> The Stars That Come at Twilight
>  by Ciroton
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue - Dreams and Dragons
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Wind howled and ash blew across the once fertile fields just outside of the small town of Ponyville. It carried with it many things as it caressed the ravished landscape: ashes, heat, the occasional leaf or two… but most of all it carried with it a stench. It was a smell she had become sadly accustomed to over the course of her life due to a few unfortunate… incidents. It was that most foul, putrid smell of death. With every breath she took, her muzzle was assaulted by the violent and ghastly miasma as it drowned out all other scents.
 
Trees, once lush and vibrant, jutted out of the scorched earth, charred black and stripped of their leaves, now like the legs of many spiders reaching out from the ground, clawing upwards into the sky. Yet, the sky was not the soft, pale blue she was accustomed to, nor the gentle palette of her namesake, nor the bejeweled velvet of night. Instead, the sky was a dark, black void devoid of anything save the moon… and the sun oddly hanging close beside it.
  
A thump and the sound of breaking glass broke Twilight from her horror-inspired stupor, refocusing on the cause of this entire mess. It was a massive, undefined shape daubed infuscated blazing white, as tall as mountains, moving towards her on four limbs, and taking great care to step on every single home and business between them. If it had not trampled countless other villages and cities since this calamity started, Twilight would have thought it was doing so out of spite… and maybe it was.
 
“Is there nothing we can do? Nothing at all!?” spoke the shaken, yet still measured voice of her beloved mentor, just out of eyesight.
 
“I am afraid not, my child,” another answered. It was a familiar, yet unrecognizable voice that was muted against the screams of ponies, the crashing of buildings and the burning of fires surrounding them. “It has absorbed too many, and is beyond any of our strength, combined or not.”
 
“So, this is the end of it all? I daresay I am disappointed,” said a second voice that was just as muddled as the first, though it sent chills down Twilight’s spine to hear it. “I was hoping I would be the cause of the apocalypse. I even had a nice stage show planned to send it off on.”
 
“Oh, can it, you egomaniacal foal gobbler!” Princess Luna replied with no shortage of venom in every syllable. “If there is truly nothing we can do…” she trailed off for a moment, taking a deep breath, “Then I suggest we go out with valour!”
 
Twilight’s head spun, and not just from the overpowering smell of death upon the winds. Her home was destroyed, her friends and family likely dead… and as the thought crossed her mind, the beast before her unleashed a torrent of flame which engulfed the rest of the town. It turned its head up at the assembled… creatures (for she had no idea if the strange voices were ponies or not) and grinned at them with massive, gleaming teeth. She never thought that she would live to see the end of the world, or that it would be so sudden and so violent. Tears welled up in her eyes as it hit home just how many lives were lost, and were going to be lost.

“I’m with Luna!” Twilight said at last. “If I’m going out, I want to do as much damage to that… that THING as possible!” Just as she charged her horn and summoned forth a blade made of pure mana, the third and final unknown creature with her walked towards the first unknown speaker, simultaneously blocking Twilight’s path forward.
 
“This is NOT ‘The End’,” she spoke simply, in a voice as smooth as silk and soft as the eye of a roaring hurricane. “Four remain, my dear husband. I suggest we make it three.”
 
Four what? How could this not be ‘The End’ if they were all going to die!? It was nonsense to Twilight. Utter nonsense! In fact… everything around her seemed a little… off; a little too hard to believe. However, before she could do a quick check if she was in fact dreaming or not, Twilight became awash in two overpowering auras of magic from the two unknowns who spoke with each other. One was as bright and brilliant as the sun, while the other was as dark and cold as the abyss hanging above. And as their horns met (at least they looked like horns), a third wave of power washed over her, wiping away everything into a soft, warm mass of white fuzz.
 
“Nnnggh,” Twilight Sparkle groaned as she felt herself pressed on all sides by the warm embrace. Yet, as she stretched out, a hoof slipped out of the snugness and kissed the cold, night air. Wait, her tired mind flailed, cold… why is it… She shot up out from the covers of her bed and tumbled onto the wood floor below, landing with a muted thud. Quickly realizing she was just dreaming, she scrambled to her hooves through the tangle of blankets. She had to get to her nightstand, before it was too late!
 
“Where’s that quill!?” she whispered into the dark as to not disturb Spike, whom was still fast asleep in his bed. Thankfully, she opened the drawer and found it exactly where she left it. With a quick flare of magic, using its glow as a makeshift light, she hurriedly scribbled what she could remember from her dream, but already many of the details were swallowed by her subconscious mind. Eventually, she could not recall anymore and groaned quietly in frustration before slipping back into her bed. This lucid dreaming stuff had better be worth it, she thought before quickly being enveloped in sleep once more.
 

	~*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*~

 
Unfortunately for Twilight, the rest of her night yielded no more dreams (or nightmares) that she could recall and so, come the sound of morning birds chirping just outside her window, the groggy unicorn rolled out of bed and took care of her morning ritual. Oddly, there was a slight ringing in the back of her head; it was as if she had been hit by something in the night. Then again, it was probably a consequence of falling out of bed previously, so she gave it no further thought.
 
“Ah, Good morning, Twilight,” spoke an all too familiar and way too cheerful baby dragon as she finished climbing down the stairs. “Breakfast’s still a couple of minutes off. I thought you’d sleep in longer.”
 
“Mmm,” Twilight Sparkle muttered as she found a cushion and sat upon it, stifling a loud yawn with a hoof. Not a thought passed through the mare’s head as she sat there silently and dropped her head downwards in hopes of catching a few more minutes of sleep while breakfast cooked. But, between the ringing in her head and the bright light of Celestia’s morning sun shining upon her, she just could not seem to drift off.
 
Realizing that resistance was futile, she sat up and yawned once more, spying the time the clock on the mantle displayed and scarcely believing her tired eyes. It’s nine thirty and I feel like garbage, a thought bubbled up through the haze of sleep that clouded her cognitive functions. Maybe that study on coffee addiction was right. She had read a recent paper, by some stallion she could not be bothered to remember the name of, which said excessive use of coffee impeded the ability to wake up. But as the lingering aroma of cooking cocoa beans wafted past her muzzle, she quickly decided that she’d rather have the coffee.
 
Already, the promise of that black ambrosia waiting for her parched lips stirred her brain into action. It was far from wakefulness, but just enough to notice that something was… amiss. Looking around the main room of the library, she saw the stacks of shelves of books she knew well and, at a glance at least, they looked the same as always. However, when her eye lingered on the photographs of her friends and family, things felt a little off to her. Maybe it was just that weird nightmare she had that was messing with her head, for she was still half asleep.
 
Yes, that had to be it. Once she was more cognisant, she would realize just how silly it was to be shaken by such an absurd and yet vivid dream. Then, she noticed what was out of place. Scanning the wall, even in her tired state, she could see that the big picture of her friends and family all together on the fifth anniversary of her move to Ponyville… was wrong. She stood up and trotted over to it with purpose and examined the picture closely.
 
Who is she? Where is… What are they doing together? Why is… and other such questions raced through her tired mind as she suddenly became quite curious about all her other photos. Panic began to set in as she examined them and found that, while a few of them remained mercifully the same, the rest of her pictures differed both subtly and bluntly from the pictures she remembered.
 
Twilight grabbed her head with both hooves as she felt her head begin to swell and ache with a myriad of questions with no apparent solutions. A sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was very, very wrong roared louder and louder. That was when a realization hit her that, thinking about it, she could not remember taking ANY of these pictures… and she could remember taking ALL of them at the exact same time.
 
“Uh… Twilight? Are you okay?” Spike asked, timidly. Wheeling around, the scholarly mare had failed to hear the signature click of claws on wood behind her. The expression on her face must have been wild or full of mania, because as soon as she turned on him, he suddenly started to look very nervous. “If you’re, uh… anxious about your coffee, don’t worry; I was just coming to tell you it’s ready. Also, you might want to breathe.”
 
Only when he mentioned it, did Twilight realize that she was hyperventilating. Automatically, she drew a hoof to her chest, inhaled deeply, and exhaled just as deeply while extending the hoof out, feeling just a little more calm already. Where did I learn that!? Cadance? What’s a Ca- Foalsitter, Sister-in… In law? How could I… did she and… but! This time, the panicking mare realized that she was breathing shallowly, but no number of attempts at this calm breathing exercise seemed to do the trick.
 
Suddenly, she felt a hard, cool sensation against her chest and barrel. Distracted from her panic, she looked down to see Spike giving her a gentle embrace. Her breathing slowed and her mind began to clear as she realized she must have had a really bad panic attack to scare the little dragon that much. She extended a hoof around him and returned his hug gratefully. “I’m okay now, Spike. I’m sorry for worrying you,” she said.
 
“Me? Worried? I… maybe a little,” he said, pulling himself out of the mutual hug to speak to her face. “Did you have a really bad nightmare or something last night? You looked… really disturbed for some reason. Do you want to talk about it?”
 
Okay, now Twilight knew she must have had a bad freak out if Spike was willing to hear about her dreams. “Well…” she said, “I can’t remember the details now, but… basically? Ponyville was destroyed by a giant monster, most of the ponies I knew and loved were dead, and the world was coming to an end.” Seeing a little more worry on his face, she hastily added, “It wasn’t you or anything: the monster was a quadruped.” Now that she was calm and startled awake by her panic, she felt rather silly over what had just happened and blushed a little. “I guess it felt so real that I was shaken by seeing all the happy, smiling faces in my photos.”
 
“Wow. Sounds like a really messed-up nightmare,” Spike said. “Now, how about some of that coffee I made for you? I also made some toasted bagels and blueberry pancakes for break-” However, in mid-sentence, something got caught in his throat, choking him up for a moment before a loud belch of green flame rocketed from his maw, coalescing into a scroll of parchment that Twilight picked up in her magic reflexively.
 
The royal seal on the letter gave away its sender immediately, not to mention only a couple of ponies knew how to use Dragon Fire as a means to contact her. But what could the princess want with her this early (well, for her at least) in the morning?
 
My Faithful Graduate and Trusted Friend,
 
We require the presence of you and Spike in Canterlot immediately. A Royal Chariot is en route as this letter reaches you. Please be prepared for an overnight stay and have Spike bring no more than three of his favourite things.
 
With urgency,
Celestia.
 
Twilight read the letter aloud to Spike, who then smacked his face with the palm of his claw, but she was not paying attention to his reactions. The clarity and composure that Spike gave her mind was erased as suddenly as an ocean swell reduces a sand castle to a heap. Left behind by the tide was a tangled mess of questions, panic, uncertainty, and worst of all, a SEVERE lack of her morning coffee!
 
Before Spike could even utter a syllable, she was off like a rocket; sprinting up the stairs and back into her bedroom, hurriedly pulling book after book off her shelves. Was this a test of some kind? Had a monster escaped from Tartarus and was on the loose? Or, worst of all, was she tardy for an assignment she didn’t know about!? With not even a clue about what was going on, she decided to grab a book from every field of study that could feasibly be relevant, and then some.
 
In less than ten minutes, she had already accumulated at least two dozen books when a heavy knock sounded on the door. “ACK!” she screamed in surprise. “I… I mean, I’m coming!” Picking up the books in her aura of magic, the panicky former student trotted down the stairs to the front door of the library. Standing in the doorway were two white pegasus stallions clad in gold armour with turquoise stars on their chests. “Ah, good morning sirs, just give me a minute and I’ll…”
 
“Sorry, Lady Twilight, but there is no time to delay,” one of the guards cut her off. “Princess Celestia requires you both immediately.”
 
“It’s okay, Twi, I packed breakfast,” Spike side from behind her, carrying a thermos and a basket smelling of the promised meal, and a few other things he was carrying.
 
Smiling gently at her always-prepared assistant, Twilight nodded her head and stepped outside of the library, attaching a hastily-scrawled note to the door before locking it. Running through a quick mental checklist of everything she needed, she, Spike, and her legion of books piled into the back of the royal chariot. With an awkward lurch, the chariot was off and soaring through the sky in a matter of moments.
 
However, Twilight could not enjoy the sensation of flight as her mind was troubled by the myriad of questions buzzing around in her skull. She absent-mindedly grabbed the thermos of hot coffee handed to her by Spike and took a gentle sip of it while she stared straight ahead at the sky. Her thoughts quickly turned to her teacher, her mentor, her mother... figure. Where did that come from? Twilight thought. I mean, she’s always felt like a second mother to me, but… She winced as something forceful seemed to knock on the deep recesses of her mind. Soon, she recalled it was from the dream she had last night; she had felt so safe and warm beside Celestia in it, almost as if she was… but that was absurd! She had a loving mother already; and a father and a sis--brother! Her head shook again as this new thought rattled her mental cage.
 
“Twilight, are you sure that you’re okay?” Spike asked with a slight tinge of worry in his voice.
 
“I… I don’t know, Spike,” she answered reluctantly. “It’s just… that dream was so… vivid and yet vague at the same time. I’m just not sure how to process it. Right now, for example, I could have sworn I had a little sister as opposed to a big brother.”
 
“Huh. That IS weird,” he replied. “But uh… I get dreams like that sometimes too! Like, this one time, I was in the Power Ponies and the bad guy Duke Dark Chocolate had trapped them all in chocolate cages and I could have sworn I smelled it.”
 
Twilight rolled her eyes slightly. “It’s not the same. When you woke up you knew you didn’t actually smell it, right? Well, for me, even now I still feel like my perception on things is skewed.”
 
“Well, you’ve only just woke up,” he said as she took another drink of coffee. “But if it’s really bugging you that much, why don’t you ask Princess Luna when we get to Canterlot? I’m sure after we take care of what Princess Celestia needs, she would be happy to help you out.”
 
