Chapter 8 - An Eventful Morning
Consciousness slowly came back to Twilight, muted sensations greeting her still dimmed senses. The distinct warmth of fur greeted her backside as the first light of the morning sun began to trickle into her still blurred vision. She blushed slightly as the memories of the previous night returned to her mind. The warm embrace enfolding her was divine, causing her to further snuggle against the soft feathers as she let out a content sigh.
Gently shifting in Luna's embrace, Twilight slowly found herself belly to belly with her. Sleep still claimed Luna, the only movement coming from her astral mane, which subconsciously wrapped itself around Twilight, adjusting for her movement. She looks so peaceful and beautiful framed by the morning light... It's a shame I've got to wake her. She carefully maneuvered her lips to line up with her lover's before closing the distance, delicately placing a few pecks on Luna's.
"Mmhhhm" Luna groaned, catching one of Twilight's kisses and leaning into it, firmly holding the unicorn within her grasp as she entered the realm of consciousness. Moving back from the kiss, a large yawn escaped her lips. "Now... that is the way to wake up. Can I expect it again in the future?" Although still heavy with sleep, an underlying tone of warmth permeated her words as her glistening eyes stopped on Twilight. Luna's wing slowly folded up, returning to her side.
Twilight briefly giggled, enjoying the early morning Luna, before nuzzling her cheek. "I think that can be arranged, My Moon. However..." She looked out the window, gauging the time of the morning by the color of the light greeting her eyes, "we need to get up so we can have breakfast." Punctuating her words with a kiss to Luna's neck, she began wiggling her way out of the hooves embracing her.
Luna moved her hooves, unceremoniously dumping Twilight onto the bed next to her. Rolling over onto the opposite side of the bed, she stretched out her wings and let out another yawn. "I suppose we should head down soon, sister and Rarity are most likely going to be waiting on us." She gracefully, for the time of the morning, fluttered over to her wardrobe and plucked out her regalia.
As Luna saw to her morning activities, Twilight rolled over, her hooves hitting the floor. Walking up to a full length mirror that lay against one wall, she retrieved a brush from her forgotten saddlebags and began to tackle the mess that was her mane. Twilight allowed her mind to wander as she made herself presentable for the day. She was broken from her reverie, the brush mid stroke, by Luna poking her side.
"I think your mane is past the point of brushing and is now being assaulted! Come, let us head downstairs together." Luna teasingly jabbed at Twilight, lightly nibbling an ear, causing her to turn crimson. She is so easy to rile up; I cannot wait to show her what being Princess of the Night can entail!
Twilight put the brush back in her saddlebags, then quickly ran to catch up with Luna, who was already near the door. Entering the hallway, two new guards snapped to attention and saluted the alicorn. Meandering through the halls of the castle, they entered a side room. Celestia greeted them from a sofa.
"Good morning, Luna, Twilight. So, I take it all went well?" Celestia levied the question towards Luna, who simply nodded with a smile. She turned her focus to Twilight. "Well, congratulations are in order then! It has been a long time since Luna has had a student, and I can think of nopony better than you, Twilight."
"Thank you, Celestia..." Twilight sheepishly replied. I wonder how long it'll be before I stop wanting to say 'Princess' when addressing her. "It really is an interesting subject, I just hope that there are some books on it, I would hate to not be able to read up on it in my spare time."
Celestia let out a hearty laugh. Thankfully, some things will never change. "By the way, Rarity wished to let it be known that she is working on the dresses this morning, and won’t be joining us. I have an idea for breakfast..." She trailed off, letting the pause linger in the air.
A dull rumbling roar made itself known, originating from Luna, causing Twilight and Celestia both to laugh at her hunger before the older alicorn spoke back up. "I thought perhaps we could take a trip into the city this morning and visit a certain confectionary shop."
Twilight's eyes scrunched together as her mind quickly began thinking as to which store that could entail. As the cogs turned, she jumped in joy as the answer clicked. "You mean Pony Joe's place? I haven't had donuts from there in... three months or so. That would be amazing!" Twilight gushed, then jumped up and hugged Celestia around the neck.
Celestia returned the hug with a single forehoof of her own, a smile gracing her features while Luna chuckled at the scene before her. "Indeed, Twilight. I'll admit to craving some donuts as of late myself, and what better time to indulge than with a friend and family?" She dropped her hoof back to the floor as Luna turned towards the guards in attendance.
"Guards, let it be known that my sister and I shall be dining outside the castle. We do not need any guarding, however..." Luna momentarily trailed off, a knowing tone underlying her voice. "If some of you find yourselves on break, and craving donuts, I suppose that we could overlook such an action. Until we return, have a good morning." Her words were met with snapped salutes. Glances were passed between the soldiers.
"Well then, shall we go?" Luna queried towards Twilight and Celestia, her lover long since having returned to all four hooves, now standing near Celestia. The three ponies departed the castle via the main gate, entering the lush garden district of Canterlot. The early morning sun reflected its rays over the highly decorated buildings lining the street in both directions, the number of ponies out and about still few due to the early hour. They turned down the street in the general direction of the donut shop as Celestia struck a conversation.
"Twilight, how has your recent time in Ponyville been? Anything interesting? I heard from Rarity that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy had recently come together, but that was about it." She let out a small sigh thinking of the quiet country town. "And it really is a shame about Applejack's grandmother... Ponyville will be a lesser place without her."
