Echoes of Harmony

by BronaFides

The Road to Aurelia

“Everything okay, Twi?” Applejack asked as Twilight Sparkle came away from the tent. In the clearing between the two royal tents, Applejack and Rarity were waiting. “I'm guessing that's a yes?” she added as Twilight turned a beaming smile towards her.

“Yes, everything seems to still be on track, I think,” Twilight said happily. “We'll just have to be part of history as it unfolds.”

“Not something I would expect you to object to at all,” Rarity observed dryly, her eyes still intently on the tent that Twilight just left as she spoke.

“Normally, no,” Twilight Sparkle said, then thought further and said, “no, I guess never really. The chance to see all this, and to meet Starswirl the too-young-to-be-bearded, and see how Luna and Tia were all these years ago. I'm afraid of the consequences, but I don't suppose there's a choice right now.”

“Tia?” Rarity echoed, her gaze still not shifting.

“It's... sorry, she insisted. But... it's nice.” Twilight began waving her hoof in front of Rarity's line of sight as she spoke.

“Relax, sugarcube, maybe there's something that we can get outta all this. If we'd landed right on Chrysalis' lap, I think we wouldn't have known what to say anyway. This gives us a chance to gather information.” Noticing Twilight's gestures, she added, “while you were in there getting cozied up with the royalty, Rarity thought to flirt with the guards to get close enough to... uhm, listen in.”

“He looks right through me, that one,” Rarity said, wrinkling her nose. “He is a mystery that must be solved,” Rarity muttered.

“Can Pinkie Pie get through to them?”

“Oh, yes, by the first day you were unconscious, she had already befriended everypony in sight.. She couldn't eavesdrop because she's busy packing up the mess tent.” Rarity's eyes lit up. “Oh, I could probably ask her about him.”

“Yeah, and we could help her pack, too,” Applejack pointed out.

“Of course, that's what I meant.” Rarity added.

“Packing up?” Twilight Sparkle asked as they moved from the royal tents. She noticed the other tents were already partially disassembled. In the distance, she could see Fluttershy conversing with the pair of oxen that they were fastening to a half-full cart.

“They were only waitin' on you, sugarcube,” Applejack explained. “Aurelia's a three day march from here.”

The Dashes swooped overhead and landed in front of them in unison. “No sign of any dragons or other dangers on the road ahead,” Iris reported.

“The weather looks clear, too,” Rainbow added. “At least for a couple days. We might encounter some rain three days in, but Iris and I may be able divert some of it between now and then.”

“I don't even know if we have three days,” Twilight considered, looking back at her cutie mark, “so divert it if you can, but I've got to talk to everypony about what I've learned. For now, just know your part in it is going to be pretty important.”

“Why me?” Rainbow Dash asked, pointing a hoof at herself.

Darting glances around meaningfully, Twilight merely answered, “later.”

It only took a couple more hours to get everything in order and get moving on the road. The Royal Guard was a small but well trained group of twenty, and they, too, traveled light. The procession moved forward, a handful of earth pony and unicorn guards in advance, followed by the Royal Sisters and their personal guards, another guard group, the single supply cart, now packed full, Twilight Sparkle and her group, then a final handful of guards, with pegasi interspersed throughout above them all.

They were never far enough away from any group of guards long enough for Twilight to feel comfortable talking to the girls about the Element of Loyalty. Starswirl and Celestia had made it clear they were hesitant to even let her share the secret. Are they worried about spies, or do they just want the guards to be innocent in case Discord questions them? Either way, they didn't get a chance to discuss it until they stopped to rest again.

“They don't even know where the elements are?” Rarity queried, amazed.

“Well, we know they find them, right?” Fluttershy added.

“Right,” Twilight Sparkle said, between quick bites of her dinner. “They have to, or they'd never have going to have been able to have defeated Discord.”

“Twi, I think sometimes talkin' about a past that hasn't happened yet sounds more twisted up than that fancy unicorn talk,” Applejack observed.

“If it makes you feel better, I'm not even sure what I just said made any sense,” Twilight Sparkle admitted.

“So, you think since I'm the future Element of Loyalty,” Rainbow Dash summed up, “I might be able to find it easier.”

“I'll help, too.” Iris said. “I may not actually be the Element of Loyalty, but I know her well enough to fool myself, so I might have a wing up on the rest of you.”