She closed her eyes briefly and sighed as Mount Canter swiftly grew larger and larger. As always, Spike was there to be her emotional anchor and closest confidant. She dared not think what her life would have become without him, and so she took a deep breath and relaxed. “You’re right,” she spoke, “It’s useless worrying about dreams when we have something more tangible to worry about instead.”
 
“Yeah, that’s… what?” he started before Twilight pulled up one of the dozen books surrounding them.
 
“It could be a friendship problem in the dragon lands. Oooh, or it could be some sort of diplomatic parley with the insular Yaks of Yakyakistan!”
 
Spike groaned loudly, but Twilight ignored it as she quickly leafed through the books she had brought to prepare herself now that she had a couple cups of coffee in her system. It never hurt to be prepared and by the stars above, Twilight Sparkle was a mare who would be prepared for anything that came her way! She just hoped that she had picked the right books to prepare for anything with!
 

	~*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*~


	 

Touchdown of the royal chariot came far sooner than Twilight had anticipated, not mentioning they were much further from the castle than she imagined for an emergency. Canterlot Castle, and the city that bore its name, were separated by a sheer rock wall that acted as a natural wall between the two with the castle proper overhanging Canter Valley, and the city itself on a more gently sloped portion not visible from Ponyville. Usually, in such situations they would be as close to the castle as possible, but today? Today they had landed on the OTHER side of the natural barrier, on the paved streets of the city. It was not too far from the castle, but it would certainly eat precious time to travel that distance on hoof.
 
“Excuse me, sirs, but why are we stopped so far away from the castle? I thought this was an emergency!” Twilight asked, rather tersely.
 
“Our apologies, Lady Twilight,” the guard to her left spoke, “but Princess Celestia asked us explicitly to land here.”
 
The other guard to her right chimed in, “Airspace was cleared out around the castle today by her decree this morning.”

Far be it from her to question Celestia’s motives, but Twilight was beginning to reconsider the urgency of the letter if she had asked her speedy royal guards to pick her up with all haste only to drop her off a good five minutes’ trot from the castle and through two gatehouses. She stepped off the back of the chariot and opened a rift in space in front of her, placing her books inside the void before quickly shutting it and started down the road at a brisk trot.
 
“Woah,” Spike said, jumping onto her back. “When did you learn how to do that?”
 
She could not help but smile at the awe and wonder in his voice when he asked the question. Smiling, despite no one really seeing it, she spoke, “Well, I’ve known it for a while… at least a couple of years now.”
 
“Funny, I’ve never seen you use it,” he replied. “What book did you learn it from?”
 
“Well, that’s easy, it was…” Try as she might, she could not remember what the name of the book was. In fact, she was having trouble recalling if she even picked up the spell from a book in the first place. Her mind churned as she looked through her memory banks, but came up empty after a few moments. “I… can’t recall actually. I’ll think of it later. Right now, we have to focus!”
 
“Oh, okay. I guess that’s why we’re ignoring Twinkleshine?”
 
“Twinklewho?” Twilight asked before running into the mare in question not a second later.
 
“Hey, watch where you’re… Oh! Hi Twilight,” the mare in question said, turning towards her. “What brings you back to Canterlot so soon?” She was a white unicorn with a soft, pink mane and turquoise eyes, smiling happily to the dumbfounded purple unicorn. All at once, this was a face both familiar and yet very alien to Twilight and the chaos in her brain made her too woozy to comprehend.
 
However, she did not betray her inner turmoil and responded immediately, “Official business; very urgent. I am needed at the castle ASAP!” She smiled back and hoped the odd mare would take the hint and leave her be. But since when had things gone her way this morning?
 
“Oh, well, I’m not busy or anything. Maybe we can have a quick chat while we walk?”
 
“Er, well…”
 
“Sure!” Spike interjected. “I mean, we’re in a little bit of a rush, but we can catch up as we go, right Twi?”
 
“Yeah… sure,” Twilight replied, not exactly sure this was the best course of action. Still, if it got her to this emergency faster, the better in her books. She set off towards the castle once more at a brisk trot; although with her nerves she was ready to break out into a full-tilt gallop at a second’s notice. Unfortunately, the other unicorn was well able to keep pace and converse.
 
“Moondancer’s made some amazing progress since your last visit, Twilight!” the white mare chirped happily. “Why, just the other day, when we went out into the street to play Hoofball, a little colt came up to us. The poor thing was lost, so Moondancer actually calmed him down and not only told him how to get home, but suggested we all go with him to make sure he got there safe!”
 
“Uh-huh,” Twilight said automatically as she ran through a list of spells she might need to perform at a moment’s notice. Unbidden, the image of a unicorn very similar to herself in mannerisms and mane style came to  mind. Was that this Moondancer character the pony mentioned? Again, the name felt so familiar and yet so foreign to her. She shook her head clear of the thought though; her mind was needed here and now, not dwelling on a dream that had shaken her.
 
“Are you okay, Twilight?” Twinkleshine asked, looking at her old friend with worry.
 
“Huh? Oh, yeah… Sorry. I’m just distracted by this urgent and sudden summons and a bit of a bad dream I had last night,” she replied.
 
“Well, maybe you could tell me about it?” the old friend offered.
 
“Sorry. I don’t remember much about it other than… well… I wrote it down in a dream journal. Princess Luna said she’d like to talk to me in dreams, but would rather I be lucid for them, so she sent me some material about it. Actually, it’s a really fascinating process to read about.”
 
“Wow, that sounds really interesting, Twilight!” the white unicorn smiled at her. “I’d love to hear more, but we’re already here. Next time you’re in town, hopefully it’s not an emergency so you can tell us all about this!”
 
Lo and behold, while they were talking, the two mares and young dragon had already covered the distance between the landing zone and the gates of Canterlot Castle. Honestly, Twilight was relieved to finally be rid of this pony, not because she was unpleasant, but because her face kept starting a tug-of-war in her mind between reality and dreams again. “Well, this is my stop. See you around, Twinkleshine. I’m sorry we couldn’t chat much.”
 
“Oh, don’t worry about it! We can catch up later,” she said. “Bye, Spike! so long, Twilight!” With a casual waving of her hoof, she turned around and left them to their devices.
 
“That was a pleasant run-in,” Spike said.
 
“I suppose, but it cost us valuable time in assisting the princess. We can’t delay any longer!” When she was sure that the mare called Twinkleshine was no longer watching, Twilight broke into a full gallop past some puzzled and concerned royal guards, blowing past checkpoints and bridges with wild abandon only the former protégé of the eldest ruling alicorn could afford.
 
Stepping into the castle proper, Twilight and Spike found not the chaos and panic normally there any other time Celestia had called upon her. Instead, there was an unnatural calm suffused with an air of fear and unease, present in the several staff watching her approach. She slowed to a more casual gait as she climbed up the main stairs and past a set of doors at the top that lead into the throne room’s antechamber. As she walked, she could not help but feel like things were different about the castle, and not just the mood of it. Twilight closed her eyes and pushed the thought out of her mind.
 
“What’s with everypony today?” Spike asked, giving her the distraction she needed.
 
Taking a quick look around at the castle ponies, Twilight did, indeed, notice a lot of eyes upon them. But they were not staring at her: she could tell by the looks on their faces. Instead, they were all staring at Spike. Normally, she would attribute this to the fact he was a dragon. Frankly, ponies in Ponyville still stared at him on occasion, but only the new members of castle staff would stare at Spike. Today, almost everypony was.
 
“I don’t know, but it’s a little creepy,” she said as the two crossed into the antechamber.
 
“Good day, Lady Twilight,” the exceptionally rattled secretary greeted. “Princess Celestia is inside waiting for you.” She smiled an uneasy smile like the other ponies in the castle. Even with her limited experience socializing with the castle staff, this immediately sent up red flags. The biggest and reddest of all was the possibility that Celestia was mad at her for something, and suddenly her mind reeled. Was she… tardy… on an assignment after all!?
 
The door into the throne room suddenly loomed over her unlike any time she had to enter it before. Not even the time she accidentally set a desk on fire and got sent to Celestia to explain why there was a fire at her school made her feel so much dread. Still, as much as she did not want to, she had to answer the summons. And so, as soon as she drew close enough, the doors opened before her, aglow with the magic of the two unicorn guards flanking the door from the other side. What she saw there, however, shook her far more than anything else she had experienced since waking that morning.
 
Celestia sat perched upon her throne as regally as ever and with a serious, yet calm expression upon her face. But that was not what had scared Twilight. Sitting beside her mentor and friend was a dragon unlike any other she had ever seen! For one thing, it was not as big as she had seen other dragons, standing only maybe twice as tall as the seated ruler of the sun. Its horns were smoother than those of other dragons she had observed, too, closer to the texture of the alicorn horns, gleaming like opals as they swept low beneath its jaw. What really impressed upon Twilight were the brilliantly shimmering scales of pure bronze, and large, black leather wings that twinkled with points of white, as if stars were within them. The expression on the dragon’s face was one that she could not quite pin down, but if she had to guess, this dragon was the reason why Twilight was here. Had she offended her at some point? She failed to see how that was possible since they had never met. Her head was together enough to be certain of that.
 
Twilight walked closer to the pair cautiously, not noticing Celestia dismissing the guards who let her in, leaving the two mares and two dragons alone together. On her back, she could feel Spike tense up just a little, obviously a bit scared of this dragon as well. She kept her composure as she approached the circle in the centre of the room before the throne. “Princess Celestia,” she said, finally deciding to break the silence. “I’ve come immediately as per your request. May I ask whom we have the pleasure of hosting today?”
 
“You may not!” the dragon roared. Its voice was not as deep as Twilight expected, giving rise to the theory that this dragon was female. “How DARE you enter this chamber and not show your liege her proper respect!? Not only are you a shoddy caretaker, but it seems you are also an irreverent servant!” The dragon growled in the silence as she regarded Twilight. In the pit of her stomach, she had the feeling this dragon had already made up its mind if it liked her or not, and it was clear which it was.
 
“Astrale, I have told you, Twilight Sparkle is my protégé and a very close friend and confidant. She is afforded some levity, is she not?” Celestia spoke on her behalf, serene and regal as always.
 
“I do not care what she is to you, Celestia. To me, she is naught but a fly that I am quite ready to swat.” Acid seemed to ooze with every syllable that she spoke. “I will not suffer how freely she feels she may talk to goddesses. If she TRULY knew her place, she would know mortals are to be seen and not heard!”
 
“I’m… I’m sorry if I offended you, your grace,” Twilight said, adding in a bow to the both of them. “It was not my intention, I assure you.”
 
It was a fool’s hope that prostrating and apologizing would be the solution to the dragon’s foul mood. Given the amount of smoke she snorted out her nostrils after Twilight spoke, she quickly guessed that the gesture failed spectacularly.
 
“Intentions are not unlike fairy tales and myths; they mean little and can be made up on the spot! What matters, pony, is what you DO. Thus far, your actions serve to only condemn you farther,” the dragon named Astrale huffed. “So far, the only favourable action you have done is to bear up the dragon atop your back, which is also the reason why I am here.”
 
“To what do you refer? Um… I’m sorry, I can’t really give you the proper praising if I do not know what, exactly to praise, your grace,” Twilight replied.
 
“Fine,” the dragon snorted. “I am Astrale Stellus Draco de Celestus, Goddess of Stars and Creator of Dragons. You, little pony, are accused of improper care and nurturing of the baby dragon known as Spike.”
 
“What do you mean by ‘improper care’? He has a home, plenty of food, friends and-”
 
“Be silent you stupid pony!” Astrale shouted, slamming her claw onto the ground and nearly cracking the tiles. “Tell me, Spike, what do you know of dragons?”
 
“Um…” Spike faltered, startled by being addressed so suddenly. “Well… they’re uh… they’re big, usually mean, and um… they have bad breath? There’s also a Dragon Code and um…”
 
“Tell me then, Spike, what is the 13th Dragon Code?”
 
“Er… A-always keep your scales clean?” he guessed.
 
“It is worse than I feared,” the Goddess of Stars growled. Her horns glowed in a fire storm as a similar aura engulfed Spike and stole him from Twilight’s back. “This young drake knows absolutely NOTHING about his heritage, his culture, or even his biology!” She leaned down, growing somewhat so that she could put her maw right into Twilight’s face. “You are not fit to raise a dragon. You are a FAILURE!”
 
That word, failure, rang in Twilight’s head, and not just from the volume or proximity of the speaker. In that one word rested a thousand of her darkest fears and thoughts. For a moment, it felt almost as if the dragon was surrounding her, uttering the word from all sides to emphasize the point. But from that, an ember that lay dormant for many years caught tinder and sprung alight. Twilight Sparkle was no failure and she would PROVE it!
 
“Well, I would be able to do a better job if I had access to such things. Ponies know very little about dragons and their cult-”
 
“That is no excuse,” Astrale interrupted. “There is always a way to get such knowledge. You were just too lazy or scared to seek it out! No, no, this will not do at all. How can he survive after she expires like this? I’m afraid he can’t stay here with such an irresponsible pony.” She spoke to Celestia, completely disregarding Twilight and placing Spike at her side.
 
“What do you mean?” Spike said, suddenly looking very scared and confused. “I… I can’t be with Twilight anymore!?” Even from halfway across the room, Twilight could see the tears welling up in his eyes.
 
“Princess, please say something! She wants to take Spike away. You can’t let that happen!” she pleaded.
 
“I’m afraid there is nothing I can do,” Celestia replied with calm stoicism. “Astrale is the Goddess of Stars, Twilight. Believe it or not, the sun in the sky is naught but a very close star. As such, though I am Goddess of the Sun, Astrale is my superior in the realm of the gods. I have no authority in this matter. I am so sorry, Twilight.” Her mask of composure cracked for but the briefest moment to show her regret and sorrow to her student.
 