Twilight pursed her lips in thought as they continued walking. Gah, I wish Luna didn't want to keep us so secret! I suppose I could start with Rarity and Applejack, and then see where it goes from there. "Did Rarity tell you that she and Applejack were together as well?"
Luna laughed, recalling the previous weekend as Celestia paused for a moment, letting the words sink into her mind. "Well that’s funny, those two are polar opposites of each other. The start of that relationship would've been fun to witness, I'm sure."
Luna spoke up for once, hoping to catch her sister unaware. "Oh Celestia, it really is humorous, especially when Applejack's cider gets involved. When I visited, Rarity had that poor mare upside down within her magic, and all for a kiss! If only you had been there, I am certain that you would have had a good evening with us all."
The three mares shared a hearty laugh, startling some of the nearby occupants of the streets with the abrupt loudness. Celestia took a moment to acknowledge the few startled ponies with a smile and nod before shifting her focus back towards Luna and Twilight. "That does sounds enjoyable. I think we should schedule some shared breaks more often, Luna. I'm certain that we could restructure some things to allow for the extra down time. Now, Twilight... The events regarding your friends is good to know, however..." She focused on the unicorn, eyes glimmering with hints of mischief. "I am most curious if you have found a special somepony yet."
"I-uh..." Twilight stammered, cheeks flooding with a tide of crimson at Celestia's simple question. Luna help me, Luna help me, oh my! She took a deep calming breath as the rising sound of laughter met her ears.
"Tia!" Luna quietly shot at her sister, an accusatorial stare levied on Celestia. "That is not the type of question to be asking out in the open!" She refused to drop her eyes, causing the older mare to pause in her laughter.
"Oh-ho, there is somepony, isn't there?" She shot her sister a quick raspberry, momentarily throwing all maturity to the wayside as their goal finally came in sight. "Before you do, Twilight, know that there is no need to deny it, it is written all over your face." She held the door open as they walked in the donut shop, only a handful of ponies inside.
Twilight's face continued to hold a deep blush as she walked in first. The owner noticed her arrival, as well as her visitors, and nearly jumped out of his skin. "Welcome, Your Majesties! And you too, Twilight, welcome to Pony Joe's Donut Shop!" He shifted his focus specifically to the unicorn. "Twilight, it really has been too long. Where’s your companion Spike at, I've specifically keep some emerald dust creme-filled donuts in stock for when he visits!"
Her blush forgotten as the blood retreated from her face, she rushed to the counter to greet her longtime friend. "Hi, Joe! Spike is keeping an eye on the library for me this time around, although I'm sure I could take some back for him." She turned her head towards the two alicorns, who were both smiling. "What would you two like?"
Both Celestia and Luna walked up to the display, the only conversation containing words concerning delightfully delicious pastries. The two mares placed their order of donuts and tea, then joined Twilight at a small table near the back of the store. Pony Joe brought out a platter with their food before heading back behind the counter, leaving them to their own devices.
"Mmhmm, come to Mommy Tia little donut..." She slowly floated a chocolate glazed donut near her mouth, carefully cradling it within her magic before she gently nibbled on it. Her eyes threatened to roll into the back of their sockets as she adopted an expression of utter bliss. Gentle laughter broke her from the moment, causing her to blush as one of her deepest secrets was revealed.
"Not. A. WORD. To anypony, swear it!" Celestia levied at Luna. Twilight covered her mouth with a single hoof, struggling to contain the laughter threatening to bubble forth. "Oh, is something funny, Twilight? Pray tell. Who exactly is the lucky stallion or mare that managed to captivate you?" A mischievous grin was plastered on her face as she finished eating the donut and reached for the tea cup.
Twilight sputtered violently, nearly dropping her cup of coffee contained within her grasp. Luna came to her save however, speaking up before she had the chance to. "Sister, if she wishes to keep her private life such, you should respect that!" Taking a bit of a donut, she stared at Celestia.
"Oh, it sounds like you know who it is, Luna. Mind indulging this poor, elderly mare in a bit of gossip?" She adopted an air of age, momentarily letting the full weight of her time come to bear.
"Nay, it is not my place to do such a thing. Student-Teacher and friend confidentiality, you know." Luna quickly spat, refusing to cave in to her older sister.
I am unsure whether to be happy or angry that she continues to deny Celestia that knowledge. "I am sure that, eventually, you will find out Celestia. I promise. For now though, we're keeping it a secret, so that we don't cause needless complications to my new relationship..." She murmured out, focused on her food rather than the two mares before her.
Celestia fixed a comforting gaze on Twilight, smiling widely. "I understand. I do apologize if it was a bit forceful. I'll be a bit more considerate in the future with my inquiries into certain matters." Ponyfeathers, I need to think up a new way to approach this now... Rarity! I'll have to pursue it later though. "For now, let us continue to enjoy these delightful pastries. The castle cooks just can't get the same level of perfection."
The conversation continued as they simply relaxed and enjoyed the greatest treats known to ponykind, at least in their opinion. Cups were emptied and refilled, the time slowly moving forward as they talked. Taking a glance outside, Twilight noticed the lateness of the morning.
