll with a familiar seal.

"What's going on?" murmured Twilight grumpily, still tucked too perfectly to stand up right away. The ratio of comfort and warmth was so good that it could be measured with the pyrometer to the last number of a degree and then used in a couple of formulas. While waiting for an answer from the young dragon, her mind blissfully departed on a short adventure while figuring out a practical use for such a calculation. Maybe a potion that instantly warms you? Or something to make you sleep easier? Oh, but it can be used for both—

"Twilight, a letter from the Princess!" exclaimed Spike, standing on tiptoe.

A letter! Twilight was forced to pull herself up. Her shimmering horn, unraveling parchment, was acting as a bedside lamp. Sadly, the lines of writing were short, concise, and overly formal.

"She didn't send anything like this in years." Twilight yawned, inspected the letter from both sides, and then sank back into a puffy pillow, discontented. "Alright... I didn't dream up that stuff about the wedding, either... Celestia wants us to hurry up with plans and make it to Canterlot post-haste. Good thing I haven't got around to tell the girls, I guess."

"Did something happen?" Spike caught the parchment and carefully folded it.

Twilight inspected the ceiling. "Not sure. Well, maybe, but there's no mention of it, so you know how it is. We'll find out on the spot."

"Uh-huh, yeah. Wanna me send messages to others to gather up?"

"Spike, yes! Thank you. Write them: It is urgent. They can have breakfast here."

"Looks like I'll also get to cooking, then," Spike grumbled, but Twilight knew that it was in a good heart. He always loved to cook for his friends.

A clock said that Twilight had a chance to catch a shut-eye for at least an hour, but she kept turning in the bed, not being able to, excited for the day.

Who could ever think that she would have a chance to organize a royal wedding once more? Even the fact that she had to expedite the process didn't make her waver. Everything would be just right!

Or at least, it should be.

---

They were gathering around an all-familiar Cutie Map, as usual. Twilight was so giddy that she barely waited until everyone dragged themselves in at this early hour. Surprisingly, Fluttershy was one of the first. She settled down with a cup of warm tea, but her mind was elsewhere, likely all wrapped around her cute animals.

Rainbow dashed in and placed herself in a seat, curious to hear urgent news. Applejack, an early riser, was neatly contrasting in her collected demeanor with Pinkie Pie, who had arrived at the same time and looked prepared to throw herself into any activity. Starlight had helped Spike conjure up a simple meal and was serving, glancing at Twilight with worry.

Rarity practiced being fashionably late, so everyone waited for her a few extra minutes. It was reasonable, as she had a boutique to run and was in a huff about it.

When they finally gathered, Twilight wasn't dragging it along. She tapped her hoof for attention, beamed, and declared, "Princess Celestia came in yesterday. She wants us to organize a wedding ceremony for her tomorrow evening."

"Wha-a!? She's marrying?" Dash jumped up from the seat, mouth agape.

Everyone was surprised. Pinkie spat juice right onto the Cutie Map. Rarity was the only one who didn't overreact, uttering with a wave of a forehoof, "And you did wait to tell us since yesterday? Darling, that is simply uncouth."

"Sorry, girls." Twilight smiled sheepishly, her cheeks burning hot. "I wanted to lower the odds of spreading rumors. It seems like it was a good call, especially because she's, um, marrying Princess Luna."

Everyone again shared dumbfounded happy looks, with a quiet 'Oh, my' from Fluttershy. Pinkie, again in the middle of drinking, spat out juice for a second time.

"That's all news?" She giggled unabashedly, already ready to fix the mess with a napkin. "'Cause I'm warnin' you, I have more here!"

"Well, slap on me a mark an' call me a piglet, hon', if it's some prank you're pulling on us." Applejack frowned.

"Yes, it seems improbable." Starlight nodded, not wasting time and already cleaning her plate with a breadcrumb. "Are you sure it isn't a prank she is pulling on you?"

"By all that is magic, no!" Twilight bit on her hoof, thinking. "She would never! Would she?"

"Yeah, she just might!" said Dash with a giggle.

"I was here when she announced that, you know." Spike walked around in an apron, collecting dishes and giving out seconds for the hungriest. "She seemed genuine to me."

"Are you sure it's not a day when they pull hoaxes in Canterlot?" Applejack pondered aloud.

"Hey, I've lived there; I'd know." Twilight smiled, procuring the parchment. "Girls, that's no prank, or a canterlotian practical joke, or anything of the sort. Look, here's the letter she sent overnight."

Everyone eyed that short formal letter.

Applejack shrugged, not looking too happy about the whole ordeal. "Don't get me wrong, y'all, but that's something that came out of the blue to me. Royalty, right? Figures."

"Oh, that is precisely that." Rarity, meanwhile, completely shifted gears, and considering her wistful look, she was already mulling over some ideas and designs of her own. "We can't really judge the notion, can we? We can only try to imagine their love... Oh, you simply think of a spectacle, now!"

"Think of a bash we'll throw in!" Pinkie was in her own world. "We're gonna have so much fun!"

Pinke reared up with a huge smile on her face, and promptly, from somewhere behind her seat, sudden confetti launched all over the place. Fluttershy gasped. Dash winced. Both of them got hit by most of the colorful glitter, and immediately got busy with scraping it from their manes and food.

"Girls, regarding parties..." Twilight frowned, not wishing to sour the mood. "Since Royal Sisters want to marry on such short notice, we have no time to plan an extravagant and elegant ceremony. I think the most correct solution would be to host the wedding in some public but secluded place with a limited number of attendees—mostly closest friends, nobility and gentry, and the like. We can always schedule a grand celebration for the whole Equestria for later."

"I guess you already have a place in mind?" asked Starlight curiously.

"I know just a perfect one! Canterlot Royal Library!" Twilight beamed proudly and then was taken aback when everyone began to quietly snicker about it. "What?"

"Twilight, you egghead, you." Dash snorted. "Never change."

"Wha-a-at?... Come on, girls." Twilight's smile was awkward but happy. "It's a huge place, it's well-known, and it's decorated with all those statues... and it certainly would raise everypony's interest in reading! A very memorable idea, don't you think?"

"No denyin' that!" Applejack interjected. "It's, uh, y'know, seems like something only you would propose."

They all shared a laugh.

"Oh, I need to prepare my songbirds for a choir." Fluttershy rose from her seat in a hurry. "I know how Celestia loves that, and we have only so much time!"

"Yeah, ah' reckon we already need to get packin'." Applejack stood at her place as well.

"Way ahead of ya!" Pinkie Pie pulled from her spacious mane a briefcase, bulging from all kinds of stuff. "I always drag along all I ever need for a party!"

"Well, Pinkie, some of us have other responsibilities, you know." Rarity cocked her snout, but said it in the most lighthearted way possible.