“It still reacted to you, so it's a real possibility, Iris,” Twilight said. “We should definitely all keep our eyes open - Princess Celestia will probably be tied up with diplomatic concerns. if you do find it, we should try to set them up so they seem to discover it on their own. I've probably done enough damage already.” She chewed the last bite and stood quickly. “And on that note, I have an appointment with the princesses to keep.” She smiled, then ducked out of the tent. She walked across the gap to the neighboring tent, nearly running into Starswirl as she did. “Oh, sorry!”

“The fault is mine,” Starswirl said. “Are thy friends going to help with thy newer friends, then?”

“They'll do what they can to aid in the search,” Twilight Sparkle confirmed, wondering about his peculiar phrasing. She looked at him as the walked, remembering something that nagged at her from their last encounter. She stopped suddenly. “I'm sorry.”

“I thought we'd moved beyond that,” Starswirl said. “Thou didn't even step on my hoof.”

“Thou had said the princesses were thy friends, and yet when I offered my friendship to Princess Celestia, she said she had none. I didn't intend to cause thee pain.”

He closed his eyes, sighing as he lowered his head. “Thou specifically asked if she had friends that she knew beyond words, and while we have studied together, conspired together, and consider each other friends, I am her subject. To know a friend the way thou describes, one must also allow thyself to be known in such a way, would thou agree?” He looked at Twilight pointedly as he said this, but she wasn't able to answer before he continued. “Some part of her remains carefully hidden on that dais. As somepony outside her domain, she can offer you that hidden part without being concerned it will effect her role as a leader. Dost thou see?”

Twilight Sparkle considered his expression carefully before placing a gentle hoof on his side and saying, “I do. And my apology stands.”

He blushed slightly before responding. “Worry not, I've long since accepted my role, and I'm grateful just to be near her.”

They continued to the royal tent, where Starswirl stopped to check with the guards, gesturing to her to continue on. When she entered, Luna ambushed her yet again. “Teach me a spell, Twily!” she yelled at the overturned unicorn that she was now seated upon.

“Very well, princess,” Twilight said, magically lifting the filly and righting herself. “Hast thou in mind a particular one?”

Luna beckoned and leaned her head close to Twilight's, trying to whisper. It came out at about Fluttershy's normal speaking volume. "Sometimes Tia looks sad, and I'd like a spell that would make her feel better."

"I see," Twilight said, contemplating the request with exaggerated seriousness. "I think I have just the one. Observe closely." She winked at Celestia, who was watching from the dais with interest. "Sunshine, sunshine," she stomped in time with the rhyme, "ladybugs awake!" She covered her eyes and peaked at the filly, then magically grabbed Luna's hooves, clapping them to her own as she continued, "clap your hooves," and finally, she turned around, waggling her tail at the young alicorn, "and do a little shake!"

The dubious expression that concerned Twilight Sparkle from an older Luna merely seemed comical on the younger one. "Thou cannot be serious," she said.

Twilight giggled in spite of herself. "There are spells that can make things, and spells that can change things, and making or changing those things might make ponies happy... for a time. Lasting, deep happiness can never come straight from magic. Making somepony smile, that's far more effective in that regard." She watched as Luna's doubt faded into contemplation. "Shall we?" They repeated the litany again, and when Twilight turned around, the filly looked up past her wings and tail at Twilight, beaming a smile back at her. "See?" Luna nodded once emphatically.

"Thou art well versed in magic indeed, it would have taken me months to convince her a happiness spell couldn't exist," Celesta noted as she approached.

"The magic of friendship is all it takes to make a spark," Twilight observed, as she watched Luna practicing her new spell with a very confused Starswirl, who had just arrived.

"The magic of friendship..." Celestia repeated.

"Just... an expression," Twilight said dismissively. Stupid! she scolded herself. This is going to be harder than I thought. "So, Starswirl and thee have known each other for a long time?" she asked hastily.

"Indeed, we attended the magic academy together,” Celestia explained. “All of the royal line are expected to attend, even if their talents are not strictly magic-based, so that we can understand the talents of the wizards at our service. I must admit, were it not for Starswirl's aid, there were a few exams I would not have passed.”