"Oh no, the train! What time is it?" She desperately looked around the room, not seeing a clock in sight.
"It's nine thirty, Twilight. Here you go." Pony Joe set down a small box containing the donuts for Spike.
Twilight nearly jumped from her seat as she began to panic. "Oh no, the train leaves in thirty minutes!" A hoof found its way to her shoulder, gently forcing her back to her seat.
"Twilight, please calm down. Tia already foresaw that you might be staying around a bit longer today. There will be a chariot waiting to take you back to Ponyville later. Rarity will still be taking the train, but she is aware that you will not be joining her. One of us probably should have mentioned this earlier, though..." Luna trailed off, glancing at her sister for a moment before focusing solely on Twilight.
"Yes, I’m sorry that we didn't mention that, Twilight. I wanted a chance to talk with you once we got back to the castle, and time caught us all unaware with its passing, for once. Speaking of that, shall we return now?" She gently set her tea cup back down, emptying it yet again.
Their words and Luna's hoof on her shoulder quickly calmed Twilight down, allowing her to think levelly once more. "Whew, that’s good to know. I didn't realize that we’d managed to spend so much time just talking." She gently rose to her hooves, quickly arranging their remaining dishes in a neat pile on the table, then paused for a moment to find some bits to leave behind as well.
“Come back next time you’re in town, Twilight! I’ll have some more donuts made up for Spike too, hopefully he’ll be able to join you next time.” Pony Joe paused before addressing Luna and Celestia. “Princesses, I must thank you both for stopping by this morning as well, I hope the three of you enjoy the day!” He waved one last time as they departed the store.
The three mares made slow progress on their return trip to the castle, mostly due to the significant increase in hoof traffic. Twilight became aware of the high amount of ponies stopping and bowing or giving thanks to Celestia and Luna, a stark reminder of the company she kept. She was surprised how it felt. Almost... normal. Not that long ago I probably would’ve felt amazingly out of place if this had happened, but now... I know that I’m simply out with friends who just so happen to be the Princesses. She contentedly sighed as Luna quickly, yet gently, gave her blessing to a small foal.
Twilight looked on, giggling slightly at Luna’s handling of the foal. Her graceful demeanor was a cover for her inward awkwardness with children. That would be a funny sight, Luna having to raise foals! It’s early to think about, but I wonder... I’ll just file that thought away for later exploration. Moving on, they found themselves at the castle gate where crisp salutes greeted their arrival.
“I must go and prepare the materials for your study, Twilight. So I leave you in Tia’s hooves, I will ensure that your belongings find their way down to the chariot prior to your departure.” Luna broadly smiled, quickly nuzzling both mares before heading off on her own into the castle proper.
“Well, it’s just the two of us for now. Care to take a walk with me, Twilight?” Celestia partially bowed as she pointed a forehoof down a corridor, keeping a straight face through the entire process.
Twilight began giggling slightly at the awkward pose Celestia was in. “Sure, do you have any particular place in mind?”
“I just thought perhaps we could simply roam the corridors, it’s been some time since I let my hooves lead.” She took a few steps in a random direction, then looked back at Twilight, who walked to take a place beside her.
They ambled on in relative silence for a few minutes, taking random turns on occasion with no final destination in mind. They entered one of the courtyards, empty save for the two of them, before Twilight shattered the silence.
“Celestia, what did you want to talk to me about? You specifically pointed it out earlier, and I’m rather curious.” Twilight quietly asked, a faint shiver of nervousness bleeding through her tone.
Celestia paused in her walking, finding a warm sunny spot to sit down on the grass, motioning for Twilight to lay down next to her. “Twilight,” She began, hesitant. How to broach this... “I haven’t really said this yet, but I want you to know that I’m truly proud of you.”
“T-Thank you, Celestia. I’ve always tried my hardest and studied a lot, admittedly a bit too much looking back at it n—” Twilight was cut short as Celestia raised a hoof, chuckling slightly.
“Oh, I know. Spike would occasionally send letters of his own with concerns over some of your ‘studies.’ I think the best example was the one he sent saying that you were currently on your eighth pot of coffee and going on the ninety third hour without sleep.”
“I think I recall the occasion, but after the first two days, everything turned into a blur." Twilight relaxed as she joined Celestia in small laughter. "I try to avoid those situations now though. I was chided by Mayor Mare about driving away customers when I got like that."
The air calmed once more as the laughter slowly died down. "You never did know how to let go once you grabbed something, that’s for sure. That’s one of the qualities that let you and your friends accomplish so much. From Nightmare Moon, to Sombra, to the gryphon disputes, you've been invaluable. I think it's fair to say that I don't know where Equestria would stand without you."
Twilight brought a hoof to the back of her neck, rubbing it nervously. "Celestia, I don't think what we did was that special; anypony else would've stepped up and done the same thing. We were just the ones who happened to be at the right place at the right time."
"No! Nopony besides you would've done what you did. Not to mention your humility... No matter what you manage to accomplish, you've never tried holding yourself above anypony else. There's just so many qualities that make you more than another pony."
Twilight blushed in embarrassment as the lavish praise was laid upon her. "Maybe, Princess. I don't think I could've accomplished even half of what I've done without my friends though. They're very important to me." Twilight trailed off, her brow scrunched in thought. "I don't know what I would do without them now. I remember back during Shining's wedding when they all blew me off, it hurt so much. Yet, after all was said and done, they came back, and our friendship was made stronger from it." A small smile crossed her face.