"Girls, I'll get us tickets for a train in an hour, but please, don't be hasty for now," pleaded Twilight, getting more serious. Her eyes darted to Starlight at her side.

Dash, already at the door, turned back with a grumpy sigh.

"I never was at weddings before..." chirped Starlight nervously, playing around with her mane.

Twilight frowned, subduing an unpleasant knot in her stomach. It would be better to deal with the hard part now.
"Ever since Elements of Harmony broke some time ago," she began, glancing at the girls (and Spike), "every day I wake up with a feeling of an impending disaster that can strike at any hour."

"There is nothing that we can't solve, Twi," reassured Dash, while others began to nod in accordance. "Let it come! We'll kick everything into high gear and take it on, as we always do!"

"Yes, but we need to plan for the worst occasions anyway," objected Twilight. "This rush with the wedding is very concerning to me, and I hope that my worries are in vain, but something just feels off, you know? We better approach it with all the care we possibly can."

The girls didn't try to debate. Starlight already figured that Twilight wanted something from her, and now she was just looking expectantly, keeping her ears drooped down.

"Starlight." Twilight gulped down a lump in her throat. "I am very sorry, but I need someone to stay here and watch over the treasury, especially over the… ah, the shards of the Elements, because… considering what shape they're in, well... To hoof, Sunset should soon come over, and I don't know when exactly—there is some dilution of time between our universes, I think. If everything goes well, you both should arrive for the afterparty and, of course, stay until the big event for all of Equestria takes place. The wedding of Princesses, after all, has no precedent in all recorded history!"

"I understand," Starlight answered plainly, but Twilight still saw hurt behind her smile.

"This is very important." Twilight sighed and placed her fetlock on Starlight's shoulder. "You're the only one that I can rely on with this, and after the ceremony wraps up, I'll make my way back to Ponyville posthaste to keep watch instead of you. Seems only fair."

"Twilight, I understand, and I won't take it close to heart. Just have fun out there, okay? I promise I'll keep watch over everything in Ponyville." Starlight patted her assuredly, and her eyes darted between the others. "Do make it worthwhile, guys."

"You bet we'll do!" With a huge, cheerful smile, Pinkie Pie pulled them both into a hug. "I will save for you slices of all the cakes there are! 'Specially the wedding one!"

All the others got closer too, partaking in this small group hug. They were like a family, after all.

"Thank you, Starlight." Twilight pulled back, flashing a coy but warm smile. "I trust you completely."

---

The city, nestled on the slope of a great mountain, was like a hit of radiant dawn after an especially grueling and long night. If Ponyville was homely, Canterlot remained grandiose and ancient.

Ever since she could remember, Twilight was always drawn to it. She could walk across wide streets and take in the sights of local architecture for ages and never get tired of being amazed by all the history that this place implied. Renovations, new additions, spots of conflicts of old—Canterlot in itself was like a permanently open book, and all you needed to read it was to show some skill.

Nowadays, many legends from days long gone have walked the proverbial pages of this 'book', and it always felt strange. How can you settle the feeling that you can see a famous historical figure right in front, but in flesh and blood, the same as you? While the ruler of ponies, Celestia, with her dark-coated sister, is almost a usual sight for you; and at the same time, you are one of the Princesses of the realm too? It all was mind-blowing for little Twilight, so she tried not to dwell on it too hard.

Life keeps on trotting anyway, whatever your standing in it may be. And so there were tasks at hoof, and the Princess of Friendship got in the thick of things. Plans, meetings, and decisions—all needed to be done fast and without much fuss in front of the public, though it was a given that rumors spread like wildfire and the citizens of Canterlot already knew about an upcoming wedding. The air was already soaked with anticipation of festivity. Some enterprising vendors have already tried to merchandise the event, selling souvenirs.

Since street trading in the ancient city of Canterlot was frowned upon, most of these merchants preyed upon visiting tourists and guests. Twilight got a look at their work firsthoof when she stumbled into Stygian on the exit from the Royal Library and saw him wearing a shirt with Celestia and Luna emblazoned on it.

"Hello there!" Twilight smiled, beckoned by her natural curiosity to examine the picture. It was nothing unusual, only both Royal Sisters staring at each other with lovey-dovey eyes.

"Your Highness." Stygian nodded. Ever since he was rescued from the Dark with her help, the gloomy unicorn acted a bit inadequate in her presence. Twilight understood his dilemma and bore no grudge; after all, he was at the lowest of the lows when they happened to be acquainted, being full of jealousy and bitter hatred.

"I bought your latest bestseller recently! Very impressive work! Too bad I didn't bring it with me, I wouldn't mind an author's autograph," she tried to ease him.

Stygian responded with a shy smile of his own, acknowledging the effort. "Aye, ponies love a good mystery. Though, I'd believe its success is more due to my renown, lest than anything else."

"No, it's genuinely a good book! I enjoyed it very much!" chirped Twilight, and Stygian's smile became more earnest.

"Am I distracting?" said Stygian, hesitating. "You seem to be in a hurry."

"No! Well, yes, but you're exactly the pony I wanted to look for. Is Starswirl somewhere around? He wouldn't miss the big event, would he?"

"No, he certainly wouldn't. I believe he should be in the Tower, conducting his research."

Stygian waved in the direction of the outskirts. Ever since Starswirl the Bearded returned from limbo, he got busy constructing his own magic tower, because apparently, 'great wizards require great towers'. Twilight could relate. She owned a whole castle on a tree. Basically a tower, right?

"So he returned from the Dragon Lands already? And they finished the building?" Twilight became all excited. "That's so wonderful! Can you please take me to him, if you don't mind? I've never been there, and it would be just embarrassing to become lost! I'm on a schedule, after all."

"I think you can hardly confuse the Starswirl's Tower with anything else, but aye, sure."

They made their way through Upper Canterlot, chattering about the upcoming wedding. As a fellow student of the magic arts, Twilight felt some kinship with Stygian. Despite being gloomy and slightly arrogant, he was actually a fairly nice guy—like it often was with those who committed to putting up a front.

They were both enjoying the festive ambience.

This happiness was perceived by Twilight as a product of cognitive dissonance—something menacing was dawning, and yet the city remained oblivious and merry. If only she could take a prolonged break from preparations…

The Starswirl's Tower was composed of crystal and what seemed like bark, and it grew directly from the uppermost outer side of a circular platform that hosted the city. Twilight recognized the intent of it: the platform would keep expanding to allow more buildings to be placed in the city area, and the Tower would always move with its edge. The Tower seemed huge—but not huge enough to overshadow everything in its vicinity—and it looked like a staple of the ego of the aging wizard. Not that Twilight had anything to say about it, of course. As one of the closest figures to royalty and the mage of Equestria, Starswirl owned all the acknowledgment of his talent he could get.