“But thy talent is magical in nature, is it not Pr-, Tia?” Twilight corrected herself at the last moment, taking Celestia's lack of royal plural as a sign that she was genuine in her insistence that Twilight use her nickname.

“It is, but it's very particular. I'm capable of a wide range of magic, but raising the sun, that's where I shine.” Twilight darted a glance at the princess, not sure it was an intentional pun, but had it confirmed when the princess winked at her. She burst into laughter from surprise alone, and the princess laughed as well. “And thee, Twlight Sparkle, why thy hourglass cutie mark? What be thy specialty?”

“Uh.” I should have been expecting this question sooner or later. “Good timing, I suppose.”

The princess merely nodded. They chatted a while about the mundane details of next couple days of the journey, and then, after Starswirl excused himself, they turned to lighter matters at Celestia's request. Twilight recalled everything she could from her slumber party guidebook and engaged in as many activities as should could from that. They were short the supplies for a makeover, so they had do make due with braiding each other's manes. Twilight was amazed by the elaborate old styles, though. Tia and Luna, on the other hand, were astounded by concoction of a s'mores. Luna readily bested them both in the pillow fight. She decided to skip the ghost stories, since they were in gloomy enough era as it is.

She didn't skip truth or dare, and since there were a lot of truths she couldn't reveal, Twilight ended up running through the camp throwing leftover s'mores at the guards and walking across the room with the dragon's egg balanced on her horn. She'd hoped to use the experience to get some more information to help them in Aurelia, but she realized afterwards any questions she had about that wouldn't really work in truth or dare. She stumbled for a few minutes before asking Celestia, “What is it about bringing up the sun, what compels thee and makes it thy special talent?”

Celestia thought for a moment. “Once, it took a great many unicorns to raise the sun. One time, I attended the ceremony and I witnessed them struggling with it, because they were reaching so far, dealing with such a weight. I remember it all seemed so silly to me, and since I was young and brash, I stood and walked onto the platform. Of course, this wouldn't normally be allowed, but nopony was going to question the granddaughter of Princess Platinum, even when I said, 'no, like this.'”

Celestia turned to her sister, who had fallen asleep, her muzzle still sticky with chocolate and marshmallow, and lifted a blanket to cover her. “Luna knows. Our talents are grounded here, closer. Far easier to just flip the world.” She smiled slowly, as Twilight Sparkle began to do the mathematical calculations in her head. “I see in thine eyes that thou understand. It was so simple, so elegant, yet nopony had ever considered it before.

“When they asked me to do it the next day, I was so nervous. I had done it the first day without thinking, but they needed it to be me – even with the easier method, a single unicorn could not match my raw power. I couldn't remember exactly how I'd done it, and they were just about to give up when I saw the people's expectant faces. They weren't waiting to see if I'd succeed or fail, they were just waiting for the sun. For the joy of the warming rays of light on their face, for waking and living again after a restful sleep. I could give that to them, and at that moment, I wanted nothing more than to do so. Since then, since my cutie mark appeared, that's all I've needed to remember to raise the sun, nothing more.”

Silence followed, at first because Twilight was really hoping for more, and then because she wasn't sure how to respond. She'd never told me all that before. Twilight really wanted to share her own story, to show her gratitude, but as Celestia's future self figured prominently in it, she didn't see how she could possibly manage to make it vague enough. Then, as she yawned, it occurred to her. “I... I also was inspired by the dawn,” she began. “I saw thee, raising the sun, and I wanted to learn how to wield magic like that.” She half closed her eyes, recalling the day.

“Thou hast more raw magic power than most unicorns,” Celestia considered.

“That's what you said before.”

“Did I?”

Twilight startled from nodding off and corrected, “Yes... must have while I was sleeping off the spell, must have overheard you... thee.”

“What of your talent for timing?”

“We'll see,” Twilight said, her head dropping, whispering with a gentle smile, “if I make it back in time, we'll see...”

* * *

Twilight awoke to the sound of Luna's snoring. The filly had rolled off the cushion that she'd fallen asleep on the night before and was on the floor mere inches from Twilight. She smiled briefly before magically lifting the blanket and then lifting Luna back on to the cushion under it. She stood to find she, too, had a blanket tucked up over her while she slept. As it fell from her flank, a chill ran down her spine as she discovered yet more sand had passed to the lower part of her cutie mark. Surveying the room, Celestia was absent. She must have gone to bed herself after Twilight nodded off. She walked as quietly as possible out of the tent as to not disturb her hosts.