"Yes, friends are very important, it took me some time to recall that after Luna... I think that I've been forgetting it again until just these last few years though. For as much as you and your friends have done for me, I haven't really spent the proper amount of time getting to know the rest of them. I think a change is in order." Celestia grinned conspiratorially as she continued.
"With some changes, and perhaps the help of a great scheduler, I could start visiting Ponyville, as well as increase the visits Luna could make. I believe a certain unicorn could be up to helping me make that reality." She playfully nudged Twilight with a wing as she showed a hopeful smile.
Twilight briefly giggled as the wing caught a sensitive spot. "Are you sure? I mean, I could probably do it... but don't you think there would be somepony better to help?"
"Unless you think it'd interfere with whatever research and studies you do at home, I think you're the perfect pony for the job. If you want to, of course. Please don't feel pressured to say yes." Celestia gently poked her in the side again, eliciting another giggle and ensuring Twilight didn't get nervous.
"Well, if you think so..." Twilight trailed off, quickly contemplating. I don't think an additional few hours each week would be too hard to fit in. "Sure, I can help with that. It'll be nice to see you and Luna more often without having to clear a whole weekend for a trip to Canterlot." Twilight stated, a faint smile forming.
"Thank you, Twilight. I'll send all of the required information to Spike sometime this evening, no need to worry about it now." Celestia closed her eyes and directed her face towards the warm sun, its rays playing across her features.
Twilight stared at Celestia, entranced by the light gleaming off her coat. Something about it reminded of the time when she was just a filly and fell in love with magic. A subtle shift in Celestia's face caused Twilight concern, she looked sad. "Celestia?"
Opening her eyes, she was jolted from her thoughts. "Yes, Twilight?" She settled her gaze on Twilight, a subconscious echo of pain etched on her face.
"Are you okay, Celestia? Is it a memory, or?" Twilight's voice was filled with concern as she worked up the courage to offer something in return to her friend. "I just want you to know, if there ever is anything bothering you... I wouldn't mind lending my ear."
Well, here goes nothing. Celestia collected herself before carefully opening her mouth. "Well, you see, I—"
"—cess Celestia! Princess!" A royal guard called out, drowning out Celestia's quiet words.
Celestia showed annoyance and relief as a guard entered the courtyard. "Hopefully this will only take a moment, Twilight." She stood up, letting her presence be known.
"Ah, there you are, Princess! A diplomat just arrived from Gryphonia with a most urgent message for Your Majesties." The guard delivered the message with a quick salute, then awaited his Princess' reply.
Celestia’s mane went limp. "I'm sorry, but I must see to this. Your belongings should be ready for you, I know Luna only needed a short time to gather reading material for you." She looked towards the guard. "Which room is the emissary located in?"
"The green room near the foyer, Princess."
"Very well, I'll leave immediately. Dismissed." The pony left with another salute as Celestia turned back towards Twilight. "I'm sorry Twilight, but you know how gryphons can be. I really hope this isn't something irrelevant again, the last messenger interrupted the Day Court to inform us one of the lesser princesses was getting married... for the fourth time." She groaned, then gently nuzzled Twilight. "The chariot should be waiting for you in the upper courtyard. It was nice seeing you. Hopefully the next time we meet will be in Ponyville. Take care, Twilight."
"You too, Celestia. Thank you for this weekend!" Twilight called out.
Celestia paused and shot her a smile, then turned and began to walk inside. Luckily the green room was only a short walk from the courtyard she had been found in, and before long, her destination loomed just ahead.
"Has my sister arrived yet?" She asked of the ponies standing guard at the door.
"Yes, Princess Luna is already inside with the gryphon." He opened the door and poked his head inside. "Announcing Princess Celestia!"
Walking through the open door, Luna and a tawny gryphon with a white coat greeted her eyes. This is a new one. "Hello, Luna, and...?" She trailed off, inviting the gryphon to introduce herself.
"Sheila Brightfeather, Your Majesty. It is an honor to meet you both, and I give greetings on behalf of Gryphonia and thank you for meeting with me so quickly on such short notice." The gryphon gave a half bow towards both sisters, talons facing downwards in respect.
"We welcome you to Equestria, Sheila Brightfeather." Celestia began. "I was informed that the message you carried was considered urgent. Shall we sit down and talk?" The three occupants of the room sat down at a table adorning the center of the room.
Luna and Celestia looked upon the gryphon, who raised a talon to her head and scratched slightly. "Your Majesties, I'm afraid that it isn't anything quite so urgent... I did tell the pony who received me as such, that I only carried legal documents. I have the newest revisions of our tariffs and trade laws that need to be reviewed by Equestria." Sheila looked at the sisters in embarrassment as she pulled out a heavy stack of parchment, which was placed upon the table.
Celestia inwardly groaned as Luna grimaced slightly. How I wish Shining Armor had never resigned his post as Captain... Note to self, have another talk with Captain Bright about what does and doesn't constitute 'urgent.'
Luna wiped the grimace off her face, unfurling the parchment as she prepared to read it. "It is no fault of your own Sheila; do not be concerned. It simply appears that our guards are overzealous in their duties." Sheila relaxed, dropping her talon to the tabletop as Luna began to read aloud.