"Well, as they say—Canterlot is the city of towers!" Twilight joked, checking out from the ground level the craftsmanship of stonework and nature magic. It was astonishing.

"Sincerely, the old Pillar of Sorcery allowed himself such luxury even when he was living in Everfree," Stygian grumbled, as if some of the dark past were never put behind them proper.

"What was he like in the old days, anyway?" Twilight glanced at him askance, curious.

"Starswirl never changed." Stygian shrugged.

Past the entrance and watchful guards, they continued into a hallway. Twilight immediately noted a familiar spiral-like architecture. It seemed like the Starswirl's Tower too sprang from a seed of some kind. The place was not lived in, and the worker ponies were leaving here luggage belonging to the wizard. Twilight sneaked a peek into a cart that was left by the wall. The gilded picture frame glistened under the cover, dusty and worn. The depicted middle-aged unicorn had a familiar look to him, coupled with an unsettling gaze under the bushy brows.

"He's moving everything that ever belonged to him," Stygian commented. "Everything that he could scrounge up, that is."

"Do you think that any of his relatives are still around?" Twilight asked without a second thought.

Stygian grimaced briefly, with a flash of pain behind his eyes. "Not that I heard of," he uttered strenuously, walking further.

"I didn't mean to..." Twilight hurried along. Her ears drooped down.

"Aye, ain't those words as old as time itself? Nevertheless, that's fine." Stygian made a strange expression, a smile bordering on a smirk.

As far as Twilight knew, at least one descendant of Stygian lived to this day. Their relationship was strained… She dropped the subject.

The sound of the clockwork was filling her ears. She sensed the best smell of all: the smell of books.

When they made their way into the arcane workshop, placed at the core of the Tower, Twilight couldn't stop the rise of rapturous amazement. It was a haven. A dangerous haven, just as she'd like: everything here was a mystery, a puzzle to be solved.

The weaves of intricate magic were strong in this place.

The room was much bigger than from the outside, which led her to believe that dimensional tampering was involved. The whole structure vaguely resembled an ascending spiral with circular tiers, one built upon the other. An educated guess was enough to presume that each of the floors corresponded to its own section of the art of magic. Twilight's heart swelled when she thought about the implications of what this place could offer. Here, at the tips of her hooves, was a life-long journey into the mystery of all things... It was quite possibly the greatest library she could ever imagine.

This was a workshop in which she may even properly fix the shattered Elements...

But the centerpieces of Starswirl's Tower weren't contained on its floors, or even what they could offer to a curious gaze. These were two things that immediately drew the attention of anyone walking inside the hall.

The first one was an hourglass suspended far above in the tower beneath the roof. It was surrounded by audibly ticking chronometers that were embedded into walls at different angles, and supported by smooth, black rope-like vines. Those were stretching between the clock hands that were assiduously composed to move in the desynchronized matter, which made the hourglass slowly turn in the air. A shimmering iridescent substance, clearly seen behind thick glass, was pouring from one side to another.

"Omygosh! Sweet Celestia!..." was all that Twilight mustered up while trying to figure out the purpose of the weird contraption. There was a mix of all colors, predominantly bright violet… The only thing that she could associate it with was raw magic—the essence of creation itself.

But then her eyes moved down, and she forgot even about the hourglass.

Directly in the center of a room, on a small pedestal covered with runes, there was a second notable exemplar of high-end magic: a sapling of an immaculately white tree. Its dressing of leafage danced under an otherworldly wind. Somehow it seemed ancient and serene, and it was compelling the alicorn to take a step closer.

So she did.

To her amazement, the Tree responded to this simple motion. She could've sworn that its trunk slightly gained in girth in her presence. Something special was connecting her to the Tree, something that was waiting for her, and it was instilling in her mind a sensation of complete confidence and calmness. In a brilliant diamond crown of branches and leaves was a special song, elusive, on the border of hearing...

The voices around her helped her snap out of it. With a blush on her cheeks, she finally noticed several ponies that populated the ground floor of the arcane workshop. All of them young mares, several unicorns between them, were looking at her with wary reverence. "Princess", she was hearing their murmur. "It's the Princess."

Stygian, who was still near her, delicately coughed. He hadn't noticed anything out-of-the-ordinary. "It seems that's my cue to leave your illustrious company. Good luck, your Highness; I should be on my way."

"P-please, wait," she asked, placing a forehoof on his shoulder, not wishing to part with him yet. Her eyes darted between the surrounding mares. "Where is Starswirl? I need to see him. And what's that white tree?"

"Why, it is the model of the known world, Princess!" The booming voice of the old mage thundered somewhere from above.

Surprised, Twilight almost jumped. Starswirl somehow sneaked up on her while riding on the magically supported ladder that moved across the room. His beard and a sparkling cloak flew in air, and that gave the aging wizard a strikingly unfamiliar appearance.

Astonished, Twilight's clumsily stumbled upon her words, "What is that supposed to mean? Are we living on a tree? Inside of one? I... do not understand."

"All in due time, Princess. After all, time is a currency, and I would love to invite you for a talk when we both have more to spare," Starswirl offered with a curt smile, as if it wasn't obvious he was simply not wishing for this discussion right now.

Twilight craned her neck and noticed how from the uppermost floors swooped down a figure of an amber pegasus, wearing soldier garb. He landed with a flourish before them all, drawing attention, and then made a ceremonial bow. "Your Highness! Flash Magnus, Pillar of Bravery, Knight of Equestria, and Commander of the Royal Guard. At your service."

"Hello there!" Twilight smiled, aware that his greeting was only part of etiquette, but recognizing a new title. "Are you visiting, too?"

"More or less, ma'am," replied the knight after he exchanged greetings with Stygian. "I've wanted to commandeer some advice from our royal arcanist over here in regards to the stability of the city."

"So something is going on, after all," Stygian murmured.

Starswirl, still riding the ladder, again managed to sneak away to rein in gawking assistants. He was already returning, managing to stroke his great, flowing beard.

"Is there anything I can help with? Is it something related to the magic?" Twilight offered, eager to participate.

"No, there are no problems related to your set of skills, nor should there be any concern at all," Starswirl dismissed.

"But you must admit, that there is a huge condensation of dark energies around the city," said Stygian with a frown.

"That's right!" Twilight realized. "That's why I am feeling so uneasy lately. A storm is brewing… You can sense it too, right?"

"My comrades! Friends! Please, be calm," called out Starswirl with reassuring confidence. "The nuptial is an occurrence above the norm, and it draws the attention of many magical forces and entities. Why, I would not be surprised if even a few stray wendigos show up."

"So I've heard." Magnus shrugged. "I'll make sure that our guard is on high alert anyway, then." He shifted to Starswirl, asking, "But why are you all so chipper about it, old friend?"