“I've seen you staring,” a voice said gruffly as Twilight opened the tent flap, and she closed it behind her quickly before the noise woke the sleeping princesses. She turned to find one of Luna's personal guards yelling at Rarity, who, for her part, didn't flinch or move as he rallied at her. “Come see the freak!” He spread his leathery wings and held his bat-like ears up. “Discord thought it was hilarious. 'The Night Guard should be given a form befitting their trade.' So, go ahead, laugh!”

Rarity, still unblinking, waited a brief moment before countering, evenly, “Art thou through?” The guard opened his mouth to retort, but found himself lacking. “I cannot change what thou hast become, more than I can fix the uneven passing of the day. No, that is not within my power. But what thou hast become, is thee. Thou canst own it, make it thine. Make it shine!” She stepped towards him, hovering a sketch over to him. The other Night Guard stepped forward to look over his shoulder. She explained, “Be not ashamed, and make thy curse a gift! Let everypony know and respect the Lunar Guard; look not down upon thy self, and none shall ever look down upon thee again.”

Twilight, unable to escape the scene, moved forward “Twilight, thy coiffure!” Rarity beamed. She had turned from the guard abruptly, leaving him to contemplate everything she'd said, and at first Twilight just thought Rarity was using her presence as a convenient exit, but then she remembered that she had fallen asleep with the braid still in her hair. “Come, come, I must know how it's done.” She pointed to tent where they'd been staying, falling in step beside Twilight Sparkle.

“I'm not sure I could explain it, Tia did this one.”

“Leave it to me, dear,” Rarity smiled as they entered the tent. The others were all there, though the Dashes were still asleep. “We were a little concerned when thou didn't return.”

“I'm sorry, I meant to, but I fell asleep.”

“It gave me an excuse to inquire after thee with the guard, so no worries.”

“Uh, Rarity,” Applejack said, “we're alone, you don't hafta keep talkin' like that.”

“Like what? Oh!” She blushed slightly. “Sorry, it's quite catchy.” She ignored Applejack's dubious gaze, and turned to Twilight's hair, her eyes following the pattern of the braid, dissecting the technique. She began pulling it apart with her magic, mumbling to herself. “Hold Still,” she added to Twilight.

“About that,” Twilight said. “What was with that? Designing their uniforms?”

“He just seemed so needing of a little generosity, I only wish I'd had the materials to make it for him. And I don't see what difference a little uniform revision would make in the course of history. It's certainly no slumber party with the future leader of Equestria.” She mumbled the last part, tugging slightly as she unbraided Twilight's hair. She gestured to Fluttershy to come closer, and Rarity began meticulously reproducing Twilight's braid in Fluttershy's long, pink mane.

“I guess...” Twilight finished unbraiding her own mane, looking over at Iris and Rainbow. “Is it early, or are they just sleeping in?”

“Hard to tell when the sun won't behave,” Applejack answered. “She was out pretty late tryin' to corral that storm, though.”

They all ate breakfast together and then helped pack up the camp again. The day's march was fairly uneventful, but the transition in the landscape was striking. The soil, which has begun exhibiting signs of green at the end of their march the day before, began to show exotic looking plants and flowers – sparse at first, but ever increasing in their frequency and variety. Eventually even birds could be heard, and Fluttershy spent a great deal of time in the air moving from treetop to treetop.

Applejack remained fairly quiet and focused for most of the journey, not even fussing when Rarity, keeping herself busy, took a turn at braiding her mane as well. She added an extra backwards twist into the sequence she'd copied from Celestia, and it gave an uneven look to it that suited the usually unkempt mane. Rarity moved to Pinkie Pie, considering her mane briefly, before shaking her head in resignation. She glance as Iris, who had landed beside her, and smiled. Iris looked around at the braid work the others wore and gave a concerned look before taking to the air again as quickly as possible.

Twilight watched quietly, considering her cutie mark from time to time. It hadn't changed since she woke up, so maybe she'd just imagined that some of the sand had moved? No, I'm sure more of it is on the bottom. So, it's not at a steady rate...