Several ways to respond crossed Twilight’s mind in that moment, but the only thing she could think of was how unfair this was! Spike had a loving home with her and her friends; how DARE this overgrown bronze lawn ornament come in here like the Foal Protection Services and declare her unfit? If she had the materials and means, of COURSE she would teach him everything about being a dragon. Heck, she would have written a book condensing it all into one handy package! If her mentor could do nothing, she would have to do something about it herself! Summoning her courage and taking a deep breath, she spoke, interrupting a small conversation between the three.
 
“NO! I REFUSE to let you take Spike against his will!” Twilight shouted.
 
“WHAT did you just say, mortal?” Astrale turned, looking at her like a cat eyeing an uppity mouse.
 
“I said I refuse to let you just come barging in here without any knowledge of our relationship and declaring me unfit to raise Spike and take him away!”
 
“You’d deny him knowledge of his heritage? Knowledge of his OWN BODY!? You truly are a disgusting little pony,” the dragon snarled.
 
“Never,” she retorted. “I would never deny anyone knowledge! I do, however, take issue with you taking him away against his will, never to see me or his friends ever again! IF Spike wants to go with you OF HIS OWN ACCORD, I would be more than…more than happy to see him go, even if we’d never meet again.” Tears started welling up in her eyes.
 
The dragoness rolled her eyes. “Like you could do anything to stop me, little pony,” she said.
 
In an instant, two bright, purple flashes filled the throne room, teleporting Spike from Astrale’s side to behind Twilight. Using her magic, she crafted twin swords made of crackling mana and pointed them at the dragon, fire burning in her eyes. “Try me, you overgrown lizard.”
 
“Twilight, you don’t need to do this!” Spike exclaimed, coming around to hug her neck, very obviously afraid. “I… I want to go with Miss Astrale.”
 
Taking a deep breath, Twilight’s horn extinguished, taking the weapons with it. “Okay,” she replied. “I understand.”
 
“BUT,” he added, turning to look at the imposing dragon. “I want to come home when you feel I’ve learned what you want me to learn. Only if you promise that, I’ll go with you without any trouble. Otherwise, you gotta deal with Twilight.”
 
Silence hung in the throne room for a moment. Twilight continued to stare up at the dragon, though out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Celestia watching them both carefully. Time seemed to drag on as the ancient drake pondered on what had just happened, but thankfully she broke the silence sooner rather than later.
 
“Your proposal is acceptable, Spike. Upon my good name, and the stars themselves, you shall be returned to Equestria when and ONLY when I feel you are prepared to. Is this agreeable to you as well, Twilight Sparkle?” The goddess’s eyes seemed to dance as she met the pony’s eyes at last.
 
“If that is what Spike wants, I am behind it one hundred percent,” she answered.
 
“Come along, Spike. There is much that you need to learn and I would like to get started as soon as possible,” Astrale said, gesturing to her side with a claw. Spike looked at her, and then back to Twilight, hesitant to leave.
 
“Well… See you around, Twi,” he said, wrapping his arms around her in a hug which she answered in kind. “Try not to blow up the house or eat your own cooking and die while I’m gone, okay?”
 
“My cooking isn’t that bad!” she replied, somewhat offended. But her face softened and she continued quietly. “Be safe too, okay? I… I don’t know what I would do without you, my number one assistant.” Flaring her horn, she pulled a blanket, book, and a little stuffed dragon that Spike had brought with him out of her holding dimension and gave them to him.
 
“I will. Just you watch, I’ll be home before you know it!” he said, taking his things and walking over to Astrale. “Okay. I’m ready.”
 
“Very well then,” she spoke. “We shall meet again, Celestia, Twilight Sparkle. Goodbye.” Her horns flared with fiery energy once more and erupted into a magical fireball that engulfed both herself and Spike. It shone as brilliantly as the sun in the day sky, making Twilight shield her eyes before, almost as quickly, it shrank and disappeared, leaving not a trace on the alabaster floors.
 
The room was silent as both mares regarded the spot where Astrale and Spike once stood. Everything had happened so fast that Twilight only now began to take stock of what had happened; that Spike was now gone for who knows how long… and that she had threatened not only a goddess, but her mentor’s superior. Suddenly, she began to feel a little weak in the knees.
 
“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia spoke gently, walking over to her from the throne. “It seems you have many more surprises in store for me than I realized. I am very proud of you for sticking to your morals like that.” She leaned in and rested her head upon her back in a quick hug. “I think you made an impression on Astrale as well; not an easy feat at that.”
 
“I can’t believe I just did that,” Twilight spoke after finding her voice. “I threatened a goddess! I threatened your BOSS! I…”
 
A white wingtip pressed itself against her lips assertively. “You insisted that Spike be given a choice and enforced it. That was very admirable of you to stick your neck out like that, regardless of consequence.” The wing gently pressed against her face, indicating that Celestia wanted to go for a stroll. She readily obliged because otherwise she felt ready to faint. “Do not fear for Spike,” she added. “I have known Astrale for millennia now and, if nothing else, she always keeps her word to mortal and god alike. You will see Spike again.”
 
“How long is the only question I have,” Twilight added glumly. “I could be an old mare by the time he gets back.” They left the throne room and took a turn to the left, indicating to her that they were going to Celestia’s office, or her personal chambers.
 
“Spike is a very smart and capable dragon, Twilight. He has you to thank for that. I would say that, whatever Astrale may wish to teach him, he should be finished in no more than a month or two, as, by my recollection, time flows differently where they are going.”
 
Twilight nodded her head, but, for some reason, could not find solace in her words. “I kind of surprised myself back there, actually,” she admitted. “I had this really strange dream last night, you see and I’ve been feeling off all day; like everything I know now used to be different or something and it… It’s nothing.”
 
“Perhaps a chat with Luna later tonight will be of some help in that regard,” Celestia replied. “Her knowledge of dreams and their meanings is second to none.”
 
The two ponies walked for some time down the marble halls of Canterlot in silence together after that brief exchange. Occasionally, a pony would say good morning or hello to her or the princess, and they would reply, but there were no words between them for a while. That is, however, until Twilight recalled an innocuous part of Celestia’s earlier letter, and decided to ask about it.
 
“Princess?” she spoke. “Why is it that you asked me to be prepared for an overnight stay, if my reason for being here was simply to drop off Spike, more or less?” As she asked, they turned a corner and started down the short hall to Celestia’s office. The solar mare was quiet for a little bit, until they were upon the threshold of the door.
 
“Well,” Celestia said, “I had imagined things would become more… intense than they did between you and Astrale. Negotiations wise, preferably. But, one thing I have always admired about my superior is her impeccable timing.”
 
“What do you mean, Princess?” Twilight asked as Celestia used her magic to unlock her office doors.
 
“There is something I have been meaning to do for a while now, and only recently have I had the time to draw up the paperwork to get the process started. My hope was that you would assist me in this endeavour.”
 
“Of course, Princess Celestia!” Twilight smiled. “I’d be glad to help you with anything!” She followed her mentor into her office, unaware of the events that had just been set in motion and how both Equestria and her life would never be the same again.
	

> I - The Millennial Star Shower
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	A light breeze played across the hills and rooftops of Ponyville that day, causing flags to wave proudly and trees to seemingly twist and dance. It was firm, but gentle, sweeping up the clouds that had been trickling rain for the past couple of days and sending them on to the next town over. Summer was but halfway through and, while foals were still out of school for a precious few weeks before returning in the fall, there was one pony that saw no end in sight to her studies, and she relished this challenge.
 
Twilight Sparkle had always been a mare of quiet intellect; it was not uncommon for her to spend days at a time in her tree-library home in rapt study. However, that was usually just for recreation. As of late, the studious pony had become unusually distracted and distant from everypony, be they library patrons or even close friends. Therefore, it was to the surprise of all the ponies on the block when the purple mare opened the door of her home for the first time in several weeks.
 
Twilight sighed as she stepped out into the fresh air. Today was a big day and, busy or not, she was not going to miss it. She shut the door to the library and locked it up tight before taking her first steps out in the world, genuinely enjoying the feeling of soft sunshine upon her somewhat dusty and dirty coat. I really need to schedule a quick bath in for this evening, she thought as she summoned a scroll of paper and quill. Making a quick note to do exactly that, she continued on her way out, at a leisurely pace.
 
She had cooped herself up in her library for far too long, which was saying something if she was the one who felt the need to get out and stretch her legs. Usually, Spike would have been after her long before things had gotten to this point, but… well, he was not here. Twilight sighed quietly as the thought of her assistant passed her mind. Three months prior, he had left with the dragon Astrale (mother of all dragons and Goddess of Stars) in order to find out more about his heritage than Twilight herself could have ever hoped to do before she died.
 
It had not been easy without her number one assistant and oldest friend by her side. Most of her usually untouched stipend had gone into eating out, and she had put on at least a few pounds around her gut as a result. She had tried to save money and cook for herself but, well…even her magical misfires never created anything as vile or tasteless, though she would never admit that to anypony, least of all to herself. So, perhaps, this walk was good for more than just catching some fresh air after all.
 
She did find herself wishing that ponies would not look at her in such a strange way as she passed. Some had looks of shock on their faces; a couple even fled at the sight of her. Checking her reflection in a passing window, she could not see what all the commotion was about. Sure, her mane was a little messy and frayed, but she did not look like some kind of maniac or something. Unless, during her voluntary internment, somepony had started an unfounded rumor or two. Considering the town’s small size and a dearth of interesting news or gossip, she suspected the latter.
 
Twilight frowned as another pony seemed to stare at her when they met on the street. Fine then, she thought acidly, I may as well use this time constructively since no pony wants to talk. She magically summoned the book she had poured so much of her time and thought into for the past couple of months and cracked it open. Calling upon her collegiate ability to read and walk at the same time, she easily navigated the streets of Ponyville with her nose wedged between the pages and did not collide with a single object.
 
Truthfully, Twilight did not actually feel like being social today. Yes, she was on her way to Sugarcube Corner for some snacks for tonight and to say hello to Pinkie Pie, but beyond that, she found she was a little more irritable as of late. Perhaps it was caused by Spike not being there to keep her grounded? Perhaps it was because, even months later, she was still shaken by that dream and constantly questioning reality? Ultimately, those two factors and this topic of study had combined to cause a touch of regression in her friendship progress.
 
As she walked through the town square, she made a quick mental note to make it up to her friends for being so reclusive. Thankfully, she could begin that task tonight, as she had already planned a fun once-in-a-lifetime evening for them already. They had been so patient and understanding with her this past while, what with Spike gone and her research. She genuinely felt bad about leaving them out of it thus far, but a promise was a promise.
 
The smell of gently cooling baked goods wafted across Twilight’s muzzle as she drew closer to that haven of confectionary cuisine. Looking up from her book, she was surprised to find herself already upon the doorstep of Sugarcube Corner. It seemed that her hooves were more eager for this day out than she had thought, so she decided to go in, even if she was here earlier than she had anticipated with her schedule.
 
“… has ta be tonight! She can’t stay cooped up in there with them dusty old… what are y’all starin’ at?” Applejack asked as Twilight stepped into the bakery. Like most other ponies she had seen that day, they all stared at her like she had something on her muzzle (that was not a book). For, sitting at the table, huddled together like they were conspiring, were Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash.
 
“Most likely me,” Twilight replied drily. “I’ve been getting looks like that all day.”
 
Applejack spun around in her seat like a nervous top. “T-Twilight!” she stammered. “Ah… we didn’t expect to see you here today’s all.”
 
“Apparently so,” the librarian said as she strode over to their table.
 
“Good heavens, darling, you look positively afright!” Rarity gasped. “When was the last time you brushed your mane? Or did Spike take care of that for you?”
 
“No, Rarity,” she said curtly before taking a seat at the table, placing the book before her. “I just decided to get a bit of fresh air for a while. I didn’t think my mane was in that bad of a shape.”
 
“Well, I’m sorry, but it is,” the white unicorn replied, pulling a mane brush out of her saddlebags. “Good thing I came prepared!”
 
Twilight took a look around the table and smiled a little as the brush started working its way through her tangled and messy mane. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess you were preparing an intervention,” she said. “I know you care about my well-being, but I assure you all, I am fine.”
 
“As if!” Rainbow said, “You’ve been holed up in your library ever since Spike left! Maybe that would have been fine, like, five years ago when you were new here, but give us a break, Twilight! You’re the be-all-end-all of friendship and you’ve been hiding? That doesn’t seem right to us, right girls?”
 
There was a general nod of consensus from the group and several looks at the book sitting right in front of her. “And when we do visit you, Twilight, you always have that same old book in front of you. It’s… really worrying,” Fluttershy said quietly.
 
“What’s in this thing anyway?” Applejack said, suddenly reaching for it with her hoof.
 
“Wait, don’t!” Twilight called out, but was tackled by Rainbow, as if they had rehearsed this.
 
“What in Celestia’s green Earth is this gobble-de-gook?” the farmer puzzled after opening the covers.
 
“If you’d get… nggh… off of me, I’ll… explain!” Twilight grunted, eventually using her magic to lift the brash pegasus off of her. “It’s encoded, obviously, to keep its dangerous secrets away from any laypony, not that I am insulting any of you or anything, so they won't read and use something they can't handle!”
 
“Dangerous!?” the group exclaimed. Twilight belatedly realized she should have used ‘advanced’ instead of ‘dangerous,’ and now she caused them to panic.
 
“Oooh! It’s a good thing I have my evil book-burning acid upstairs!” Pinkie said, quickly getting up from her seat. Before she could stop her, Twilight could feel the weight of her friend upon her again, pinning her into the seat.
 
“Hurry! I don’t know how long I can hold her!” Rainbow shouted.
 
Have any of them realized that I am not struggling yet? Twilight mused as her rainbow-maned friend kept pressing their bodies together in increasingly embarrassing ways. I guess not. Meanwhile, the others were doing their best to wrap the book up in something, but it was hard to see as Rainbow’s fruity-smelling mane kept being jammed in her face.
 