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Twilight walked out into an open, mostly deserted courtyard. Two pegasi guards walked underneath the high noon sun to greet her midway.
"Oh my, Twilight? It is nice to see you again!" The left pegasus exclaimed as the three ponies met each other in the middle of the courtyard. Removing her helmet caused Twilight to gasp in recognition.
"Breezy?! It's good to see you again!" Twilight broadly smiled at the familiar pegasus who had been one of the newer guards assigned to the castle shortly before she had moved to Ponyville. Breeze shared Twilight's love of books, and the two had spent hours together reading during the pegasus' downtime. "You're taking me back to Ponyville?" Her attention shifted to the still silent pony. "You too? I Thought the chariots only needed one pony."
Breeze prodded the stoic pegasus and laughed. "This here is Mr. Stick-up-his-butt—"
She was cut off as a growl emanated from the pony. "Captain."
"Oh, relax, would you?" She continued on, looking back at Twilight. "This is Sergeant Sentinel. He's very uptight as you can see. Anyways, all of the normal chariots are out for regular maintenance, but we did get one that just finished. It’s an older model though, thus the two pony harness, because it weighs more than the newer ones."
The three ponies began walking to the chariot, Twilight looking at it with a critical eye. It was open to the sky, the back of it supporting a small awning designed more for shade than security. It had gilded, bronze sunrises along the sides, and cushions lined the inside.
Twilight levitated her bags off the ground, securing them in a small luggage compartment that was underneath the chariot. She hopped in it as Breeze and Sentinel began to rig their harnesses. She sat down near the back and made herself comfortable.
"Now, the weather from here to Ponyville is scheduled to be cloud free, and the air currents smooth. Just in case though, if something happens, hold on tight and we'll get to the ground as soon as we can. Plus, you'll notice some straps have been installed for you to use in case things get really bad. Not the most convenient system, but it'll work in a pinch." The two pegasi checked each others' harness, ensuring everything was secured.
"Ehh..." Twilight trailed off. Her mind was hard at work both trying to ignore the fact that it was an open chariot, while also calculating odds as to what would happen should they encounter anything. Trying to do both was impossible, however, as each time she nearly convinced herself of one, the opposing voice would offer up new evidence.
"Relax. You're in good hooves. Even with how air-headed the Captain is." Sentinel spoke up, surprising Twilight.
"Okay. I'm good to go then." Twilight stated, slowly moving the straps near her hooves with magic as she nestled herself against the back of the chariot. With a few rhythmic hoofbeats, both pegasi made a running start, getting airborne within seconds. They quickly climbed from the castle, gaining altitude before setting their course towards Ponyville. Settling into a rhythm, they leveled out high in the sky, the awning shading her from the full force of the sun.
Twilight began to think about the spell she and Celestia had spent time working on. Although her notes were snug and secure in her bags underneath the chariot, she also held a copy in her mind. She thought back to the time spent in the library...
"So, I had a dream the other night about flying. It's been awhile since I last dreamed that, and it got me thinking about the Young Flyer's Competition." Twilight told Celestia as they walked into the Canterlot Library Archives. "I managed to cast the one spell, but the result was less than satisfactory, and in the rush of everything, I completely forgot about it."
Celestia motioned with a hoof towards a back section of the library. "I see where you're going with this. You'd like to revisit this spell and see if you can't change it to suit your purposes?" Twilight followed her as they walked deeper into the building.
"Yup! I've studied pegasus anatomy enough to understand exactly how the wings work, all the way down to the blood vessels and nervous system. I just need to devise a method to attach the wings and associated muscles to a non-pegasus, but the last time I visited the spell I was left stumped as well as being on the verge of magical exhaustion." Twilight recounted, recalling her previous attempts at the complicated spell.
"I can see where the issues would arise. Self-polymorphing is already difficult enough, and that is concerning the whole body. You found that out when researching the Changeling's ability to shift themselves into ponies. To do a partial one though, and not on another..." Celestia trailed off, raising a hoof to her chin as she stopped in front of a shelf, perusing the organized books.
"Ah-ha, this should be it." Celestia removed a book titled Modern Surgical Studies - Pegasus Anatomy and passed it to Twilight. "This should help."
Twilight looked the book over, a puzzled expression on her face. "How will a surgical textbook help get over that hurdle? I already know how the wings operate, I just can't..." Her face shifted as a thought entered her head, her mind furiously working to connect the dots. She opened the book up with her magic, checking the table of contents. "Wings, wings... Ah-ha! Page Three oh Two."
Celestia watched as Twilight began to furiously read, specifically the sections involving the attempts to reattach severed wings and the amputation of them. To think, it used to take a trail of breadcrumbs where now it simply takes one. She truly is brilliant. Twilight continued to read, taking it all in. It didn’t take her long before she closed the book. She nearly jumped up and down in joy before recalling that she was in a library.
"Well?" Celestia asked, waiting on her reply.
"I didn't take into account the full musculature required to operate the wings! The muscles for flight continue throughout the whole body, not just the upper back and wings. Plus, you have to force a simulation of pegasus magic, but that should be relatively simply to do. It should only require a few changes to the cloudwalking spell, as that already simulates the required magic.” Twilight beamed widely at Celestia, glad that she had the theory of the spell now.