"Firstly, it's a great opportunity to conduct a few experiments, which is always a pleasure. Secondly, we have a scholar on matters of the Darkness, and I believe he will recognize if something goes severely out of balance." Starswirl gave a pointed look to Stygian, who grimly nodded in return. "And finally, you all decisively got into a fret over something non-consequential. Twilight, give me a definition of what time is, if you may."

"Oh!" Twilight's ruffled her wings in surprise but picked up without a hitch. "As in concept? It's an immutable stream of events, of course! I learned about it when I was using your spells, Starswirl. Even by traveling back in time, all I did was create self-contained loops or admittedly false alternate realities. Some of them seemed to be more 'magical' and defied any 'logical' explanation, though, but I did not press on with research on that yet. It seemed too dangerous to conduct from Ponyville."

"Your definition is correct!" praised her Starswirl. Twilight's heart swelled with pride, but Starswirl kept going on, "Or, more accurately, it is nebulous and ill-defined, and doesn't recognize the truth of things even nearly, but mostly it is, still, correct. If you are thinking in lame man terms, that is. The understanding of magic truly did not progress that much in the past millennium, is it?..." Starswirl sighed. "So, suppose that I dabble in time magic, or 'chronomancy' if you prefer, and now I'm telling you all that nothing will go wrong." Starswirl glanced at the image on Stygian's shirt. "The Sisters obviously love each other; Celestia had proven it rather decisively. I'd say let them have their explore their familial bond for all of its merit, it won't do any harm to anyone."

"But still, we do need to be prepared for something, aren't we?" Magnus furrowed his brows.

"Sure, sure."

"I also heard that weather pegasi are clearing dark clouds from the skyline for all day long, not letting them drape all over Canterlot," Stygian mused.

"Right now, Rainbow Dash is busy with exactly that." Twilight nodded.

"Celestia's inner turmoil is showing. There is nothing to worry about." Starswirl waved his forehoof dismissively while balancing on a magic ladder.

"Celestia? How it's tied to… O-oh, wait, so Celestia can affect the weather like Luna, too?" Twilight tilted her head, curious.

"But of course! All the destinies of alicorns are directly tied to the intricate inner workings of this world. Yours too, naturally," Starswirl appraised her cutie mark, "but I think the Sun and Moon are rather more self-evident, no?" He raised his demanding voice, drawing attention from everyone in the room. "Everypony! Ease your nerves. As soon as that wedding passes, everything will return to its regular functionality."

"Well, if you say so…" Twilight grumbled and stood up, nervous. "Actually, I should get back on that. I'm the organizer of the wedding, after all! To be honest, I've come here only because of it…" She moistened her lips. "Master Starswirl the Bearded, as the Princess of Friendship, I'd like to extend an invitation to officiate the wedding. If you-If you don't mind, that is."

"That's a new one," muttered Starswirl with a humph.

"Please?" Twilight smiled sheepishly.

"What a splendid idea! Come, old grump, say yes to this bright-eyed girl!" Magnus cheered him on with a huge grin, flying closer to the wizard.

Venerable mage Starswirl the Bearded was Twilight's childhood hero and someone who always inspired her. Despite his seldom unpleasant personality, there was a time when making such a bold request was beyond her wildest dreams, especially in these circumstances...

She noticed how Starswirl shared looks with Stygian—he was the strategist of the old Pillars, after all—and his approving nod sealed the deal. Starswirl sighed in defeat. "Oh, by the stars… Fine. Let it be so."

And Twilight soared with happiness. His magic is second-to-none! This wedding will truly be an unforgettable experience! "Oh, thank you! Praise be Celestia!" she cried, flying a circle around Starswirl. Magnus slapped him on the shoulder, laughing.

The old wizard couldn't contain a smile himself. "One condition, though," he said, trying to remain composed.

"Yes?" Twilight's ears jerked up attentively.

"I am completely new at this and have no heavenly idea of how exactly it should go," said Starswirl with an almost guilt-ridden look. "It would help a great deal if you gave me lines or walked me through a rehearsal."

---

Celestia looked like a goddess.

In the dimly lit Throne Room she was like a pearl deep in a radiant shell, sprawling her body on the satin of an opulent throne on a pedestal. In comparison to all the splendor of the banners and gold around, she seemed not that big from the entrance, but treading on the rich velvet carpet closer to the throne, it was hard not to recognize how in reality she was looming upon any visitor.

Twilight jorneyed past the murals that were depicting the battles of olden ages, as well as other achievements of her majestic rule—all well-known stories that were telling about someone's anguished struggle, now ingrained into hard and cold-stained colorful glass.

Everything in here was of dark gold and scarlet, wrapped in rich and warm shadows. The dusk sun was unable to fully illuminate this dimly lit hall, but the presence of its light, streaming past the murals and the oval window under the ceiling, felt like another living and watchful entity. While it was so, Celestia somehow remained drenched in the darkness more than usual, despite all the brightness of her coat and multicolored mane.

"Come to me, Twilight," called the Princess. Her tail flicked, betraying anticipation.

Oftentimes, at her side could be seen a darker counterpart, smaller but no lesser, always able to somehow outweigh and cool down the overwhelming and warm presence of Celestia. Not today.

"She doesn't try to be imposing. It is how she is seen." Twilight needed to remind herself, but nonetheless, goosebumps ran down her spine, and the urge to cover her eyes and bow was growing with each creeping step closer.

When Twilight reached a certain spot, the sunlight that streamed from above momentarily blinded her and masked Celestia's features deeper in shadow. The gleaming purple stone in her peytral and her glowing golden crown both became more pronounced.

The Princess chuckled, and wore a welcoming smile, calling once more, "Don't be shy, Little Light. Come!"

Twilight proceeded to clumsily climb the stairs. A thought crossed her mind: those were specially designed to be inconvenient enough for all who would dare to come this close to feel more inadequate. This thought was quickly pushed away.

Celestia's sheer gravity had pulled Twilight closer. The power of the Solar Princess surrounded her and embraced her in its warmth. Twilight involuntarily squeaked, and found herself under a great white wing.

Celestia laughed yet again. Even her laughter resembled rays of the Sun, somehow. Maybe it is because of how her head bobbed and all the regalia she wore glistened in stray light...

"Twilight... I am most grateful that you've come to Canterlot on such short notice. Sorry that I could only meet you so late. I've been preoccupied," she said with mirth.

"I understand." Twilight smiled, feeling like a filly again.

Memories of time spent under Celestia's tutorage flooded her, complete with the talks not unlike they are having right now. It was strange to consider how, after so many things happening, the warmth of the Sun Princess remained all the same.

It felt like it would be unchanging forever.

But this time there was something new in Celestia's radiant smile as well as in her loving gaze. If Twilight didn't know any better, she would call it desperation.

Twilight was never sure of what to expect in her presence, but from up close, she could tell with certainty that something was wrong. She remembered Starswirl's words about Celestia's inner turmoil, and slowly began to slip into familiar throes of anxiety.