“ENOUGH!” The mage shouted, casting a spell that made them all (and a few innocent patrons who were watching the spectacle through the window) freeze in place, allowing her to shrug off her friend effortlessly. “Now, listen he-” A loud series of crashes filled the store as a sloshing metal drum bashed its way down the steps leading from the lofts above, eventually crashing into an end table at the bottom of the stairs. Nopony moved a muscle or spoke, mostly because Twilight still held them.
 
“As I was saying…” she said, “If you MUST know, Princess Celestia sent me that book as an ASSIGNMENT! I am supposed to read its contents and decipher them! In fact, she told me quite explicitly that I am being TESTED on how well I can convey the contents to her in a report. Now can you all stop trying to destroy my HOMEWORK!?”
 
With her point made, Twilight released them from their spell. Still, no one moved or made a sound for a moment, save Pinkie Pie who slid down the bannister on her rump, looking a little surprised to say the least. “That one always tingles,” she said after a little giggle.
 
“Twilight, darling, you didn’t need to explode at us like that,” Rarity said.
 
“You were all being irrational with worry and… I’m sorry,” she replied. “I haven’t been feeling like myself lately: what with Spike leaving and those weird dreams I've been having, I'm thrown for a loop.” She sighed and sat down in her chair again, now that Rainbow was back in hers.
 
“Only ‘cause we care about ya, sugarcube. Sorry fer jumpin’ to conclusions like that.”
 
“We thought something awful had happened to you. Like there was some sort of spell on that book.”
 
“Yeah, basically what Fluttershy said,” Pinkie replied, nodding her head before joining them at the table.
 
“May we ask what sort of test this… book is for?” Rarity asked.
 
“Well, the Princess said she wanted to give me some new responsibilities and wanted to make sure I was capable of handling them. Like how that unfinished spell by Starswirl the Bearded was a test to see if I was ready for a position on the Leaflock Magical Council,” Twilight answered.
 
The Magical Council of Equestria, named after its founder Leaflock Shine, was the administrative body of everything to do with magic in the land of Equestria. From setting curriculums for foals to creating magical law, the Leaflock Council (as it was informally known) was responsible for it all. To sit on the council was one of the highest honours a unicorn could ever receive in their lifetime, and one of the highest government offices in the nation.
 
“You’re not on any council, Twilight,” Dash chuckled. “I’d have pulled a prank on you if you made it!”
 
Twilight side eyed her friend, slightly irked by her cavalier attitude. “It’s a for-life position, Rainbow. I’m not on it yet because there are no vacancies.”
 
“Oh,” she replied sheepishly. Well, sheepishly for Rainbow Dash, at least. “Sorry.”
 
“Well,” Rarity said. “If it’s a test from the princess and NOT some kind of magical book that has a curse making you obsess over it until you are a withered husk (as was our working theory), then I suppose everything is all sorted out?” There was a murmur of affirmation from the rest of the group. “However, we are still a little concerned that you are studying so hard, darling.”
 
“Well, if you’re that worried about it,” Twilight said, sliding the book over to Applejack, “You can hold on to it for now. I’ve pretty much deciphered all of it. I just have to refine my notes for the report. Is that okay with you?”
 
“Sure,” Applejack answered. “If yer willin’ ta part with it, it can’t be all bad now, can it?”
 
“So… um…” Fluttershy started at last, checking to make sure no pony had any objections to her change of topic.,“The… The Millennial Star Shower is tonight. Did any of you… um… have any plans for it?”
 
“Is that tonight?” Rarity asked. “Oh dear, we’ve been so busy planning this intervention that it’s completely slipped my mind!”
 
Pinkie gasped, “But it only happens once every thousand years! How could you forget! Thankfully, I’ve… got nothing.” She frowned slightly. “I CAN come up with something by tonight though!”
 
“Don’t worry, girls. I’ve been preparing for it for months now,” Twilight said. “I even looked into how it’s been traditionally celebrated so that we can emulate it to the best of our modern ability! In fact, a part of my excursion outside today was to get the materials needed for a traditional Millennial Star Shower Celebration!”
 
“Awesome! Twilight Sparkle: saving the day… or night… as always!” Rainbow said with a hoof pump of excitement. “Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I have a nap to catch if I wanna be up all night to watch it!” With that, the rainbow-maned athlete was up and out the door, unceremoniously bringing their gathering to an end.
 

~*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*~

 
In no time at all, Celestia’s sun had been replaced by Luna’s moon as the astral dance between the cosmic bodies continued. All that afternoon and into the evening, Twilight Sparkle had gathered everything she needed to make a memorable and traditionally accurate Star Shower party. It was not as easy as she hoped it would be to get everything together on her own, but she had managed it somehow. Still, even after checking and re-checking her checklists, she could not shake the feeling that something was missing as she loaded up a wagon and tugged it towards the door.
 
She had packed the wood blocks, the fine china and silverware, nine bits, her telescope, a stone pot, tinder, wood, and even the beverages. Yet it still did not feel like she had everything, even though she had everything from her list. As she opened up the door, Twilight realized what she was missing… but there was no way it would be coming with her. A sigh crossed her lips as she ventured out into the cool night air.
 
After locking the door to the library, she began her walk through the quiet night time streets of Ponyville, up towards the tallest hill just outside the boundary of the town. Her hoofsteps echoed off the cobbles with every step, bringing just a hint of primordial unease despite how safe she knew her hometown to be. Using her horn, she conjured up a little light… just to see better, and not because she was a little bit scared being alone at night. That would just make her a big frightened filly now, would it not?
 
Finally, cobblestone yielded to the grass, still warm under hoof even long after the sun set below the horizon. The forest of houses thinned to naught but the stray dwelling here or there and the hill she sought began to gently rise from the floor of the valley. Eventually, she could make out the silhouette of her friends against the starry night; a smile crossed her lips as she suddenly felt more at ease. “Hey girls!” she called out to them.
 
They all replied back, but the one that most caught her ear came from Applejack. “Howdy, Twilight!” she called over the greetings of the others.
 
It was a little bit of work cresting the steepest part of the hill all on her own, but Twilight refused any help from her friends due to the aforementioned, though very slight, weight gain. The thought of Spike chiding her for eating improperly during his absence crossed her mind, making her feel slightly guilty for some unknown reason.
 
“That’s quite the assortment of items you have there, darling,” Rarity said, interrupting the train of thought. Using her magic, the fellow unicorn helped her unload the wagon. “I uh… look forward to seeing what we have to do with thi- IS THAT CHAMPAGNE!?” Suddenly, with all the speed of Rainbow Dash and the excitement of Pinkie Pie, Rarity scooped up the bottles from the cart in her own hooves
 
“As well as an assortment of other alcoholic beverages, yes,” Twilight added, barely containing a snigger. “What’s the matter, girls? Timberwolves caught your tongue?”
 
“Since when have YOU, Twilight Sparkle, drunk rum?” Applejack asked, somewhat bewildered.
 
“Well, we’re all sharing, so I figured I would get a little bit of something for everypony,” she explained as Pinkie pulled out the blanket for them to sit on.
 
“I um… I don’t really… drink, Twilight,” Fluttershy said with a blush.
 
“Nor do I, but it’s tradition on the night of the Millennial Star Shower for observers to drink a toast to those in their family unable to be there, living or dead, and to toast to the next one thousand years to come. It’s not like I plan to drink more than that,” the scholar explained. “I just didn’t know what you all liked and was… embarrassed to ask.”
 
“Well… normally I don’t drink anything so the foals watching us don’t get any ideas, but since this is rated for more mature audiences, I can all tell you that I personally prefer rum!” Pinkie giggled, pulling some out of the wagon and popping the cork of a jug. “Thanks for bringing lots, Twi!”
 
Long ago, Twilight had stopped trying to figure out Pinkie Pie for her own sanity. She was almost tempted to write the asylum a pre-emptive greeting card right there and then before she realized it would have all been in vain. “Er… you’re uh… welcome, Pinkie.”
 
“What about the CMC?” Fluttershy asked, pointing out the obvious three fillies with their older sisters and older almost-sister.
 
“Can ah have some, Applejack?”
 
“What’s rum?”
 
“Please let me try some, Rainbow? Please, please, please!?”
 
Twilight tried to offer an awkward smile of apology to her three besieged friends. She should have known the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be present, but she was so caught up in making sure they all followed the Millennia-old tradition that the idea completely escaped her. As they each tried to explain or distract the fillies, Twilight, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie set up the rest of the things needed for the evening together. It was when the older siblings of the group shot her looks that screamed for help that she decided she should intervene.
 
“Sorry girls, but the drinks are for the adults only,” Twilight said bluntly.
 
“Aww,” the three fillies pouted.
 
“However… there is a task that ONLY you three can do, as it’s for children only!”
 
“What is it? Whatever it is, we’ll totally kick it’s flank!” Scootaloo said, little wings buzzing with excitement.
 
“When the shower starts, you three have to take these blocks and clap them together!” She smiled, putting on her best poker face.
 
“Isn’t that just busy work?” Sweetie Belle asked.
 
“Not really. It’s important because, well… musical instruments weren’t all invented the last time the shower happened so… so we need you three to help us when it comes to singing songs!” She kept smiling, making things up at this point. None of the rules said that they could not make up their own traditions since they would all be dead by the time the next one came along.
 
“Ooooh, we can do the Apples Together song!” Applebloom grinned, took a couple of blocks and tapped out a tune. “We’re Apples together, Apples forever, we’re family and so much moooo-ooore…” The fillies then started talking amongst each other excitedly.
 
“Thanks fer the save, Twilight. Even if it were kinda yer fault,” Applejack said as they walked back to the blanket with the others.
 
“No need to thank me for fixing a mistake I made, AJ. I should have remembered they would be here.”
 
“So… What’s all this stuff for anyway, Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked as she reviewed the odd assortment of items remaining in the wagon.
 
“Well…” Twilight trailed off lingeringly, having not had the excuse to give a good lecture for a while. The others realized what Rainbow had done too, judging from the looks upon their faces, but it was too late. She had been bursting to give this lecture to someone for a while now.
 
“The wooden blocks the Crusaders are playing with were traditionally used to scare away any predators from the group, or, failing that, to warn the ponies witnessing the shower that they were in danger. Of course, in our modern times, we do not normally require such protection, so I gave them to the girls so they can make music and feel involved in the proceedings. Singing has been a tradition for many of the showers now, since the first recorded one in Equestria to be precise, so it has precedent.
 
“The china and the silverware are self-explanatory, I feel. It’s a nice night out and we don’t exactly want to be dining on paper plates, so I bought some of these out for the night for something a little sturdier to eat our snacks on. My telescope also has an obvious function, despite not being a part of the tradition itself. The most interesting part of what I brought, however, is the remainder of the items! Apparently, it’s traditional to bring a gold item to the shower, and everyone in the group puts theirs into a stone pot, which is then used to melt the gold down into a single solid mass. Once the shower is over and the gold has cooled, it is buried in the ground as a representation of unity and shared experience between all the parties involved! That’s why some of the older pony settlements have little bits of gold buried underground!”
 
“Um…” Applejack said. “And the uh… alcohol?”
 
“Well, as previously stated, it’s to make a commemorative toast to our relatives unable to be at the ceremony and for the fortunes of ourselves and those of our bloodline until the next shower!” Twilight answered. “That and I think alcohol was the only reliable way to have non-polluted liquids available to rehydrate from all the singing, dancing and just general observation of the night, since the shower goes on for HOURS once it starts.”
 
“Okay, it all makes sense now,” Rarity said. “Did you bring any games, Pinkie?”
 
“Is the capital of Vinland Hellsingsfour?” Pinkie replied.
 
“It… is?” Rarity ventured, a little confused and impressed by her question.
 
The pink mare giggled. “Silly Rarity, it means ‘duh I have games’! Hehehe,” she said, pulling out a board game from her mane. “I have Shanghese Checkers, Connect Six, Battleboatz… How did this Ouija board get in here?”
 
Twilight and her friends, plus the Cutie Mark Crusaders, settled on top of the blanket at the top of the hill. As time went on, the purple unicorn observed many other ponies coming up to join them. Others still journeyed up adjacent hills to watch the shower from. A strong sense of community filled her as she recognized many of the ponies: Derpy and her daughters, the Rich Family, her old friend Lyra Heartstrings and her marefriend Bon Bon… Sure, many more ponies were probably gathering outside of Canterlot right now, her parents likely among them, but here she felt she was surrounded by friends and friendly acquaintances, even if she was missing one.
 
“I wonder if Spike will be watching the shower too,” Rarity said during a lull in the conversation as they all played a game of ‘Bit Domination’. Everypony else seemed to wince as the subject was brought up, and Twilight looked down at the grass for a little bit as she felt a pang of sadness. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she apologized after quickly realizing her mistake. “I didn’t mean to-”
 
“I’m sure he is,” Twilight replied, looking up into the sky with a weary smile. “Wherever he is.” Her thoughts scarcely had any time to imagine Spike on some distant hill or mountain, watching the same sky together when, all of a sudden, a streak ripped across the black velvet of the night sky. “It’s starting, everypony!” she said, sitting up with genuine excitement. Secretly, in the back of her mind, she wished upon that first shooting star that Spike would return to her soon.
 
Although it was slow at first, the number and volume of shooting stars picked up exponentially from there. Within as little as an hour, the sky was blanketed with streaks of light over the gentle embers of the stars. Never in her life had Twilight seen such majesty and beauty in the night sky. Even the Centennial Meteor Shower just a few years ago had nothing on the astral symphony taking place right over her head. She remembered that night well: it was when she first met her pet and faithful night assistant Owlowiscious… and it had also been the night when Rarity gave Spike that gem-studded bowtie, currently tucked under his now vacant basket.
 