“Well, with the theories out of the way, it’s simply a matter of—
Twilight’s memory was shattered by the sounds of muted curses reaching her ears. Looking ahead, she noticed clouds looming on the horizon, rapidly advancing towards them. Not only that, but they appeared to be in the middle of their flight path. The landscape below them was like a game board; she had no clue how high up the chariot was.
“Twilight!” Came Breeze’s voice through the wind. “Somepony screwed up somewhere! Hold on!”
Twilight found the straps that had been pointed out prior to their departure, and using their magic tied her hooves down in preparation. They began to descend, yet were hampered by the larger and bulkier chariot. The clouds continued to rapidly advance, moving to intercept them. Oh no, oh no, oh no! The probability that at this rate of descent, factor in the wind speed, current estimated velocity... We’re not going to clear the clouds in time! She began to do the one thing that she excelled at. Panic.
The two pegasus came to the same conclusion as Twilight moments later, as they abandoned the futile attempt to descend, opting to instead climb as high as possible to attempt to fly over the approaching weather system. Wind began to buffet them as they flew, light turbulence beginning to rock the chariot.
Twilight continued to panic, her mind blank. Magic gripped the straps, causing them to start chafing around each hoof. The chariot began to rock and tilt, the pegasi straining to keep it climbing and upright as the wind assaulted them.
“HOLD ON, TWILIGHT!”
Wind sheer took the pegasi by surprise, the suddenly shifting winds moving from head on to their left flanks, sending them momentarily spinning out of control. With a groan, the chariot inverted and spun, leaving Twilight upside down. The sudden shift in perspective caused her magic to fail, her concentration shattered as a large mass of clouds swarmed her vision. Her grip on the straps loosened as she found herself suspended by them, the protective spells luckily holding.
The guards struggled to regain control, the harness and bulk of the chariot making it a losing proposition. Each time they were on the edge of control, a new buffet of wind would once again negate their attempts. They never gave up though, continuing to fight against the storm. The next gust of wind shook the chariot violently and Twilight felt something give.
The overtaxed enchantments couldn’t take it anymore; Twilight was sent plummeting through the clouds.
~{B}~{O}~{W}~{T}~{N}~
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All I could think was, "Poor, poor Spike."
What? I bet that the Royal schedule is HUGE!
Quick! Cast your op gravity spell!
I think she'll be all right. I mean, it'd be a pretty lame ending you just concluded everything with that. The question now though, will Twilight save herself? Or will somebody else save her. I'm leaning towards the prior bases in the flashback immediately preceding the fall.
Keep up the great work!
I foresee winged Twilight next chapter, or something along the lines of "On Wings of Change."
2034737
Psh, it's Spike.
2034785
Shame magic typically takes concentration. Don't think she's concentrating very hard.
2034815
Nah, isn't the end. Even made sure to specify in the AN 'Check the Tags'. Got too much to do still with this story. And you'll see come next chapter. : )
2034971
Oh, is this where I add it to the 'Alicorn Twilight' group?
In all seriousness, this scene here was mostly a last minute addition. It was partially inspired from oWoC, I will give you that much, however the outcome is nowhere near the same. Should make for some decent references in the future, all that wonderful relation building stuff.
Is it weird if I'm more worried about whatever Celestia was about to say to Twilight than the last scene?
A mysterious rogue storm knocks Twilight out of the sky while she's heading home in a chariot from Canterlot? Possibly ending in an Alicorn Twilight reference if the flashback to the wing spell is any indication?
You know its just good form to link the fics you're giving a shoutout to in the authors notes. Here I'll do it: On the Wings of Change
And cue the the start of "on wings of change"
2035013
Time will tell? It's been really tricky writing the characters how I want them without having folks come running at me with Torches and Pitchforks. Hopefully it doesn't fall short of what I'm hoping for.
2035023
It'll all be explained come next chapter, and the flashback was mostly because I had already dropped the hint, and didn't want to force a hard time break in the story. It flows much better when the events are all linked. The spell itself is mostly an extension of the fact that, if you ask anyone, they'd most likely be lying if they told you they never once thought about wishing to be able to fly. Simply translating that over to the ponies, and it would be further intensified by the fact that Pegasi can fly while the other two races are earthbound. So, right now, it could simply be nothing more than a dream of hers that she can make a reality via magic, even if only for a short period of time. Plus... World building. I love it.
All I can say is the only relation this has to 'oWoC' is falling out of a chariot.
See above reply, last line
2035060
2035079
Oh, I know it doesn't have anything to do with OWoC, I just couldn't resist though.
2035096
To reiterate...
Anyways, off to rage about this busted feature system. Shit is retarded. La de da de dah.
2035023
You know what's also good form? Not being a prick. spaceyboy said the rest. Wasn't a storm. Just a bank of clouds with wind. The only similarity, as he said, was that she fell out of a chariot. And do you know what's funny about that? oWoC wasn't the first to have that event happen to Twi. Try again.
Referring to the author's note: No! We will not cue the crappy Skrillex song. Instead we will cue this awesome song!
2035201
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I almost plucked a Nightwish song title for this chapter (random musings!), but it sounded very... final.
And hey, someone swaps their vote cause 'Oh no, you jacked a scene from another story!?!'.