"Is everything alright, Little Light?" Celestia asked. Her wing pulled the little alicorn closer, taking her breath away with the sheer strength of its embrace.

"Princess, I..." Twilight gulped, maintaining the direct gaze with her kind eyes. "I could ask you the same question."

There was a short and pregnant pause between the two. Celestia gave her a pleasant look, just like she often did when her student solved something hard. "Sometimes I forget how observant you can be… My little pony with a vivid imagination and unquenchable thirst for knowledge..."

"That's hardly answering anything." Twilight frowned. "Maybe you mean that I'm imagining things?"

"Oh. No, not at all," Celestia replied, bobbing her head. "What I wanted to say is that I am proud of you, Twilight, of all that you achieved." Celestia studied Twilight's expression and then smiled yet again. "Am I overdoing it with compliments?"

"A little," Twilight admitted, getting cozier. "I don't mind, though. It's just, uh… it only makes me worry more."

Celestia turned her head away, and her wandering gaze went over the room in the direction of guards positioned at the side doors. Twilight couldn't see her muzzle from her angle anymore. Twilight slowly relaxed, resting her head on Celestia's coat. She squeezed her eyes shut, listening to the beat of an equine heart.

Thum. Thum. Thum.

"Just like any other pony."

"Twilight, what is Equestria?" Celestia asked.

Twilight bit her tongue. Her first response was academic, and it's hardly what Celestia was going for. "Equestria is us. It's all the connections we make between ourselves. It's us ponies, as well as anyone who might call Equestria their home."

"I couldn't imagine a better answer," Celestia praised. "It is me. And you. It is all your friends and all the connections that you've made. It is a place where we can thrive in peace and harmony." She laughed bitterly. "When I was closer to your age I would've said, 'It's only a realm that I am responsible with, nothing else'. But it is something so much more, right? Is it not a nation, diverse, prosperous, and magical?"

Twilight tried to imagine Celestia as someone closer to her own age, but failed. What did she look like, more like Luna? "Maybe, it is even more?" Twilight offered, feeling bold. "Maybe it's a place where anything can happen."

They lapsed into a short silence. "Maybe," Celestia uttered on exhale. Her horn flared with golden color, and the crown on her head rose to travel in the air. Twilight traced at it with big, awe-stricken eyes and didn't realize at first that it was aiming for her head, and when she did, all shrank up, closing her eyes and baiting her breath.

The crown was too big.

"Princess..." she wheezed from all the rush of emotions.

"You are a Princess too," Celestia reminded. A strange tension was behind her gaze. "After all, we are equals."

In sacred terror, Twilight shook her head, and the crown almost fell down, sliding over the drooped-down ear. Celestia chuckled, fixing it.

As if something like that is a joke to her.

"I am nothing like you are," Twilight tried to retort with all sincerity.

The Solar Princess smiled widely and planted a tender kiss on her forehead. "I am aware of that, my dear. Tell me, now..." She cocked her head, looking mischievous and almost carefree. "Isn't this crown far heavier than it looks?"

"Oh! Um..." Twilight tried to understand the implications, and her cheeks reddened. "N-no, it doesn't feel that way, Princess. It is just a crown, after all. It is more like a symbol..."

Celestia, this sun goddess, laughed once again, and Twilight shyly pulled up a smile too. For all her insight and ability to comprehend, she could never truly figure out what makes Celestia so happy in her presence. After all, Twilight was simply being herself—maybe slightly meeker when near the ruler of all ponies, but nothing more, nevertheless.

"Very good." Celestia narrowed her eyes, shining with pure joy. "I would like to see your own crown like this one, soon. Maybe I would even have a chance to get a glimpse at it..."

"Wait. Soon!?" Twilight jerked upward, and the golden headpiece began to fall off again. "What do you mean by this!? Please tell me that it isn't what I thought you implied. I mean—what is happening? Are you going to go away?"

Celestia became solemn and distant, and she didn't grace her with an answer.

Twilight continued to rack her brain around this slip of the tongue. "Is that what you want to do after the wedding with Luna? Please don't tell me that you intend to see me as a ruler. I-I just like to study and happen to be good at making friends, and—"

"Calm down, Little Light. It's alright." Celestia picked her crown back up and placed it on its rightful place. The hug of her wing tightened. "You are a pony with an incredibly noble soul and a sharp mind. Don't sell yourself too short! You always have more space to grow." She laughed merrily. "But see, this is the point: I can hardly grow anymore, can I?"

"C-Celestia, I..." Twilight squeaked, but it was as if the sun goddess was not noticing her anxiety. Her dreamy look was cast somewhere 'beyond' Twilight, almost as if her gaze was comprehending something entirely else.

"Yes…" Celestia murmured, satisfied. "Obviously, you will tell me that I am wrong, but I have hundreds of years of experience to back up my words. The same can be said for Luna as well." Celestia's aura lightly caressed Twilight's cheek—like a plash of sunlight touched her, leaving a fleeting warm sensation. "Do not be afraid of anything. Providence would have it, everything would turn out fine either way."

"B-but aren't you going to marry Luna? Wouldn't it be a change for you two? A significant one?"

There was a strange and pensive expression on Celestia's muzzle. She frowned, and a subtle desperation returned.
"We will see." She sighed, lowering herself down and leaning closer. "We will see."

Twilight's eyes weiled with sudden tears, and she leaned into Celestia's big, pristine body, curling up under her wing. Celestia was truly wrong, on so many levels… but Twilight couldn't find the right words to argue. She is the Princess of the Sun, after all...

There was a desire to stay still, to be like this forever, and to never open eyes again. To remain in the comfort and security of this warm darkness and to listen to a powerful heartbeat close by. Somehow, it panged her with sweet melancholy.

Twilight finally mustered, resolute. "I won't fail you, Princess."

"I know you won't."

---

If you dissect a magical pony from Equestria, you may find inside whimsy, adorableness, and determination.
But please, do not go and try to tell this to Twilight—she wouldn't understand the metaphor at first and, rather, will resolutely rebuke your claim with an account of the actual insides of a pony… But afterward, she'd guaranteely conduct independent research to cleanse all suspicions. The process will be messy and overly long, and she will approach it very differently at various points in her lifespan. There would be a lot of mulling over the ethics and possible consequences, and she'd gather as much data as possible from various sources.

Then, she will write a verdict that the results were inconclusive.

That's simply how she is.

But such mares are perfect to move the progress forward because somewhere somepony needs to ask some questions like these: "How can I measure the amount of whimsy? How can I store it? How can whimsy be quantified? Is it really subjective?"

---

The night was still young, and the Canterlot Royal Library was under heavy renovations. The work mostly stopped for the time being, but the organizers of the wedding found themselves an exception. Only Spike was in deep sleep by now. A protective sound-proofing spell helped immensely.