Even if she did not turn her head away from the shower, her mind was off elsewhere in the midst of nostalgia. A lot had happened since those early nights in Ponyville. Some of it she remembered quite well… and others, well, she remembered them like they were real, but they may as well have been dreams for all she knew. She took a deep breath and let the anxiety out. It was no good to have another existential crisis here and now and ruin a once-in-many-lifetimes evening.
 
So, she smiled. She smiled despite the sadness and yearning in her heart for her oldest friend. She smiled despite the mess in her head and sometimes not being sure what was real and what was fantasy. She smiled for the moment, to enjoy it to its fullest and not worry about the past or future for a couple of hours. As suddenly as they had entered her mind, just smiling and forgetting her worries helped vacate them from the recesses of her consciousness. Twilight’s mind wandered as the ground and the ponies around her seemed to melt away, wondering what the ponies of Equestria felt the last time these shooting stars were witnessed. Could one of her ancestors have witnessed these stars and wondered the same things as her?
 
Sadly, her musings were cut short as she noticed something… odd. “Hey girls,” she spoke. “Is it just me, or is one of them not really shooting and more… growing?” Looking around, she pointed her friends in the right direction so that they too could look at this odd star.
 
“Tarnation, I think it is, now that ya mention it,” Applejack said.
 
“It… it looks like it’s… it’s coming right at us!” Fluttershy squeaked in mild panic.
 
Sure enough, as she said those words, the star got larger and larger, and the sky glowed brighter with a very faint rumbling sound filling the air. Several other ponies now noticed as well, many of them deciding to flee right then and there. However, by the rate of growth, Twilight knew it was too late, so all she could do was throw up her shield spell around herself and her friends (though she was doubtful of its ability to stop a ton of rock going thrice the speed of sound) and duck!
 
She welded her eyes shut as the hunk of space rock burned towards them at speeds faster than even Rainbow Dash could hope to achieve. Before she knew it, her eyes burned red from the bright light and her ears roared with the howling of the atmosphere creating immense friction on the rock as it hurtled into the ground. But as soon as the deafening sound came, it was gone and replaced by the thundering of the ground as it impacted. Twilight quickly took inventory of her body and her surroundings, and, assuming she was still alive, stood up.
 
The ponies on the other hills were gone, likely already fled to safety from the falling star, and a warm orange glow covered the grass with its source behind them. The rock had passed only a couple hundred meters above their head, or so she estimated, before harmlessly falling into the woods behind them, for when she turned she could see the small fire it caused and a hole cut through the trees.
 
“Oh my goodness!” the yellow Pegasus shouted as she immediately flew over to the scene. “Don’t worry, little squirrels, Fluttershy is coming!”
 
“Rainbow, can you-” Twilight started.
 
“One rain cloud, coming up!” the chromatic Pegasus finished before taking off.
 
“Girls, stay here,” Twilight added to the fillies before she and the others joined the hoof full of other curious ponies going closer to the crash site.
 
Pushing past the debris caused by the felled and charred trees, Twilight and her friends cleared the way for others towards the clearing where the stellar rock fell. The crackle of flames echoed all around them and the grass turned into hardened dirt the closer they drew to ground zero. Fluttershy went from tree to tree, braving fire and scared raccoons as she scooped up every little critter she could, too worried for their safety for her to be scared.
 
When the group finally made its way into the clearing, now a sizable crater, there was a sight nopony had ever nor would ever see again waiting for them. Standing at the bottom of the crater were two figures, one tall and one short. Even in the dark, Twilight could immediately tell who the smaller of the two was, causing her eyes to well up instantly.
 
However, the taller of the two… she had never seen before. It was a deer, or a stag to be specific, who stood as tall as Princess Celestia, or so she made out through the smoke. His coat was a soft brown that, unless her eyes deceived her, grew streaks of white that would suddenly appear and vanish randomly all over his body. Two large antlers sparkled with magic, creating a sphere around them that soon died out, taking the sparkle of his horn with it.
 
“Jeez, Comet!” Spike said, rubbing his backside. “I asked to be taken in close, not to nearly take their heads off!”
 
“Er… Sorry about that. I suppose I brought us in a little closer than I intended,” the stranger replied with a sheepish smile.
 
“Spike!” Twilight cried, ignoring the patches of flame and jumping into the crater, grabbing him and holding him tightly. “I missed you so much! Are you okay? What did you learn? Did Astrale treat you okay? Have you been brushing your teeth and polishing your scales?”
 
“Twilight, stop it! You’re doing that mothering thing again!” Spike whined. There was silence for a moment before he spoke again, knowing she would not let go without answers. “Yes, lots, yes and double yes. Can you let me go now? You’re embarrassing me in front of Rarity,” he muttered at the end.
 
Reluctantly, she acquiesced to his request, blushing slightly still from when he said she was ‘mothering’ him. “So… uh… who’s this?” she asked, looking to the deer.
 
“Oh, this is my friend, Comet Australius! He’s Astrale’s assistant. Comet, this is Twilight Sparkle.”
 
“We are well met, Miss Sparkle,” Comet said, taking her hoof in his and gently kissing it. “Spike has told me a lot about you during his stay with my Mistress and myself. I assure you, it was a most pleasant education. And greetings to the rest of you as well!” he continued, calling over to the girls still on the rim of the crater. “I apologize for the… theatrical entrance, but Spike wished to come home as soon as possible with his education completed, and this was the most… efficient way I could think of.”
 
“Ridin’ on down on a shootin’ star is the first thing that pops into yer noggin!?” Applejack questioned. “Ya ain’t normal, are ya?”
 
“Well observed. You must be Applejack, and you are quite correct,” Comet answered, climbing nimbly out of the crater. Twilight and Spike followed suit with less refinement. “I am the Marquis of Shooting Stars. As such, I would be remiss if my entrance robbed you of the unique joy of watching the Millennial Shower. Perhaps we could return to the hill and, upon its conclusion, discuss this further? I so rarely get to enjoy my work from this angle.”
 
“I… suppose we can, sure. After we clean up this mess,” Twilight said, gesturing to the fallen and burning trees and panicked animals.
 
“Of course, if you will allow me to assist in the clean up,” he said demurely. “And I apologize further for disturbing your animals, Miss Fluttershy,” he added to the busy Pegasus.
 
“As long as you’re sorry… Oh, Mr. Chipmunk, we don’t use branches like that!”
 
And so, the six mares, now joined by the young dragon and demigod deer, cleaned up the burning trees and calmed the panicked animals before returning to the hilltop and sharing the story with the three fillies. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and held her number one assistant, her oldest friend and closest confidant, close to her and smiled wider than she had in months. Her wish had been granted.
 

~*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*~


 

Hours later, the door to the Books and Branches Library opened with a soft magenta aura, swinging gently and silently on its hinges. Twilight Sparkle, with Spike upon her back for the first time in months, stepped inside followed by her friends, the Cutie Mark Crusaders (all fast asleep on the backs of their respective sibling or honorary sibling), and the deer known as Comet Australius.
 
It was a weird feeling she had, being simultaneously exhausted by the long day and yet energized by the return of her number one assistant. Even as the night faded and her namesake started to take hold, Twilight had a million questions buzzing around in her skull, and each was jockeying to be asked first. While unendingly curious to learn more from Spike and Australius, she had restrained herself during the entire night, but that patience was quickly running out.
 
“So tell us, Spike,” Rarity said, beating her to the punch. “Where did you go? What did you learn? We’re all dying to find out!”
 
Twilight smiled as Spike climbed off her back and she caught a glance of his love-smitten expression. Normally, it would have annoyed her, but she was too overjoyed to care. “Well… not much to tell,” he replied. “I mean that literally too. Astrale said to keep the uh… particulars to myself since non-dragons aren’t allowed to know.”
 
“Aww phooey,” Applejack said, softly due to the filly on her back. “You mean you can’t tell us anything?”
 
“Wait a minute,” Twilight spoke, trying not to raise her volume despite her encroaching anger. “Astrale told you that there are some things ponies aren’t allowed to know… after having given me the third degree for not knowing EVERYTHING that I should teach you!?”
 
“Lady Astrale can be a little… contrary,” Comet spoke for the first time since they came back from watching the shower. “However, as you may have observed, she has not much more than contempt for lesser creatures, unless they prove that they are worthy of being taken into consideration. Not out of malice but more out of… well, when one lives for tens of thousands of years, one tends to dismiss mortals rather easily.”
 
“She’s not bad or anything, Twilight,” Spike defended. “Really, she’s pretty nice when you get to know her. She just, um… thinks most ponies make better food then friends? Not that she’s eaten a pony in a long, long time though.”
 
Twilight sighed. “It’s okay, just tell us what you can, okay? I understand,” she replied. But that doesn’t mean I need to like it either, she continued in her head.
 
“Okay, well, uh… It was an island: nice, warm, and tropical, but it was in the middle of this strange sea. There were a lot of gems on it too. In fact,” he said with a little bit of a grin. “She let me bring one back.” Like magic, he produced a jet black gem, speckled with many twinkling points of light and swirling clouds of blue, purple, and green. “It’s a Nebula Gem,” he explained, smiling as he handed it to Rarity. “It’s not magical or anything important, but… it reminded me of you since, even on that island, the only place it grows, it’s a rarity.”
 
“Oh, Spike,” Rarity said, taking the unearthly gemstone from him. “That’s so sweet!” She planted a quick kiss on his cheek, sending the little dragon instantly into the stratosphere. In fact, he literally took off a few feet into the air!
 
“Can you tell us anything you learned, Spike?” Twilight asked.
 
“Huh? Oh, well…” he replied, considering. “Pulling things out of thin air was one of them. Kind of like your holding dimension, actually! I learned a whole lot about how dragons grow and that greed stuff, and I even learned that I will get wings, just not for a couple hundred years, so… that’s something I guess? Still, it’s really weird to be here right now, you know?”
 
“No, we don’t, Spike,” Fluttershy said, doing her best not to sound exhausted.
 
“Oh well… Um… How do I explain it? Uh…” he waffled.
 
“I believe Spike means that he expected you all to be a little older than you actually are,” Comet offered. “Astrale’s island has temporal enchantments upon it, speeding up the flow of time compared to here. The three months here felt more akin to… perhaps a year and a half or two in there.”
 
“Yeah! Like that,” the dragon smiled, yawning slightly.
 
“Well, I can’t keep quiet any longer!” Pinkie shouted and jumped, but instantly deflated when she saw the looks on the big sisters of the group. “Sorry, but I can’t contain my excitement any more! I need to throw a party to celebrate Spike’s homecoming! Can we do it now? Can we, can we, can we!?”
 
“Pinkie,” Twilight said. “It’s five in the morning. We’ve been up all night and I think I speak for everypony when I say that we’re all a little tired. We can have the party tomorrow… er, rather later on in the day, okay? Preferably, I’d like to see us have this party in the evening after we’ve all recovered from tonight, alright?” As if to punctuate her point, Twilight stifled a yawn that had been creeping up on her for a while.
 
“Sadly, regardless of when you decide to throw your soirée,” Comet spoke. “I will be unable to attend. Lady Astrale made it quite clear that I am expected back by the time the sun rises.”
 
“Do you really have to go, Comet?” Spike asked, looking a little sad to see his friend go.
 
“I am afraid so, Spike,” he answered. “It was most pleasurable to make your acquaintances. Alas, this will have to be au revoir. I cannot tell if we'll ever meet again, but I hope I, at least, will see you again, Spike. Now, if you will all excuse me, farewell.” With a casual wave of his strange magic, the deer quietly stepped out of the library and shut the door. The windows beyond flashed for a quick second, signalling that he had returned to whence he had come.
 
Seeing Spike stifle a yawn, Twilight walked over and put a hoof on his shoulder. “I think it’s time that we went to bed, girls. It’s late, even for me,” she said with a hint of a giggle. “It certainly was a memorable night!”
 
With that, the mares said their good nights, leaving Twilight and Spike alone in the library as the last stars in the night sky began to wane. Together they walked up the stairs to her room and, after making their beds, Twilight and Spike slipped under their covers. “I missed you, Twilight,” Spike admitted as Twilight drew the curtains and turned out the light.
 
“I missed you too, Spike. Good night.”
 

~*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*~

 
Deep in the cold darkness of the underground, a pony clothed in robes of crimson opened a pair of heavy wooden doors. Inside was a very Spartan chamber; containing nothing more than six white candles spread out equally on the circumference of a fair-sized runic circle. From the vaulted ceiling, a small candelabra hung no more than two pony heights high off the cold and cracked floors. The walls wept with groundwater, chilling the air slightly in contrast to the warm welcoming room the pony had just left behind.
 
“Galwaf ar y pŵer o hanner nos dywyll. Dangoswch y un a fydd yn lladd y sêr i mi!” the pony droned, in a mystical language.
 
The circle before him glowed with blue energy, snuffing out the candles and the light they brought as the spell activated. The movement of mana and air caused his robes to whip around as if caught in a whirlwind. But the pony himself did not flinch, for though he dreaded making this call, he had a debt that must be repaid. Finally, a shape, obscured by the spell’s design, took form in the center of the circle, though he knew to whom he spoke and bowed.
 
“It is ready, your eminence,” he spoke to the figure. “I have fulfilled my oath to you and plead that my debt be considered repaid in full.”
 
The room was quiet for a torturous moment. “Good,” the figure spoke. “Everything is proceeding as I have foreseen. Alas, my faithful servant, there is just one more task that needs to be done.”
 
The pony’s eyes widened. “S-surely, your grace, you cannot mean that you wish me to-”
 
“I do indeed.”
 
“Bu-but how? When!? I don’t think I’ll be alive the next time she-”
 
The figure held up a vague appendage, and the pony held his tongue. “You will act when the announcement is made, my servant. She shall be there and vulnerable enough for you to complete the task. I have foreseen your success.”
 
“But if I am caught…” the pony trailed off, not daring to say more.
 
“It is not likely that you will be, if you are careful. And if you are caught… you know the penalty.”
 