Reply coming tomorrow. Micro update.
2034785 or wing spell you just developed, which ever. however the latter should be slightly less taxing.
Very nice
Celestia was going to say that she loved twilight and the wing spell stuff was so she could make twilight royal
*looks at comments*
Well some people (only one serious one that I can see) seem to think Twilight thinking about how to make wings and falling out of a chariot to On the Wings of Change. I guess I can see the connection, though it wasn't the first fic to jump to my mind. Instead Divergence seems to jump to my mind. And in that one Twilight doesn't even fall out of a chariot. She just talks to some guards while in a chariot at one point. Speaking of the chariots, the hesitence to get on the chariot shouldn't have been a huge issue since she's done that before specifically right after the opening credits in the first episode I believe. (but since that's the only time we've seen her doing that it could be assumed that she has only done it the once)
As for the rest of the actual chapter:
Given that you dislike drama for drama's sake, and the fact that Twilight's obviously not going to die, I'm wondering how the "falling out of a chariot" thing is going to play into her character, or what the goal of it is rather than "how will she get out of this mess". Will she become more determined to create wings so that she won't have that problem again? Will she need some Luna therapy for the near death experience? Only time will tell.
The Celestia telling Twi whatever it was was probably one of those secrets the description mentions, which makes it less "they find out her secrets" and more "Celestia tells them some secrets" So I'm slightly more interested in the secrets than the chariot deal, as it seems to be part of the overall story arc.
In fact, regarding Celestia and drunk Rarity and Applejack, now that her and Luna are going to hit up Ponyville more I'm almost hoping for a drunk Luna and/or Celestia moment. Those are always fun.
Luna might've been defending Twilight a little much when Celestia was trying to pry, though Luna should maybe be a little more reluctant to keep secrets from her sister, given that whole NMM thing. It almost makes me want to see Celestia finding out by thinking Luna's starting to go NMM, and bursting in on Luna and Twilight in flagrante delicto, all the while yelling about NMM and finding out that way.
Regarding this sentence "It really is an interesting subject, I just hope that there are some books on it, I would hate to not be able to read up on it in my spare time." you should probably have identified "it" as Dream magic somewhere in there, assuming I identified it correctly. not a huge issue, but something to think about. and hey, maybe Twilight could write a book about "it".
Also, Twilight and Luna forgot their dresses on Luna's floor. Could raise some awkward questions from the staff, if the staff clean Luna's room.
In all I enjoyed this chapter. And I know I say this a bunch, but looking forward to the next.
The butterfly wings And the cloud walking spell are both temporary spells, not the source of a good alicornification...
still ... a fully functional set of pegasis wings could make saving her own life much much easier.
assuming that Twilight could cast a very complex spell while falling to her potential death ...
hopefully Celestia was not getting ready to tell Twilight about her "long hidden feelings for her student" ... I have seen how that ends and it only ends in one of two ways ...
painful death for all or ...
horrible horrible clop ...
2034971 I always wondered why twilight can apparently lift entire ponies into the air (as seen in "A Canterlot Wedding" ) but not herself. Shouldnt she be able to catch herself in her own magic before she hits the ground?
2035780
She demonstrated this in the Crystal Empire episode. But i think it was just a ploy so she could pull her own tail for a bit
That morning scene. I love it. All my "Awwww...
"s.
2034994
Don't jinx it, now!
Also, you're an evil person for ending another chapter on a cliffhanger.
2035013
Me too. Especially since this comes but a moment after learning that Twilight does indeed have a very special somepony...
2035574
Well, probably not questions... "Erm, excuse me your god-emperor-ness, did your lover happen to discard her dress on your bedroom floor? Please don't send me to the Moon!" They might start giving her some knowing looks though, assuming she didn't just discreetly pack Twi's dress up and have it delivered to her with the rest of her stuff. The guards, of course, might also start to talk among themselves about their Pricess spending nights alone with her "student"...
2035813 Yeah I guess so^^ hehe
Totally calling Celestia had a crush on Twilight and that's why she was so concerned about if Twi had a date
Commence read.
Now to try and see what Celestia had to say to Twilight. For now, her predicament with the whole falling through the sky.
2035429
Technically she found out the last theorum/concept that was behind the spell, no practical applications have been attempted yet. Kind of like science in this manner, first you find out all the details you can, and then you experiment.
2035532
However, the spell it temporary. It didn't last too long for Rarity, and Twilight has simply been improving on that spell.
We shall see.
2035761
You, wonderful person, get an internet cookie! And all I will say is... neither outcome. The why shall remain unknown, but those two outcomes? Nope!
2035823
Glad that you liked it, it was rather fun to write. Then again, this whole chapter was rather nice and mostly wrote itself, minus the sit down scene with Twi and Tia. I'm bad with emotional heart to heart conversations it seems, especially when it involves Celestia. I'm on pins and needles when I write her character.
2036030
2036149
Should be coming eventually. Can't promise when though. And we'll see what happens with Twilight next chap.
2035574
Yeah, it was somewhat annoying though that one can't even use some elements without folks immediately linking them to something else. Guess it's just pitfalls of the fandom I suppose. As for the reluctance with the chariot, it was an older one, and not what she was used to. Was my mindset anyways.