They marched directly behind the Princess' personal escort this time – the Captain obviously decided they weren't a threat after all. The sun rose and set several times while they marched, and it seemed to Twilight that they marched further that “day” the the previous one before Celestia ordered the caravan to stop. The various soldiers still seemed to be in high spirits, though, having sung some marching tunes that Pinkie Pie had taught them. They made camp near a clear lagoon, the song of the various bright colored birds only slightly diminished by their presence.

Applejack had managed to find an exotic fruit growing near the lagoon that would serve in her recipes in the place of apples, which was fortunate as the extra travelers were an additional strain on the supplies. As she chewed, Twilight noted the texture was similar, but that the fruit definitely had a more tangy edge to it.

“We should reach the castle by midday tomorrow,” Rainbow Dash noted as they ate. “I didn't get too near – I didn't want to not alarm the guards.”

“What's it like?” Rarity asked.

“It looked a lot like the ruins in the Everfree, except where there are missing windows in the ruins, it looks like this castle is open on purpose,” Iris explained.

“Must be typical to the style,” Twilight noted. “Odd, I've not read much about architecture.”

“The ruins in the Everfree were the template for the Neo-Classical architectural era pre-dating Nightmare Moon,” Rarity commented. When Twilight shot her a startled glance, she added, “fashion and architectural history are very closely tied, you know. One can sometimes predict one trend from the other, and they both work in cycles, so one cannot deny the advantage such studies grant.”

“That... makes a lot of sense,” Twilight said, thinking and suddenly adding “we're not under-dressed, are we?”

“Like in the future, most ponies would only dress for formal occasions,” Rarity explained, her brow furrowing as she added, “technically we should have court outfits for our reception by Chrysalis' court, but our back story of a hasty departure and our desperate need are only made more believable by our lack.”

“Thank Celestia for that,” Applejack added, rolling her eyes to signify her extra implication of relief at not having to dress up. She hadn't taken out the braid, though, which surprised Twilight a little.

“Ladies, might I enter?” came Starswirl's voice from outside of the tent.

“Your great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather really was quite refined, Twilight” Rarity noted quietly.

“I don't know, he seems a might bookish, though I suppose it runs in the family,” Applejack added, winking at Rarity as they shared a smile.

“Thou may enter,” Rarity added louder as Twilight glared at them.

“I desired to pay my respects to the earth ponies in your company,” he said, nodding politely to Pinkie Pie and Applejack as he approached them. “This evening's repast was of unmatched quality, and lifted my spirit. I offer thee my thanks.” He bowed his head.

“W-well, shucks, sugarcube, I can get ya the recipe if ya like,” Applejack stammered, blushing. Behind him, Rarity smiled slyly at her and mouthed the word “bookish” silently.

“Oh, Twilight, we've got to come this far south when we get back, these birds are amazing!” Fluttershy said as she entered the tent, several exotic songbirds still perched in her hair. “Oh!” she took a half-step back, folding her wings and landing as she noticed Starswirl, then cleverly added “I mean, once we have more time to travel this way at a leisurely pace.” She smiled, widely, squeaking slightly.

“If all goes well, I imagine you'll have need of an regular emissary,” Starswirl nodded in agreement, then he turned to Twilight and away from Fluttershy, who exhaled in a sigh of relief, disturbing one of the birds in her mane. “Will thou be joining the princesses this evening?”

“I will,” Twilight replied. “Give me a moment to finish, she pointed to her meal, and I shall join thee outside.” He nodded stiffly, then his eyes swept across all of them as he obeyed her dismissal. “You don't mind-”

“We can manage, Twi-,” Applejack interrupted. Everypony looked away from Twilight, and she waited patiently, unmoving. Finally, Applejack sighed and added, “Look, sugarcube, we don't own ya, and Pinkie proves you can have as many friends as you want, but don't forget these friends are far from home, too.”

“Don't think I have,” Twilight answered. “Don't you realize how thin I'm spread? But Tia needs this now. At the worst, no matter how this all turns out, we all have each other when we get home. Luna and Starswirl... and me, that's all she has right now. Just this one night, then I'll stay with you tomorrow. Promise.” She mock-gestured crossing her heart with her hoof and jamming an imagined cupcake in her eye to seal the promise.

Starswirl was waiting for her outside, and fell into line beside her silently as they moved to the other tent across the way. His expression was so pensive that even as absorbed as Twilight was in all her own problems, she couldn't help but notice, and she stopped. “What troubles thee?” she almost demanded.