The pony gulped, steeling his resolve as he struggled to keep on his hooves before the figure. He had come this far, and now he was tasked with completing something millennia in the making? And if he said it was unlikely for him to be caught, he would not be caught. He had not been steered wrong before. “I am honoured to complete your work, your eminence. I shall not fail you.”
 
“I know you shall not,” the figure said before the spell deactivated, leaving the pony in the darkness with naught but his thoughts… and the terrified pumping of his heart in his chest.
	

> II - Reindeer Diplomacy
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The town of Ponyville, while on the fringes of the Everfree Forest, had a reputation for being calm and quiet, basking in the light of its shining neighbour of Canterlot. From afar, one could barely distinguish where the town ended and where the forests and fields around it began. To say it was an idyllic little town would be an understatement, and yet it had given the nation of Equestria so much over the recent years. Above all, however, it was home: a place to feel comfortable and safe.
 
Twilight Sparkle longed to be there. Canterlot Castle had always been a home to her, make no mistake, but for the moment, looking at her new hometown from the windows was about all she could do to find comfort. The mighty white walls and pristine marble floors under her hoof may as well have been made of ice for all the warmth they gave, enough to make her shiver despite not being cold at all.
 
A week and some days had passed since Spike returned from his tutelage under the dragon Astrale, and, true to his word, he had remained mum on a wide breadth of subjects and spoke very little when he did peel the veil back. He had never been one to hide things from her, and now that he was… Well, as Rarity would say, everyone is entitled to keep secrets now and then. There was nothing she could do about it, other than try to not dwell on possibilities.
 
Considering what else was floating around in her mind though, worrying about Spike and his secrets was by far the better option. Why did she ask me to do this? Twilight asked herself for the umpteenth time. I have absolutely zero experience in this field! There are ponies that have been doing this longer than I’ve been alive! So why ask me? It was not normal for her to question her mentor, but in this instance she felt like she had been asked to become a defence lawyer with absolutely no time to study or clue what she was doing.
 
Twilight put a hoof to her head as the analogy strangely caused her head to ache, as was becoming frighteningly more common over the past few days. She had thought of bringing it up with Princess Celestia, but every time she tried, she got cold hooves. How could she complain about something as minor as some headaches when there was more vital work riding on her back!
 
The unmistakable sound of hooves upon the marble floor broke into her quiet reverie. Though not uncommon in this lightly-traveled hall, Twilight found herself tensing every time a guard came by on patrol. She had been there so long that she had compiled a mental schedule of the times where a guard should be passing by. It was necessary for her to not instigate a premature panic attack, or so she rationalized, and calm herself down to avoid a scene. But this time it was worse: the steps were off-schedule!
 
Faster than you could say ‘hayseed’, Twilight Sparkle picked her rump off the floor and teleported into the center of the hall, standing at attention while simultaneously attempting to not be too military or overbearing in stature. First impressions were going to mean everything here and she was not going to fail! Though behind the calm, serene, exterior she attempted to build in homage to her teacher, inside she was already on the cusp of an all-out panic attack.
 
After what felt like an eternity, the source of the noise rounded the corner of the hall. Approaching her from a fair distance was a tall and slender reindeer stag with horns that were about as long as her own, yet as he drew closer she could see that there were little nubs where they would branch further, marking him as a younger adult. His coat was a mixture of brown with white spots, most prominently over his right eye. He stood at Princess Luna’s height, if not just shy of it. A smile flashed across his muzzle as they finally came within speaking distance of one another.
 
“Hyvä päivä sinulle, nimeni on Benta,” the stag spoke with a very slight bow of his head to her.
 
Twilight was stymied for just a second. She had never heard the Vinnish language spoken by a native before! She would have to take notes on inflection while she could… if he was willing, of course. “Hyvä päivä myös sinulle. Olen Twilight Sparkle.” She replied quickly.
 
The reindeer known as Benta smiled at her and replied, “Your accent is off and you’re being a tad too formal but, overall, I must say I am impressed!”
 
Twilight could not help but blush a little at that. “I-I’m sorry. I’ve never spoken Vinnish with a native speaker before.”
 
“Then, perhaps,” he replied as he finally came to a stop in front of her. “I could teach you some more informal phrases.”
 
“I… Yes. I would romance that greatly!” she said, quickly becoming puzzled by the smirk on his face. As she thought on it, her error became evident and she blushed in embarrassment. “I meant LIKE! I would LIKE that greatly!”
 
“I knew what you meant,” Benta laughed and gently nudged her shoulder with a forehoof. The smile and mirth faded from his face though as silence dragged on. “So, your Princess-Queen told us that you were going to accommodate us and give us a tour of your capital city. I suppose we should get started.”
 
The unicorn, however, blinked a little in confusion. Hard as she tried, she could not see anyone but the two of them in the hall. This, naturally, caused her to worry that her Vinnish was rustier than she anticipated. “Us?” she questioned, hoping she was not making a foal of herself.
 
“My father and I,” he replied. He looked over his shoulder as if expecting to see someone there. “Oh for the love of- It would seem my father decided to continue his… warm debate… with your Princess-Queen. He will join us eventually, but by all means, please begin.”
 
“Y-yes, please. Follow me,” Twilight replied, turning around. She then began to walk down the hall and over towards the castle’s entrance where she had things set up to impress the reindeer. Although she had a lot of practice of keeping a calm and collected exterior whenever around politicians and the like, she had never been—nor did she think she would ever be—anywhere near as good at it as her mentor. Throw a wrench into a situation, like one of the delegates being absent, and that façade could crumble quickly as demonstrated by her slight trot.
 
“Speaking exclusively Vinnish to us will not earn you any points,” Benta spoke. “Though I am more of an open mind, my father is far too stubborn for his own good. It does nothing to soothe the sting of your Princess-Queen’s title to our culture.”
 
And here they were at the center of the political shrubbery maze, far sooner than Twilight had anticipated too. Thankfully, she had practiced an answer for this and, while too nervous to improvise, she used it. “I will not deny or defend Princess Celestia’s title of Regent of the Sun’s insult to your god, Hathar. However, having known her for as long as I have, I am certain that she means no harm by it and is just as frustrated at the divide it causes between us as you are by the title saying she claims the sun over your god.”
 
“I understand that,” he continued. “And most of my generation really does not care so much for the gods as previous ones. But there are still many does and stags like my father who take great offence to it. If you wish for our cooperation, I am afraid you will need to get that through the old moose’s thick skull above all else. Besides, her offence goes deeper still than that mere blasphemy.”
 
“What… do you mean?” Twilight asked, thrown off by this piece of information.

“If you are as close as she says you are, and do not know, it speaks greatly of her attitude to our people. I shall dwell on this topic no more,” he replied with such finality that Twilight knew not to press for details. Instead, she decided to file this nugget away for later questioning.

A silent sigh of exasperation passed her lips as the discussion fell away into awkward silence once more. Perhaps, if she could only convince one of them of Equestria’s worthiness, Benta would be the better option. After all, if they impressed him enough, he might know the right buttons to push to bring his father on board with it too! It was a bit of a fool’s gambit, but it was one she knew she had to take in order to assure her mission’s success. Thankfully, she had a secret weapon neither of the reindeer could anticipate. Well… more accurately, five secret weapons.
 
After a final turn of the hall, the pony and reindeer came to the second floor landing of the Entrance Hall. Guards flanked the various doors leading to areas off-limits to visitors and castle staff busily moved from place to place, but in the center stood five distinct hues against the backdrop of the royal purple carpet. It was not until Twilight and Benta started coming down the stairs that they were noticed by them.
 
“There she is! Howdy, Twilight!” Applejack called, waving a hoof eagerly at her. “Who’s the tall glass o’ water with ya?”
 
“Girls,” she replied with a smile. “I would like you to meet Benta. He’s a delegate from the country of Vinland. Benta, nämä ovat ystäväni Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, ja Rainbow Dash.”
 
“Ja, I’m Rainbow Dash alright!” the pegasus said, puffing out her chest proudly.
 
The reindeer chuckled slightly and smiled as he spoke, “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you too.”
 
“Oh, you know Equish?” Twilight said, surprised.
 
“As well as you speak Vinnish, Twilight Sparkle,” he replied with his thick accent. “Maybe little less.”

Finally, the ball was back in her court! She knew her friends would add a factor of randomness to her plans, and that was precisely what she was counting on! How could any pony, never mind any reindeer be able to expect the unexpected? Alone, she would have been far too nervous being polite to be sincere, but with her best friends around, there was nothing that they could not accomplish! A genuine smile crossed her lips as they all chatted up Benta and he replied as best as his Equish would allow.
 
“So this is the princess’s special assignment?” A voice spoke knowingly from the crowd. Snapped away from the group, her eyes focused on the lone dragon in the room. How long he had been standing there for, she had no idea.
 
Without another word, Twilight grabbed the baby dragon into a light hug. “Hi Spike! Sorry, but yes. This was sprung on me rather suddenly,” she apologized, letting him go.
 
He shrugged. “It’s no big deal, Twi. I figured it was for something important like this. Well. That or you went off the deep end agai—”
 
“Hahaha,” Twilight laughed nervously, after—rather forcibly—patting him on the shoulder to cut him off. “Oh, you kidder!”
 
“So what should we do first!?” Pinkie Pie spoke loudly, distracting everyone before attention could be called to Spike’s words. “A party is obviously going to happen, but first maybe we should go out on the town! I suggest going to Party Pete’s Phenomenal Party Palace! It’s kind of like that place with the mouse, but adults can get in without foals around too!”
 
“Well, I suggest that the number one item on the itinerary should be a stop at my Canterlot Boutique! I’ve never had the opportunity to design an ensemble for a reindeer before, and I’d be crazy not to take it! After that, I’ve heard good things about the Cleansing Waters Spa. They were expensive things, yes, but good things nonetheless!” Rarity suggested.
 
“Ah don’t know about y’all, but ah’d rather we go an’ get us somethin’ to eat. It’s lunch time after all, and they only had those itty bitty, really expensive little sandwiches on tha train. Do they have a farmer’s market here, Twi? Ah reckon I could cook up an apple pie fer our honoured guest here.” Applejack added.
 
“Lunch can wait,” Rainbow Dash injected. “The pegasus races at the aerodrome should be our first stop! Who can eat before getting a little blood pumping through their veins? Nothing says excitement around here like the sweet smell of victory!”
 
“Um… We don’t need to do it first but,” Fluttershy spoke. “Maybe we could stop by the Botanical Gardens some time today? I mean… I-if it’s okay with all of you. I just think it might be nice to show off Equestria’s natural beauty.”

“While those all sound very interesting, and some things I would much like to see,” Benta said. “I would actually very much like to know more about Equestrian History? Is there a… how you call it?”
 
“A Museum?” Spike suggested.
 
“Yes! A Museum! I would very much like to go to one first, if it is fine.”
 
Twilight’s eyes sparkled for just a brief second. “Yes! In fact, I had one planned!” Twilight chirped with great enthusiasm.  After she said that, there was a general murmur, which Twilight took to mean that ‘yes, a museum would be the best first stop.’ Except for Rainbow Dash, who just had a glowering expression on her face, but she made no voice of protest.
 
“By all means, lead the way, Twilight,” Benta continued with a smile.
 
Before she could get moving, Twilight was startled by a sudden drop of weight onto her back. Quickly wheeling her head around, she saw the once-familiar sight of Spike sitting there. He had not ridden her since before he left for his tutelage, and thus caught her off-guard. Relaxing instantly, she started towards the front doors of the castle; leading the group out the doors and down the path to the end of the castle walls. However, she could not help but note how weird it felt to have Spike riding on her once again after his absence. She also noticed he had grown a little heavier in that time interval.
 
“Mr. Benta,” Rarity spoke after they passed the castle gates. “Having thought on it a little, I think you would look absolutely dashing in a tuxedo! Not that I mean to push my wares, I would gladly do this for you for free, but I have a feeling the does would be all over you if you went home wearing what I have in mind!” She smiled with her tell-tale “inspired” way.
 
“I’m…” he hesitated, “I’m not sure how well my doefriend would react to the sight of me being followed by other women, Miss Rarity.”
 
If she was deflated by this, nopony would ever know. “Ah! Of course! I should have known a well-to-do deer of your stature would be spoken for. No matter; just imagine the look on her face when you walk through the door shining like a bright, new Makkah!”
 
“You know our currency?” he asked, taking his turn to be surprised.
 
“Oh, I know a few things about every country, darling,” Rarity smiled. “After all, my fashion ambitions are not just limited to Equestria!”
 
Leave it to Rarity to hit on a stallion—er… deer for professional gain, Twilight thought. Still, she had to admire the subtle brilliance in that display of knowledge as, sadly, Equestrian ponies were generally known in the greater world for… being a little ignorant about the cultures of others, and being insulated from outside harm. But that tends to happen when a nation has two literal Goddesses for rulers. Already, she could feel the muscles in her back relax as they strode into the tunnel separating the castle from the city of Canterlot.
 
“Speaking of doors,” Rainbow Dash asked, flying closer to him. “How do you guys manage them with your horns? I mean, they grow to be gigantic, right?”
 
For his part, Benta just chuckled at her brazen attitude. “Our doors are built a little wider than Equestrian doors,” he explained. “And if a deer lives long enough for it to be a problem, he just turns his head a little.”
 
Before she knew it, Twilight and company found themselves at the steps of the Equestrian Museum of Military History. The building was a tall, grey and proud structure inspired by Cloudsdale architecture; built with narrow windows and many more columns than was typical in a pegasus-designed structure, as it was built of granite and other stones rather than clouds. With a casual wave of her magic, the tall oaken double doors yielded to her and gave way to a vaulted ceiling decorated with the night sky and a statue of a stallion clad in Early Equestrian era armour poised for battle set in the middle of the foyer.