Twilight was in high spirits. She and the girls were scrambling fast with last-ditch preparations and were now trying to figure out what they could sing at the wedding reception. It was a work in progress, but usually they were going with an even tighter timeframe.
There might be an opinion that singing can't be a priority, but for a pony, a good song can be compared to life's breath. Every last one of them could recognize the importance of a good, cheerful musical number.

And so, Twilight merrily trotted along the corridor, her head already in the clouds of tomorrow, when suddenly she almost got smacked by an opening door. Startled, she jumped back. The young mare on the other side of a door jumped as well. They shared wary looks.

"Starflower?" recognized Twilight. She beamed. "Long time no see! Where have you been?"

Starflower was more or less an old acquaintance from the School for Gifted Unicorns. After Twilight moved from Canterlot and got sucked into the exciting whirlpool that is her life, she simply couldn't keep in touch with a lot of familiar faces. Not that she was terribly social back then, anyway.

Twilight liked Starflower. They shared a few similarities, and Twilight could imagine ending up just like her if Celestia hadn't come around and hadn't lifted her from being all dug up into books.

Also, Starflower had much less magical prowess, of course.

And she had no special magical destiny. And she hadn't undergone a spectacular test when she received a cutie mark while going haywire.

To be frank, Starflower was a rather bland specimen of a pony, all things considered. A dime of a dozen. But she was a scholar through and through, and Twilight respected that (come to think of it, not that she even needed a reason to respect anypony).

"I was in Canterlot," Starflower replied bluntly, and then huffed, walking past the Princess.

Twilight followed, still smiling. "Well, what are you doing here, all alone in the middle of the night? Are you helping with the preparations too?"

"No, I have research to conduct," said Starflower with unnecessary hostility. "I'm just kind of a night owl."

"You disapprove of the wedding ceremony?" Twilight murmured discontently, and Starflower glanced over a shoulder, frowning. "Or just me?" Twilight slightly lowered her head.

"Who cares of what or whom I approve or disapprove," Starflower grumbled. "Some of us have actual work to do, that does not include all this frolicking."

Twilight figured, Starflower's reactions did not mean that Twilight couldn't make a new friend out of her. She cracked tougher ones. The alicorn increased the pace of walking and caught up with the beige unicorn. "Please, can you tell me about your research? I am a kind of scholar too, you know," she said half-jokingly, with a coy smile.

"If you so insist, maybe you could come into my study during working hours, so we could compare our notes and figure something out." Starflower clearly wanted to get rid of the Princess.

"No can do," Twilight shook her head, and her ears adorably flopped. "Maybe after all the celebrations, my work with those is pretty important too."

"Well, ain't that a pity?" Starflower shrugged and somewhat jealously glanced at the alicorn's wings.

"I'd like a good debate around the topics of magical science anyway. I haven't had a nice challenge in years," Twilight said, almost pleading. "It is the subject of your research, right? Maybe I don't need to walk over to your place, 'cause as you might well know, I have created a new type of magic, after all," she delivered a punchline with well-deserved pride.

That totally grasped the attention of the unicorn. Her eyes flared, but she kept her cool. "That's true!… It is called the Magic of Friendship, right?" Starflower tried to sound dismissive. "A special type that works through connections between living subjects, yes?"

Twilight suppressed a short snicker. She loved when someone tried to take a critical approach to the Magic of Friendship and used clarifications and assumptions that seemed necessary in this line of thinking. Amusing.

How could she tell them that they lack proper experience in the matter? Or rather, how could she tell them correctly about it without hurting their feelings? Sometimes she could understand perfectly the willingness of Celestia and Starswirl to be vague, because if ponies do not challenge themselves by accumulating knowledge and finding a grain of truth, what do they even learn in the end? Learning is a journey, sometimes.

Friendship, true Friendship, could be understood and defined only by an individual who lived to experience it.

Meanwhile, Starflower continued her musings. "Yes, para enchantment type, a sub-diffused projection of one's will, heavily based on the Magic of Light with the aid from Elements of Harmony. They are defunct now, so it severely limits the possibility of research, of course. Not to say that there are not enough recorded cases. Also, you are essentially the only one who learned the Magic of Friendship, or at least have the proficiency and suitable education to be called an expert. Based on the evidence, the Light breaks into a spectrum through the passage of a soul, and that makes the output stronger, am I correct? And more users means the magic is more powerful, so it is a symbiotic spell in its nature."

Starflower glanced triumphantly, like a pony who had figured out everything. Twilight smiled. Starflower truly reminded her of herself.

"Well..." she began, evasively, "more or less. I believe that soon there will be a time when understanding the Magic of Friendship will be more accepted and generalized. Even an old arcane user like Starswirl makes certain strides in it."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Starflower frowned. "Starswirl one of the most prominent mages of the past era, and now of the current one too. His work is literally a pillar that supports a half of modern understanding of sorcery!"

"I will not dispute that," "Not directly," Twilight thought. "There's simply a fact that Friendship, let's say, um, requires a certain open-mindedness, which usually can be attributed to those who are younger. Those who are weary of the world and have seemingly already figured out how it all works are far less susceptible to learning about it. As you know, we need to not only predict and use but also truly understand. To be curious about things. After all, if you were only satisfied that the algorithm you tested in applied magical science gave expected results and moved on, then you failed your purpose as a scholar."

"So what?" Starflower pouted. "Do you now have a pretense to uncover the nature of all magic?"

Twilight wordlessly smiled. Reading her expression, Starflower became more collected and concerned.
"Wait... You're serious with all this, aren't you?"

Twilight nodded. "I have a pet theory already."

Both mares were already standing still near the exit since their discussion was going on in the wide hall of the library. Echo was carrying their voice around, filling the place with a strange enchantment that can only be found in prestigious classrooms.
Twilight offered to grab a cup of coffee, but Starflower declined. They both sat at the table, which was moved into the far corner.

Starflower's glistening eyes were full of curiosity.

"Alright, tell me this: what is magic?" Twilight asked.

"That's easy," the unicorn hummed. "Obviously, magic is a sort of transient external force that we manipulate to bend the permanent laws of nature within certain parameters. Each pony wields a certain type of magic, attributed not only to their tribe but to their unique talent as well."

"Yes, I know this one!" Twilight giggled "You are citing Goldie Force's 'Guide to Everything Magical', chapter two, one of the first paragraphs, I believe. She then goes on into 'The Science of Magical Thinking: Practical Positioning of Questions and Answers."

"'There is no wrongly formulated question, just not a vast enough answer'," murmured Starflower another quote, clearly intrigued now. "For a question oftentimes already contains an answer in itself, and you have to make the asker see it. Well, your point? Why would you ask me this?"

"Guess," Twilight challenged smugly, wanting her fellow researcher to keep the train of thought chugging.