“What? I...” Starswirl began, then concluded flatly, “Nothing.” He took a couple more steps, clearly expecting that would end the matter, then he stopped and turned as Twilight didn't follow.

“Out with it. It's... about me, isn't it?”

“I owe you such a debt, I shouldn't even begin to question thy motives-” he looked Twilight right in the eyes, that fierce expression that she'd seen directed at the captain once before emerged again, “-but I do. Good timing, indeed. Too good. And thee and thy friends are conspiring beyond thy stated goal. My ears have always been sharp,” he blushed slightly, “and while I never intended to listen in, I've overheard snippets of your conversations, and while I must say I cannot follow all of it, thou art not who thou sayest thou art.”

Twilight nodded slowly. “I see.” She stepped forward a half-step, and Starswirl's horn began to glow, anticipating whatever her response would be. She paused briefly, then took another step, ignoring the tingling sensation of his nearby magic and resisting her urge to pull it up herself in defense. No, that would only make things worse. Making sure to keep constant, unblinking eye contact, she responded, “I cannot deny that there is more to us than we have revealed, and I wish that I could tell thee all of it, but I cannot, for everypony's sake. What I can tell you is that I will take any oath that will convince thee, I would never - could never - mean any harm to thyself or the princesses, and I swear to defend them with any and all power that I can conjure to my aid.”

He blinked briefly, then lowered his head slightly, sighing as he gently released the magic that he had pulled up around him. “Just promise me this – that thou will tell me what thou can, should the need arise.”

“I promise.” She placed one hoof on his shoulder reassuringly and added, “I can tell thee that everything will work out in the end.”

“Thou art sure of that?” his tone was more incredulous at her absolute certainty than dubious of her statement.

“I am.” It has to. “Please, stay with the princesses and I this evening, and thou will see the good I am doing.” She kept her hoof on his shoulder until he nodded assent.

“Twily!” Luna ambushed her, this time circling around her in flight excitedly rather than pouncing her. “Come see, come see, I made thee a gift!” Luna ran over to the table, still bouncing as she magically lifted a teacup from the table and floated it over to Twilight Sparkle. It was ceramic teacup, perfectly balanced and painted in stripes that matched Twilight's mane.

“Very impressive,” Twilight praised. “I was not aware thou knew pottery.”

“The night is boring and lonely sometimes,” Luna said dismissively. “Learning new skills fills the time.” A shiver ran down Twilight's spine again. You can dismiss it now, but it catches up with you. “There's more,” Luna said slyly, “turn it around.”

Twilight turned the mug to find the other side was embossed with her cutie mark. It seemed so congruous that it took Twilight a moment to realize that it was her actual cutie mark. She let the mug go and it dropped a few inches before she caught it again.

“What is that symbol?” Starswirl asked, eying it from behind Twilight.

“A cutie mark,” Luna answered before Twilight could come up with anything. “She wears it in her dreams, so I figured it meant something important to her. I made thee one, too!” She pushed another mug at Starswirl before showing off matching ones for herself and Celestia.

“She worked on those all evening from the clay we found in the soil nearby,” Celestia commented as she approached, carrying a tray with a teapot on it as she approached. “She even insisted on magically firing it herself. She did well, they should never break.” Celestia smiled, and the tension of the moment and of the unspoken question about the cutie mark seemed to melt away. It was the most serene that Twilight had seen her since they arrived. Twilight glanced at Starswirl, and his expression relaxed, too. He's not going to risk souring her mood, so he'll drop it. For now.

“I... My thanks,” Twilight stammered finally, beaming genuine gratitude. Luna hugged her briefly before leaping over the table in a short flight to her own seating, nearly upsetting the teapot as Celestia set it down.

“Would thou join us?” Celestia said to Starswirl. She said it gently, emphasizing the inflection that made it a question rather than an order.

“I-” Starswirl stammered, then he shook his head. “It seems you are all conspiring to keep me from my studies this evening, anyway, so how could I refuse?” He was trying to sound irritated, but his eyes betrayed his happiness. They all sat around the table while Celestia poured the tea. Whatever blend it was, it was foreign, sweet, and pungent.