A smile crept across her face despite herself at the joy of being here since she had not been in this museum for years now, and they undoubtedly had new exhibitions since then! However, she was not the only one who was excited. A moment before she did it herself, Benta trotted forward to examine the statue in the entrance hall and study it, eyes wide.
 
“Is this accurately scaled up? I certainly hope so! I can’t tell what metal it was made of, but this form and function… superb for the era and for the subject! I can see a weak spot in the barrel, but that’s likely a sacrifice for the sake of mobility and comfort,” he mused in his native tongue.
 
Twilight was just a little surprised by this development, not by the fact that he was interested in the subject (reindeer had a history of being combative with their neighbours), but she had not expected quite this level of enthusiasm. At least, she did not expect this so early on. Maybe this whole venture was not as far-fetched as she thought! “I believe it was Cold Iron; old Earth Pony tribal doctrine claimed it dampened magical effects on the wearer,” she replied.
 
“Ah, right, that makes sense! I can see the sigils carved into the cuffs.”
 
Turning to look at her friends, she could see they were lost, but she shot them a knowing smile and gently got the enthusiastic young stag’s attention. “Perhaps we should do a self tour then?” she asked.
 
“Ah. Yes, that sounds good,” Benta replied, clearing his throat. “Please, lead on, Miss Twilight.”
 
Armed with the knowledge that he was a connoisseur of armour, Twilight gently lead the group over towards the “Gleaming Shields” exhibition, which contained not only shields, but armour and weaponry from the pre-classical era. In her more reclusive past life, or so it felt, she had visited this museum (among the many others Canterlot housed) enough times to know the layout by heart and recall the history of a majority of the pieces in each permanent exhibit. Of course, there were new pieces added since the last time she visited, so for those she simply read off the plaque or poster if she had not done independent research on an item at one time or another.
 
Even though she was in what her friends teased as “Lecture Mode,” said friends were doing their best to at least pretend to be interested, excluding Pinkie, of course, but even their attentions were waning thin. Rainbow Dash had already started finding high places in each room to perch on. If Benta noticed any of this though, he sure as hay was not letting on as not only was he paying rapt attention to her, but asking questions! No one had ever asked follow-up questions during her lectures before!
 
“How do you know this set belonged to Errant Blade the Gallant?” he posed after looking at the armour on their way to the next exhibit. It was simply labeled ‘An Earth Kingdom Hero’s Armour’ on the plaque.
 
“It’s written on the lapel of the chest plate,” she replied matter-of-factually.
 
“Really? ‘Cause all I saw was a bunch of squiggles.” Pinkie puzzled.
 
“It’s not squiggles, it’s just Old Equish. Honestly, does no pony in this museum even know Old Equish?” Twilight answered, rolling her eyes in mild annoyance at the oversight. One would think they’d have experts of this sort of thing to prevent such glaring errors.
 
“How many languages do ya reckon you know?” she heard Applejack ask. “An’ why in the wide world of apples do ya need to know Old Equish? Regular Equish works just fine!”
 
Twilight sighed gently. No one seemed to get it. “Okay, first, it’s called Modern Equish, AJ. Secondly, while there is no benefit to most ponies knowing it, in the field of academia, the more old languages you know, the better. I know six languages, with varying degrees of fluidity.”
 
“I never took you for a linguist, Twilight. I thought you were more into… theory and magical studies,” Rarity said. “Parlez vous en prancais?”
 
“Oui mademoiselle,” Twilight replied. “My goal was to know seven by the time I turned twenty, but I could never decide between Shanghese for the utility or Neighponese for the manga, and then Nightmare Moon happened and I got too distracted so I never made it.”
 
“I never knew you liked Ponaime too!” Pinkie Pie shouted with glee.
 
“What in the hay bale is ‘Ponaime’!?”
 
“I think she means ‘anime’, Applejack.” Fluttershy spoke for the first time since leaving the castle.
 
“Why did she call it that then?”
 
“Because we’re ponies and everything needs to be a pun on pony or horse-related names! Ha-duuuh!” Pinkie offered, emerging between Rarity and Fluttershy.
 
The room went silent as soon as they heard a sound not too unlike a pony wheezing. Benta was doubled over a few paces behind the group, struggling with something. “I’m sorry,” he said before chuckling a little. “Is just you two,” he gestured between Pinkie and Applejack, “remind me of my doefriend and my sister is all.” Collecting himself, he caught up to the group. “Apologies, Miss Twilight. Please, continue. Though, I must ask… what languages do you know?”
 
“Oh, uh… well,” Twilight pondered a bit before continuing on to the next exhibit. No one had ever asked that before. “Obviously you know that I understand Vinnish, Equish, Old Equish—though I count that more as a side-language than one in its own right—and Prench. What hasn't come up, however, are Germane, Zebaran, and Polyneighsion.”
 
“Why do you know Polyneigh—” Rainbow started before catching herself. “Actually… I don’t want to know.”
 
“Um… Twilight?” Spike said, still sitting upon her back. He had not spoken in a while, so she almost forgot he was there, much to her embarrassment. “When did you have the TIME to learn all these languages again?” he finished, a tinge of concern in his voice.
 
“It was my hobby for a while, remember? Whenever I hit a wall in my magical studies, I’d try to learn a language to see if I could get inspiration in their texts?”
 
“No…” he trailed.
 
“Huh. Well… maybe I did it when you were sleeping?” she offered.
 
“Maybe,” he replied, though he did not sound too convinced by her answer.
 
About two hours and a few exhibits later, Twilight was finally on the cusp of the one she wanted to see the most: the one that may help Benta convince his father into giving Equestria a chance! The group passed under a sign of brass and white-painted wood that read ‘Hall of the Grand Arcanum’. Within the room were strange magical devices, depictions of dragons among other monsters of all sorts, models of battlefields, and a plethora of swords mounted on the walls. This had to be her favourite exhibit in the whole museum, if not one of her all-time favourites!
 
The vaulted ceiling above them was enchanted to show the night sky, even in the middle of the day!  Even as a grown mare, looking up at it made Twilight feel just a little bit giddy and amazed at the feats that magic could accomplish. Not a minute into her lecture on one of the objects held in the room (a lunar clock developed by Clover the Clever herself), she found herself cut off mid-sentence. Unnoticed by her, the group had split up to look at different things, leaving only her, Benta, Applejack and Rainbow Dash close at hoof.
 
“Sorry ta disturb ya, Twi,” Applejack apologized, “but what, exactly, is a ‘Grand Arcanum’ anyway?”
 
“Oh, for the love of-” Rainbow Dash, of all ponies, started. “Even I know what a Grand Arcanum is, AJ!”
 
“Well then, what is it?”
 
Rainbow rolled her eyes, landing on the ground. “The Grand Arcanum was basically the most dangerous, bad-ass warrior unicorn of their generation! Before Equestria, anypony who was anypony knew not to mess with the unicorns too badly or else suffer the Grand Arcanum’s wrath! It’s what prevented all-out war with the unicorns for centuries!”
 
“Rainbow, I…” Twilight struggled for words. “I’m really impressed! I didn’t know you were interested in Pre-classical Era history!”
 
“Only the interesting bits, Twi,” she said simply. “Like the tale of Indigo Daze stopping an entire army of griffons with a single spell.”
 
“Ah still don’t see what all the fuss is about,” Applejack continued. “Yeah, they sound like impressive warriors, but fightin’ ain’t everything, and it don’t happen often no more.”
 
“Well, Rainbow Dash was only half right,” Twilight continued.
 
“What did I get wrong?” she asked, furrowing her brow.
 
“It’s true that the Grand Arcana, as is the plural form, were generally powerful and capable warlocks, but it’s not true that all of them were feared for that prowess. In fact, most of them were scholarly folk first and war-capable ponies second. Starswirl the Bearded and Clover the Clever are the first examples that spring to mind. In fact, there were no recorded circumstances of Starswirl ever wielding ‘Nocte Volu’, his Vorpal Sword, in battle.” She gestured to one of the myriad of swords hung against the wall. This one in particular was made almost entirely of shimmering silver, with a simple t-shaped cross guard with a purple hexagonal diamond in the centre.
 
“Woah! Is that really-?” Rainbow Dash started, staring at it.
 
“Of course not, Rainbow; it’s just a replica. The real Nocte Volu was destroyed when Starswirl the Bearded passed.”
 
“Oh,” she replied.
 
“So… these were all their swords then?” Applejack asked, gesturing at the plethora of replica swords on the wall. “An why was Starswirl’s destroyed anyhow?”
 
“I dunno,” Rainbow replied. “They didn’t want anypony to get their hooves on their cool-looking weapons?”
 
“Huh,” Twilight said. “I thought a pony as big into history as you would know what a Vorpal Sword is, Rainbow,” she teased.
 
“I said I was only interested in the good bits,” she retorted with a slight pout.
 
“Then you missed out on the best part! A Vorpal Blade is said to be the most powerful form of magical weapon to ever appear. They’re so sharp and magical that cutting through dense materials such as lead is less than foal’s play. Even pure Adamantine is nothing to one! But it’s also for that reason why ONLY the Grand Arcanum can wield one and why, upon one’s passing, it is destroyed.”
 
“They also have to be extremely well-crafted,” Benta added. “Is a very grim fate and ill omen for a Vorpal to be broken.”
 
“Why is that, exactly?” Spike asked as he walked over to them, drawn by the lack of lecturing, most likely.
 
Both the reindeer and the mare shrugged before answering “I don’t know” simultaneously.
 
Twilight was not surprised by the looks on her friend’s faces at that confession. It was not every day that Twilight Sparkle said she had no idea about a particular question. Usually, she’d offer theories that somehow turned out to be correct, as if by magic or suspicious convenience, but in this instance she genuinely had no clue, and there were no sources available to even hint at an explanation. So, she resorted to her backup plan and decided to at least offer an explanation as to why she could not find anything.
 
“It is said that once upon a time there were many Vorpal Blades. But their overabundance lead to a cataclysm of some nature, and thus all knowledge of their creation was lost for millennia until the institution of the Grand Arcanum,” Twilight explained.
 
She knew this would have little effect, but at least it added context to the predicament, and that, at least, satisfied her. So, with that bit of exposition over, Twilight decided to lead them over to another artifact to talk about it at length. Just as she opened her mouth, her stomach committed high treason against her, and verbally protested as it had not been satisfied with just toast for breakfast.
 
“I think, perhaps,” Benta said, “it is time for lunch?”
 

~*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*/\/\/\*~

 
After spending the morning in just the one museum, it was decided by the group that their minds were now suitably heavier than when they started, and that it would be best that they stop for the day. Though the scholarly mare was remiss to do so, she did not want to displease the reindeer she was supposed to entertain and thus acquiesced. After lunch, they stopped at various other sites in the city that her friends wanted to go: they caught an afternoon race, took a leisurely stroll through the botanical gardens and the farmer’s market, and then stopped at Rarity’s store where Benta exited with a dapper custom-tailored suit in a bag—free of charge—by Rarity’s insistence.
 
With the sky slowly turning amber and the lights of the city beginning to come to life before the break of twilight, the group decided they were too tired to carry on. Canterlot Castle stood before them as they walked the path between the exit of the tunnel and the drawbridge; the smell of wild flowers and the sound of falling water wafted gently past. Though they were near the precipice of a cliff, it always amazed Twilight how the Outer Gardens felt so calm and safe. The peace was only disturbed by the occasional snore of Spike, who passed out some time ago (she chalked it up to him still re-adjusting from the time dilation), and the sounds of her friends chattering among themselves and with Benta, on occasion.
 
“If nothing else, you mares know how to make things interesting,” she heard Benta say when she decided to tune into the conversation.
 
“Well… It’s um… not every day you… you meet a reindeer and they’re so friendly. N-not that reindeer aren’t friendly or anything! Oh my…”
 
He snorted in amusement, or at least Twilight hoped. “Is okay, Miss Fluttershy. No offence taken.”
 
“Let me just say, if yer ever in mah neck o’ the woods, yer more than welcome at Sweet Apple Acres, Benta. Ya seem like a stand-up stag,” Applejack offered. “Er… ya’ll DO call guys stags, right?”
 
“Not really, no. Translated to Equish, males are bulls, females are cows,” he explained. “But I liked your… how you say?”
 
“Alkusointu, alliteration,” Twilight offered.
 
“Ah, yes! I like your alliteration, Miss Applejack.”
 
In the course of the exchange, the group had crossed the bridge into the castle proper. Normally there would be a checkpoint, but when one was the student of the senior princess and also a multiple time hero of the realm, checkpoints were... superfluous. She did sometimes wish they would at least ask her a couple of questions, in case she was actually a changeling or something. However, seeing the front doors of the main building reminded her of something: she still had to play nice with another reindeer she had yet to meet.
 
The guards, seeing their approach, opened the doors to let the heroic mares into the castle; but what they revealed was something Twilight dreaded. Standing there impatiently in the middle of the hall, was an aged reindeer bull at least a head shorter than Celestia; but his huge antlers made him look nearly half-over her height! His coat, still brown and splotched with white, was faded and blurred with age, and the dour expression he wore on his face told her he was going to be as difficult to sway as she had feared.
 
“Finally, you’re done gallivanting with those stupid ponies,” he said bitterly to the younger reindeer.
 
“Hello father. I was hoping you would have joined us during the course of the day. Miss Sparkle here was showing me around their mus—” Benta replied.
 
“I do not care! I have better things to do with my time than pretend to be friendly with filthy equines. This whole thing was a waste of time. I don’t know why we even came here.”
 
Okay, maybe things were worse than Twilight had feared.
 
“Because grandfather said if you did not at least consider this offer, he would disown you?” Benta replied with a very slight, youthful smirk. “Also, Miss Sparkle here can understand every single word you’re saying.” Twilight blushed slightly when he gestured to her and brought her into it.
 
“Like I care,” the grouchy bull growled.
 