"You think that answer to 'what is magic' contained in the same question?" Starflower rubbed her temple.

"Well, that's what Goldie Force would like you to believe, isn't it?"

Starflower frowned. "I don't understand what you are getting at."

"See, you said magic is transient, right? But there is seemingly nothing permanent around us. Everything is constantly in a transitional state; it's not just magic or laws-of-the-universe stuff. You might not notice it, but absolutely all around us is under the pressure of some sort of cosmic entropy, and things that we perceive as immutable are actually finite in their nature."

"That doesn't seem to deny anything." Starflower's frown deepened.

"Okay, let's then look at this question like this. If we consider that Friendship is magic as an axiom, in other words, a fundamental truth of the universe, then, since I found a way to define Friendship as magic, we can find a way to have a new definition for magic itself. Just think about it: the power that dwells inside the hearts of different ponies can give way for the creation of something entirely new, and since that was meant to be a magical power, then who's to say that everything else can not be defined as other facets of magic? Not just emotions, but thoughts. Maybe even our whole selves. Everything."

Starflower leaned on a hoof, tapping a pencil on her notebook. She hadn't written anything yet, and was only staring. "This is either revolutionary," she said, "or completely idiotic."

"I know, right?" Twilight beamed. "Isn't it fascinating?"

Starflower cleared her throat. "Well, since you are so open, then I can tell you that it might have ties to my research. I want to make something that can reshape the magical industry for generations to come, but I am facing a fundamental problem of magic contradicting logic, because while I can define magic as an external force, it doesn't have an answer that I seek, right?"

"Logic and magic?" Twilight snickered, as on her mind came Pinkie Pie, who decidedly disputed this age-old question only by miracle of her own existence. "Please describe your problem."

"Sorry, Princess, but my research is confidential." Starflower smiled timidly.

Twilight felt joy, noticing recognition. "Alright. Tell me about your take on the logic versus magic dilemma then, if you please."

The unicorn nodded eagerly. "Logic and magic can work together; there is no denying that. In fact, logic and magic actually complement each other. But without working logic and reason, magic soon turns chaotic and becomes hard to comprehend. Logic without magical thinking, in its own way, can become stagnant. It's not all about research and findings, after all, and you need to maintain an open mind and an active imagination. So the general thought is that we need to strive for equilibrium, a balance between rationalism and creativity. One cannot exist without the other, for without logic, magic leads to chaos, and without magic, logic turns to order. But the gist of the problem is that true equilibrium is impossible, right? Something always outweighs the other, and in most cases, theories simply do not work in practice."

Twilight snickered. "Yes, this sounds like Starswirl's school of thought, alright. But what if—hear me out here—I'd say that there shouldn't be any juxtaposition in the first place? I was an eyewitness to how advanced enough technology can become indistinguishable from magic. Ergo, there is only one reasonable conclusion."

"No, the technology will always be a deterrent to any kind of magic." Starflower rubbed her head. "Technology uses the laws of the universe, while magic, on the other hoof, bends and changes the laws of the physical realm to the user's desire. Both are extremely powerful, but they still differ in many areas; hence, one should not try to replace the other, for they serve different but important functions. As I said, we need to strive for equilibrium, to find a way for logic and magic to work off of one another."

Twilight's eyes sparkled with joy. She leaned forward. "If magic is an inherently natural force and affects laws of the physical realm, then it's only logical to assume that laws were meant to be bent and changed that way."

Starflower was silent for a second. "That still does not answer anything. There's still a notion that magic is not permanent... No, you told me that nothing is permanent, right? Technology, and the logic of its workings, aren't an exception. So let's put it this way: while technology changes the state of matter around us, magic completely changes the laws that define matter. Magic is definitively a state of transience, while technology is definitively close to a state of permanence. The difference between the comprehendible laws of transience and permanence is what truly makes them different."

Twilight grinned once again and shook her head. "That's going against the notion that Friendship is Magic, sorry. While Friendship sure is tied to emotions, it is something that serves its purpose of completely transforming the qualities of the permanent, akin to different states of the matter. There is nothing 'transient' about that! True friendship lasts forever!" She enjoyed the dumbfounded look in Starflower's eyes and continued, "So let me finish the thought earlier. We can understand the laws of the world only through our own interpretations, and no technology is meant to last forever anyway because it needs to be in a transformative state of improvement, as needs from it are changing. To hoof, no laws in the universe are functioning the same way everywhere.
"So I propose a new take. Logic is a form of magic because nothing in magic is illogical. Not the laws of the universe are imperfect! It is our understanding that is wrong!"

Starflower remained silent, tapping on the notebook in rhythm of her internal dialogue.

Twilight kept on spilling her thoughts, "You know how there are many things in practical physics and traditional magic science that completely deny each other. It is so prevalent, it is almost comical. Tutorship under Celestia offered me a chance to challenge and understand many things on my own, and after I discovered new magic through the experience, I found out a simple fact that strips away any fallacy.
"Everything that seems to us to be illogical and contradictory appears this way only due to our lack of understanding and incorrectly chosen angle of observation. Chaos, after all, is just the order that wasn't yet understood. So I posit an idea: since the idea of perceived contradiction is inherent to laws of logic and magic, then...
"Everything is Magic."

"Everything?" Starflower jerked her head upwards.

"Absolutely." Twilight stretched her foreleg as if to point at all around her. "That is what true Harmony is. No more distinction between logic and magic. They both work together for a better world in every conceivable way. There are no contradictions between the two points of view. As soon as we adopt the idea that everything around us is just a bunch of different complex systems of order that are based on magic, we can achieve absolutely anything!"
Her mane began to flow, and she stood up tall as if delivering a passionate speech to a crowd.
"After all, everything in the universe is connected! If we can use magic to better understand the laws that govern our reality, then, by harnessing the true power of magic, we can shape the world around us and even use it to create new possibilities for our future. We can reach new heights and explore a truly infinite universe—we just need to have the courage to take the first step by choosing to believe that Everything is Magic!"

Starflower whistled, clearly impressed, and even clapped her hooves a few times. She lowered her head, thinking about her response. "Magic is a broad term, after all... If I were to observe a phoenix or a dragon to perform a fireball, their magic would be different... And yet, magic is a form of science, and science is the observation of reality, so in a way, magic can be viewed as another form of applicable laws of reality. It is a science that we, ponies, have studied for over a millennium, and it is still as complex as it ever was... And there was not much progress... So life itself is essentially just magic that changes constantly in accordance with our environment, huh?"

"You got it!" Twilight sat, stomped a hoof down on the table, and laughed. Starflower smiled weakly, her eyes brimming with excitement and worry.

Starflower looked like she would need time to process all this, and Twilight wasn't in any hurry. Smiling like a satisfied kitten, she was rocking back and forth on her seat, giggling. "So, will you come to the wedding?" eventually she asked, nodding toward the library hall.