The fall itself, besides the immediate impact next chapter, should have ripples that will continue to surface throughout various points. For a lot of the characters it will have a direct impact on them. Part of the fun is that I haven't fully charted this out yet.
Yeah, I might need to slightly tweak the description after giving it a harder look, some things they'll be told, others they'll find out. And yeah, it is sort of the underlying plot, and I have been putting more emphasis on this lately. It should all come to head within the next... 50,000 words hopefully. I'm trying to have the 'big moment' come at or before the 100k word point.
To quote Rarity... IDEA~. Damn, now I need a reason for another party. Oh, wait... Pinkie doesn't really need a reason for a party!
I'll go look at it. Your assumption is correct, I was indeed referring to Dream Magic.
Oh, the small details, how they stab you in the back.
2035780>>2035813
Just quickly addressing this. My personal view is what's bleeding out here. Magic requires concentration. The more complicated the spell to be cast, the more concentration required. And given that I'd established Twilight was already in full blown panic mode, well, yeah. I know the show portrays her in a lot of 'near godlike' situations as far as her ability to levitate objects & use magic, but I don't think she could do much of anything, if the vertigo/falling alone didn't send her into unconsciousness near instantly.
So it looks like Celestia was going to tell Twilight about the rebuilding of the Everfree Forest Castle. And that flashback was pretty clearly a foreshadow of how Twilight saves herself from the fall. Though I'm not sure why she wouldn't just teleport herself to safety.
2036782
For me to know, and you to find out for the moment.
As for the flashback, it was either
A - hard time break (I try to avoid those if I can)
or
B - soft time break pulling something I'd already established happened, and use it as a chance for world building.
So, went with the one that was better to write and more enjoyable. And for the magic, just look up right above your comment. Magic requires concentration, and Twi had none. The how of her getting out of this situation shall be explained soon enough.
2036779 I kinda thought thats how it worked^^ lol^^
2036794 While it's true that magic requires concentration, one of the things I like best about Twilight is that she's nearly always able to take in a situation and react correctly with the right spell. This isn't always the case or course, but it really seems to be a learned response from her 'IF in danger THEN use magic'. (Unless the narrative requires another character to save the day, because it's their episode and the writers don't want Twilight to steal the spotlight and ruin the moral.)
2036949
While true that I could have her manage her way out somehow with magic, just... I feel that if I did that here, then it would set the standard extremely high for any future moments where, plot wise, I might not want to have her be able to always fall back on magic. If that makes sense. Magic might end up coming into how she gets out of it, but it's not what saves her. You'll see what I mean when I get there.
2037382
Indeed.
Interruptions. Interruptions everywhere.
I thought you were gonna go with the coffee spit take at Pony Joe's...I got all excited and thought to myself oh here it comes, any second now!...then nothing. I even went and made an image for the occasion.
lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4D1sgkWNpY0/UQcIKFKee7I/AAAAAAAAAGk/Ah-SqqT57Gc/s539/roflbot86.jpg
Useless now.
i.qkme.me/3r3734.jpg
2038308
I apologise, but just too early to have those beans spilt. My editor apparently let out a whoop, or something like that, when I mentioned Pony Joe's. It was just too good to NOT bring into the story at some point!
And sir, I do apologize quite profusely for trodding all over thy hopes. May they not be dashed again by my hand, good sir. I love Futurama.
2038098
Ah, now I want to watch Toy Story.
And I did have a few of them this chapter, didn't I? Ah well.
2038341Tis fair, but I'm going to hold onto my Patton just in case ;-)
2038389
Patton is god. That is all. That speech of his they used in the beginning of his movie? Epic.
I sense a 'need-to-teleport' moment brewing.....
Hey, I actually decided to sit down and continue reading this.
Best line of the story right there.
When I read they were having breakfast, I'll admit I wasn't thinking donuts, but it makes for a nice change of venue. Also, it's a random thing, but for some reason Donut Joe always seems to appear in fics that I really enjoy. He's just an all around good background character.
As for Celestia's secret, I'm gonna assume it doesn't have to deal with her passionate love of donuts.
Poor spike...I'm sure he'll get revenge eventually.
Twilight falling to her impending doom? Boring.......Actually it was a rather nice twist, and makes a good set up for the next chapter.
Overall this chapter was a nice building chapter. Not much in the way of plot development, but really nice world building.
And you gotta love that world building.
hey! skrillex is NOT crap!
Quick note about the use of the word "pegasus" and its conjugation "pegasi" - Pegasus is, as we all know, the singular term, whereas Pegasi is the plural term. While you did fairly well covering this, you did miss it near the end of the chapter - "The two pegasus came to the same conclusion".
One other note that trips up many people - when using pegasus as a description, it's ALWAYS pegasus, never pegasi. For instance, when describing guards, what you wrote was "Two pegasi guards walked...", but it should be "Two pegasus guards walked...".
If you're ever wondering "Should I use pegasus or pegasi?", try using another noun that has a simpler and more familiar plural form instead. For example, try unicorn. Let's look at the examples here again with unicorn instead of pegasus: "Two unicorns guards walked..." or "Two unicorn guards walked...".
I normally live with it, just decided to write it up because of the one actual typo in this chapter, but hopefully this helps explain this all for everyone's benefit
Yay I want drama!