The evening seemed to stretch on forever as they sat, just chatting softly. Twilight Sparkle regaled them with tales from her own studies, made slightly vague to avoid disclosing anything important about the future. If Starswirl had noted that her 'instructor' didn't match the description of any of the professors that he knew from the academy, he kept any such suspicions to himself, much to her relief. She and Starswirl briefly worked with Luna on a few spell lessons, using the hair growth spell as a harmless example to show her the value of subtlety. Twilight and Starswirl compared notes on a few spells, and she was careful to let him take the lead so that she didn't disclose his own future discoveries to him. Celestia for her part spoke little, but it was clear from her expression that the burden of the task ahead of her was far from her mind, and fortunately the moon didn't blink from the sky once the whole evening to remind her.

Only as the evening grew late, after Starswirl and Luna had drifted into sleep one at a time, did it come up again. “When we are successful, I think Luna and I will move the throne to the forest below," Celestia mused. When. Not if. Good. "Discord has made a mockery of the high castle, and it would honor mother."

"Mother," Twilight repeated tonelessly. Other than Luna, Cadance, Blueblood, and her mention the previous evening of Princess Platinum, Celestia had never mentioned any family.

"Thou would have liked her," Celestia continued, a sad longing in her voice. "Princess Laurel Grove D'Everfree. While others shied away from the one part of Equestria where nature runs free, she always said she felt most at home there, like it was speaking to her." She sighed, then continued more cheerfully, "Will thou and thy friends join us on our return? I can show thee."

Twilight thought carefully about her reply. “I promise that no joy will be greater to me than joining thee when I can,” Twilight finally managed, “but we both have obligations once this mission is done that will keep apart for a time, I think.”

Celestia smiled again, but her eyes focused further in the distance now. “I suppose thou art right. Twilight Sparkle, I must thank thee heartily. If only briefly, I forgot the troubles that have been following me, and that favor I shall never forget, nor this night.” She bowed deeply.

“Nor I,” Twilight countered, returning the gesture. “I must take my leave.”

“Indeed, we have an early morning preparing for an audience with Chrysalis. Good night, Twilight.”

Twilight had returned to her tent and settled quietly in without waking her friends before she realized that she'd left her mug behind. Luna had seen her true self, and Twilight couldn't help but think as she drifted off that some part of Celestia had glimpsed it as well. She glanced reflexively to where the cutie mark should be. The sand level is lower again. She would ask her friends to verify, but it definitely seemed to have changed, after moving not a bit all day..

The next morning moved quickly, and the flurry of activity from the guards and the royal escort had a more sombre tone than the joviality of the previous day.

“Do you even know what you're going to say?” Twilight Sparkle asked Rarity.

“One needn't plan too tightly, if one can read the situation,” Rarity replied. “You've given us a home location, and we certainly have a plausible enough need. Besides, arriving at the same time as the Canterlot delegation, we'll barely be noticed.”

“I wouldn't fret too much, sugarcube,” Applejack said, “the cover only has to be good enough to keep us there for our opportunity to change things.”

“I'd worry more about getting that far,” Rainbow Dash added, peering in the distance.

“I thought you moved the storm well out of the way,” Twilight said absently. She stayed with her friends as promised, but once again she found her attention divided. She'd managed to get a message to Luna that she didn't wish to break up the set, and to hold the mug for now until they could have tea again, but she couldn't think of anything reassuring for Celestia.

“Pssh, well, yeah, you had the two best weather ponies in Ponyville working for you, of course that's taken care of,” Rainbow countered. “I was talking about that.”

Even as they turned to look where her hoof was pointed, they could hear a general cry rise up from the various guards. The sun glinted off of the shiny red scales and the sharp teeth as a roar bellowed out from the very familiar dragon that was growing larger and larger as it approached from the southern horizon.

Author's Note:

Sorry about the delay for this chapter. It's a long one, and despite its lack of momentous actions, it's probably one of the more pivotal ones, so I gave it a few extra passes of polish.

Comments

[Perteks]

Wow interesting way. But you can see that they won't change anything because of subtle hints from before of spell. It's good and bad itself or maybe you gonna change it?
Now i'm even more interested what will happen after spell end.

[Mermaid]

You're good at writing friendship and tension and tense friendships.

[Soft Shell]

Dragon!!!!

[Razzy]

I wonder how will they fix the problem of this is a time loop.

Cya
Raziel-chan