Starflower cleared her throat. "No, I don't think so. I wasn't invited. Besides, I think I have more work on my hooves now."

"Why not? You must make notes and unwind. Let it settle in. Gatherings and festivities are a great way to make new friends!"

Starflower looked amused for a moment and then laughed warily. "You know, I almost got a feeling right now that I am a subject in some sort of experiment. Wouldn't you say that you may look at friendship as a science too? Given that it is magic and all..."

Twilight giggled. "Oh, that's just too cynical, isn't it? No, no, I did not intend it like that."

"Well, anyway, I really have to go through a few studies now, considering this new perspective," Starflower mused.

Twilight's ears perked up. "Maybe you can tell me about your project now?"

"As I said, it is really something confidential..." Starflower was still uneasy about the whole ordeal.

"Please, I feel that I am out of a loop sometimes, living in Ponyville and all. And as you imagine, I've met Starswirl earlier in his Tower, and he let it slip that he worries about the same thing—that magic seems to be not progressing that much. Given, he didn't have a section on the Magic of Friendship yet, and believe me: Friendship does change everything..."

"Starswirl just didn't see my work yet," said Starflower smugly. "I am under his mentorship, you know."

"What? So you're his pupil? Just like Celestia and Luna were?" Twilight was genuinely elated. "You're so lucky! I always wished to be tutored by Starswirl!"

Her eagerness took Starflower aback, and the unicorn blushed, smiling shyly. "Yeah, well... There are a lot of his students, actually. A lot a lot. But now I might get to be one of the best if your theory is correct."

"So, tell me about your project!" Twilight grinned widely, leaning closer.

"Well, let's put it this way: I look into the means of having alternative sources of energy..." Starflower looked around and then leaned toward Twilight too. "I believe I can create a prototype that uses magical beings to transform their essence for practical use. With what you've told me, I might have just enough information to finish the theoretical phase and truly proceed with experiments. Matter can have different states of existence after all, right? And you seem to be holding it true about magic? And you said it yourself: chaos is just order not yet understood. Then, considering different factoids, maybe, just maybe, I am finally on the right track..." The eyes of the unicorn lit up with excitement. "Just imagine if we can harness the powers of serpents of all kinds, and Diamond Dogs, and phoenixes, and who's to say who else... They could share just a little, but enough for a common pony to use it for all sorts of everyday tasks. We can power our houses, develop new technology based on it, and study it deeper... We can create life, and we can truly understand the world! Oh, I see now all the possibilities! The free appliance of magic wouldn't be limited just to unicorns, and everyone could cast spells, and so much more..."

Twilight shifted uncomfortably, feeling something cold growing in her stomach.

"You know, we might even cement this theory of yours, if it works out. How about..." Starflower closed her eyes for a second. "'Starflowers-Twilight law of magical-technological retroactivity', or maybe even, 'magitek'? I've coined the term the other day, and it seems to be so appropriate now..."

"Sounds lovely," Twilight squawked. "Can we please not rush this?"

Starflower shook her head. "I understand that you're busy, Princess, but progress doesn't like to wait."

"Maybe, you... should take it to Celestia first? To see what she will say?"

"I've already tried," Starflower smiled eagerly, but bashfully. "No offense, but she is a shining exemplar of old-age thinking that holds us all back. She is too traditional and doesn't see the possibilities. But you, you just might... Oh, I feel so adventurous! Is this the magic of friendship!?" The young mare got all lively. "Just lovely! I have to write about it in my journal!"

"Starflower, but we are magic too." In a cold sweat, Twilight looked at her intently.

"What do you mean?" Starflower seemed to not understand.

Twilight made an effort to mask her urgency with a collected smile. "We are inherently magical beings as well. We are literally of magic. Please, try to reproach all this. It can end very badly, see? I can now comprehend how we can misuse each other, or ourselves, in an attempt to power up something else... It seems to be very dangerous. I've seen enough magic-sucking entities to know how easy it would be to develop weapons based on this research.
"It was my belief that by embracing the inherent magic in all things, we can help to create a more peaceful and inclusive world wherein all creatures, regardless of their origin, identity, or difference, can find happiness and fulfillment. And the way that you going on about it..." Twilight's ears drooped down. "I haven't even considered that it can be used for destruction... What was I thinking?"

Starflower looked back in horror, all her happiness evaporated in an instant. Twilight felt hope. But then—
"No," Starflower whispered.

"No!? What do you mean!?" Twilight almost cried.

"I understand your concern. But if we do not discover something like that, then eventually someone else will, for sure. I need to act on this knowledge. You seriously want to try and contain it? Yes, of course, many would try to misuse it, but... We are both scholars, right? You can understand me. Maybe it will be worth it."

"Starflower, please, think it through!"

"I already did." Starflower stood up, her voice quivering. "I-I have to go now. I can't let this slip through my hooves. I am sorry, Princess."

The unicorn took a step to the side, looking warily, as if Twilight could do something terrible to her. Then she turned and stormed out of the library.

Twilight kept sitting there, completely dazed. She was looking blankly, running through her mind all previous talk, and then shriveled, pressed hooves into her muzzle. The horn was flickering from emotions.
"What have I done?"

Comments

[Blood Rarity]

Twilight kept sitting there, completely dazed. She was looking blankly, running through her mind all previous talk, and then shriveled, pressed hooves into her muzzle. The horn was flickering from emotions. "What have I done ?"

[Hoofprintz]

11k is so daunting, that's why it's taken me so long to read. Your story already unsettles me as well so it takes a certain mindset to be able to read. I'll comment as I read.

Twilight already feeling something is off makes sense. Relegating Starlight to babysitter of Ponyville is kind of strange, wonder if that'll be used.

Ugh the Pillars, one of my absolutely abhorred aspects of the canon... where is insect queen at?

That conversation between Celestia and Twilight felt so... I can't think of the word, but it definitely made my stomach hurt more.

So If I understand that scene between Twilight and Starflower... Twilight gave this whole spiel about what magic is( which I fundamentally disagree with) and then was instantly shocked by the sudden different perspective of Starflower? But Twilight "everything is magic" even the way Starflower would employ said philosophy. You horse.

That convo felt like a whole lot of setup so I guess we'll see where that goes.

Will get to the next chapter asap.

[Forcalor]

11574445
Take your time, don't hurry anywhere. If it gets too unsettling and you drop it, I understand.
Starlight will return later to play a prominent role, and she will have some feats of her own later into story
Also in show they seem to be usually delegating to her some subplot anyway

[Hoofprintz]

11574448
First comment has full thoughts on the chapter now.

[Myrkin]

Twilight quickly switched from "Just think of all the possibilities " to "Oh, no! Think of all the possibilities!" in this chapter. :P