“Twilight, ladies, this is my father, Duomis,” Benta introduced. “He is… uh… cranky. Also, he speaks no Equish.”
 
“What are you saying about me, you insolent little runt!?” Doumis said, confirming what his son had just revealed.
 
“Nothing they couldn’t guess, father,” Benta replied.
 
Throwing caution to the wind for this one instance, Twilight decided to at least be civil and make a proper introduction for herself and her friends. Obviously he was pulling the reins here, so she would tolerate this grumpy old reindeer as best she could. “Greetings to you, Mister Duomis,” she started with a bow of her head. “I am Twilight Sparkle, and these are my frien—”
 
“I do not care who you or those other Technicolor twats are,” he replied venomously. “Tell your ‘friends’ that I think they are all…”
 
Twilight had never been exposed to Vinnish cursing before this moment. She was now receiving a crash course in the subject. As he ranted, she could feel her ears fold backwards in desperation to be spared the onslaught of filth and vile spewing from his aged mouth. Looking to Benta, she could see even he was a little surprised by this explosion, if not repulsed in a quiet familiar manner.
 
“… So, in summary, they can all sit on the pointed ends of a fence!” Doumis finished.
 
“What did he say, Twilight?” Rarity ventured cautiously.
 
She was quiet for a minute as her mind raced to put a positive spin on the foulness to which she had just been exposed. “Cranky… may be an understatement,” she said with resignation.
 
Before anything else could be said, a member of the castle staff approached the group, clearing his throat loudly. “Ahem. Her Grand Royal Highness, Princess Celestia Corona, hereby formally invites Master Doumis, Master Benta, Master Spike, Lady Twilight Sparkle, Miss Fluttershy, Miss Rainbow Dash, Miss Rarity, Miss Applejack and Miss Pinkie Pie to dine in the Royal Dining Room. Please, follow me, sirs and ladies.”
 
Dutifully, Twilight and her friends followed behind the herald, while Benta and his father were a little slower to answer the invitation. “Ugh, finally,” said the sleepy voice of the baby dragon upon her back. “I’m starving! There’s nothing like a good nap to work up an appetite!”
 
Rolling her eyes and giggling very quietly, Twilight replied, “I’ll defer to your expertise on that matter, Spike.”
 
In no time at all, the group were upon the ornate oaken doors and stock-still guards leading into the Royal Dining Room; it was one of the more exclusive rooms in the castle, as it was the place where the Princesses Celestia and Luna ate their meals every day. The doors’ façade told the tale of the unification of Equestria in carved splendor with the different tribes of ponies at the extremities, and one pony of each tribe in the middle. Tours through the castle would pass the doors, if only for their craftsmanship.
 
As soon as they were in sight, the twin doors gave way with a very slight creak, betraying a small want of oil in the hinges. A couple of the girls behind her (mostly Rarity) vocalized awe at the sight that they beheld. The dining room was light with gleaming walls of alabaster and floors of marble, with delicate veins of emerald-like cracks in the otherwise flawless surface. The table was long and intricately carved mahogany decorated with several bouquets of flowers. Eleven firm, yet softly cushioned, chairs surrounded the table, inviting them to rest their flanks upon them. Twilight could have sworn that there were not supposed to be windows on the west wall (something about an assassination attempt during the Lunar Rebellion that the princess never elaborated on), but there they were, standing proud and tall. She decided it best not to dwell, lest she make her head hurt again.
 
Naturally, seated at the head of the table was Princess Celestia in all her radiant glory, though Twilight caught just a very brief and uncertain wariness in her composure. On her right-hoofed side was Princess Luna, almost as regal as her sister, save the expression on her face that Twilight knew all too well as ‘the first pony to bother me before my coffee dies’. Sure enough, as they filed in to their seats, a scared-looking servant dropped off a platter with a mug and pitcher of coffee for her and backed off just as quickly.
 
“Mr. Benta,” Celestia spoke. “If you would please, I have reserved these two seats here for you and your father.” She gestured to the two closest seats on her left.
 
“What did that hag say!?” Doumis grumbled as Twilight deftly chose the seat beside Luna while Spike chose the seat beside her.
 
“She wants us to sit in those two seats for ease of conversation, father,” the younger reindeer translated.
 
Doumis simply continued to grumble as he sat in the second seat away from Celestia as Benta took the one between them. To Twilight’s surprise, they both offered Luna a small bow of their heads; a gesture they did not offer Celestia whatsoever. “Hail, returned Princess of the Moon,” Benta said after taking his seat.
 
Looking to her side, she could see Luna taking a moment, possibly to filter the greeting through her coffee. “We are well met, Mister Doumis and Mister Benta.”
 
Huh, Twilight thought as she noticed her friends taking their own seats and getting settled in. I guess I’m not the only pony here to know Vinnish. Mercifully, there was not much to be said as unicorn waiters appeared from a set of doors behind her, bearing literal silver platters laden with food that, upon revelation, Twilight knew to be a traditional appetizer enjoyed by reindeer. Of course, she knew their guests would not be surprised by this as it was a common diplomatic gesture, according to her research.
 
“Ooo! Berries!” Pinkie exclaimed before jamming her muzzle into the plate.
 
“Pinkie Pie! This is the Royal Dining Room! Please, try to show some sense of decorum and, most of all, table manners! We do have esteemed guests, after all.”
  
“Sorry, Rarity,” Pinkie giggled nervously. “I was just trying to lighten the mood a little, especially for Mr.Grumpy-Pants over there.”
 
“Reindeer, typically, do not wear pants, Pinkie Pie,” Luna said after polishing off the entire pitcher of coffee, already looking far more alive than just a few minutes prior. “Their fur is too thick to necessitate clothing.”
 
“What are they neighing about now!?”
 
“Pants, father. Calm down.”
 
“What the aurora are they talking about pants for!?”
 
“So, Mister Benta,” Celestia said calmly, yet assertively. “I am curious to know what you and my alumna and her friends did during the day.”
 
“Oh,” he replied, shrugging slightly before he answered. “We went to a museum in the city, and lunch at one of your rest-your-ants. Then we saw Wonderbolt Races, went through gardens and then I got new suit from Care-a-sail Boutique. All-in-all, it was a very pedestrian and wholesome experience.”
 
Twilight was surprised to hear this, and not in a good way. He made it sound like she bored him out of his mind when, in fact, she could tell he had as much fun as she did! Perhaps he was just being partisan and did not want to show his father that he was warming up to them? If there was one thing that irked her, it was ponies (or other creatures) who tried to play both sides of an argument. Something told her that, as weird as it was to think, she could get away with mouthing off to a dragon goddess but not to a pair of reindeer.
 
“Well, I hope you enjoyed yourself all the same,” Celestia replied.
 
“Oh yes, it was a very eventful experience.”
 
Before she knew it, everypony had finished their appetizers and the plates were whisked away by many different hues of magic as the waiters moved on to the main course. As usual for large groups, a few different conversations had sprung up but Twilight remained silent. How could she converse when she had so much to think about? Had the museum trip been a good idea? Did Benta just humor her while being bored out of his skull!? What was she even doing? She was no diplomat! She was not even that good a hostess half the time! The only thing stopping a full-out panic attack was the presence of her mentor and her occasional smiling glance at her.
 
Mercifully, dessert arrived shortly before the last of her fragile nerves splintered. In retrospect, the only thing she could recall about the meal was its rich taste and bold presentation; all else was washed away as her mind reeled to try and salvage her assignment. Doumis hates ponies on principle it would seem, meaning he is likely very religious and takes great offence to Celestia. Why couldn’t I find that book on Seku-… Suko-… whatever the hay they call it!? Maybe then I could come up with some theological points and counterarguments but as it stands now, with him at the reins, there is no way in Tartarus he’ll ever agree!
 
Twilight nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt the soft touch of feathers upon her back. She looked around quickly to see that Princess Luna had outstretched her wing. “My apologies, Twilight Sparkle; I was merely stretching my wings after a long day’s slumber.” Princess Luna said before Twilight could get anything out. She was almost certain it was a lie, but she nodded her head gently in understanding as the wing retreated back to the lunar mare’s side.
 
“You know, Mister Doumis,” Rarity ventured once the desserts were consumed. “Your son looks absolutely fetching in a tuxedo. I bet you would look just as dapper. I know you don’t wear clothes as often as ponies, but I am willing to compensate for your fuller coat.”
 
“What is that bordello dweller talking to me for? As if I would ever associate with someone of her filth!” Doumis spat.
 
Before Twilight could open her mouth to retort, she was silenced by Luna speaking. “I shall translate if anypony wishes to talk to our… esteemed guest.” She then turned to the older reindeer and translated for her faithfully to tone and content. The same could not be said, however, for his reply.
 
“Tell that working mare I’d rather roll in moose shit than wear her filthy, needless cloth and that if she wants to impress me, she should shut her neighing trap and suck on my b-”
 
Twilight decided not to pay attention to him anymore. He was succeeding in trying to get her angry and mouth off at him. Instead, she decided to bore holes into her plate while the insults kept coming.
 
“My goodness, it certainly seems to take a long while to say things in Vinnish,” Rarity spoke, as the reply had turned into a full-on rant.
 
“He’s meandered from the topic, but in short, he’s declining your offer,” Princess Luna paraphrased.
 
Benta, meanwhile, hunched over the table with his shoulders visibly tensed and with a strange look on his face halfway between offence and resignation. For all the scholarly unicorn knew, he was either ready to tell his father off, or chide Pinkie Pie, whom had started juggling balls of tofu; possibly in an attempt to distract or placate the ornery bull.
 
“Why don’t you like ponies?” She asked while balancing another tofu ball on her muzzle for a moment before eating it. “I get you not liking Princess Celestia on account of the whole ‘blasphemy’ thing, but you’re being way too grumpy and biased to do anyone any good.”
 
If Twilight had thought she heard Doumis at his worst, she was woefully mistaken once Luna translated for him. He launched into another tirade so profane and hateful that even Luna blanched a little. “Father!” Twilight heard Benta exclaim at a few of the more venomous comments. At the end of the tirade, Doumis slammed his forehooves down on the table, shaking the entire length. A tense silence hung over the air as even Princess Celestia could tell a nerve had been struck.
 
“So… to summarize,” Luna began carefully. “Mister Doumis” she seethed just a tiny bit, “feels that ponies in general are self-interested with no respect or tolerance for outside cultures or opinions.”
 
To say she glossed over some details would be to say that Cloudsdale hovered a few feet off the ground. In between the rant and expletives that Twilight did not dare repeat even in her mind, he painted the most exaggerated viewpoint on Equestrian culture she had even seen. In his mind, they were all saccharine pastel-coloured and dull creatures who obeyed an obvious swindler and con artist. If it were not so filth-ridden it would have been a respectable opinion that could be debated, but the emotion and vulgarity of it told her any attempts at civil discussion would be met with a hoof to the face, in more ways than one.
 
At least things could not get much worse, or so Twilight hoped. Applejack, on the same side, but the opposite end of the table from Doumis, looked far more interested in the stained glass windows and carved reliefs on the walls than in the present conversation. Rarity and Pinkie looked, well, not satisfied with their answers, but also not willing to risk another explosive rant. Spike, at the extreme opposite end of the table, meanwhile, looked more concerned with his ice cream.
 
“Um… Benta?” Fluttershy spoke. Twilight blinked. Until then, Fluttershy had been sitting in the corner doing such an impressive impression of a fern that she nearly forgot she was there! “Could you tell me more about the Snow Bears you have up there in Vinland? If you don’t mind, that is.”
 
“Sure, I’d be delighted to. You see, Snow Bea-”
 
“What does the yellow twig want?” Doumis interrupted.
 
“Not everything being said is to you, father.”
 
“Like Tartarus it’s not! Or did you forget your place, BOY?” He delivered a sharp smack of his hoof against his son’s cheek. “Now sit your rear down and tell that freak exactly what I say! No offence, Princess, but I don’t appreciate you softening my blows!”
 
Twilight sat up straighter in her chair. “Mister Domuis, Princess Luna has been faithfully relaying the spirit of your messages, if not their actual con—”
 
“Shut your trap! You’re just like my son; opinionated, know-it-all twit who doesn’t know how the world REALLY works outside of your insulated incestuous community!”
 
“Okay, that does it!” Rainbow Dash shouted, getting up from her chair to hover in front of the grouchy reindeer. “I know you can’t understand me, and I can’t understand you, but your tone? It stinks. And I’m tired of you abusing a language barrier to say whatever the buck you want and get away with it! So tell me, exactly what your dad is saying and I may not kick his flank.”
 
“Rainbow Dash,” Princess Celestia said gently, yet firmly, standing up. “Please, do not antagonize our guest.”
 
To Twilight’s horror, Benta translated what Rainbow said completely. She sunk back in her chair. Whatever hope there was to improve relations with the reindeer evaporated in an instant. A dark deep recess of her mind whispered the best idea would be to strangle her friend and throw her out the window for her tactlessness, but it was a whisper drowned in a sea of little Twilights running around in her brain screaming in horror and frustration as they rooted around looking for some way to salvage this situation.
 
Benta stood up as Doumis finished talking; Twilight was not paying attention, so all she could do was listen to the translation. “These are my father’s words; not mine,” he prefaced. “Ever since I got here, you namby-pamby ponies have done nothing but try to sell yourselves to us like does in heat. Yes, I am a cranky old bastard and yes, I don’t like ponies one bit, but none of you have done anything to change that. Not with your showing my doe-eyed son trinkets, or with you trying to flatter and soothe me. In fact, the only one of you to be honest with me is the blue lesbian pony. I think I have seen enough. Good night.”
 
“I-I’m not a—” Rainbow started to protest, but as soon as she spoke, both reindeer got up from their seats and exited the room soundlessly. Nopony moved or made a sound until the door slammed shut.
 
“I’m sorry, Princess!” Twilight spoke, fighting back tears welling up in her eyes. “This is all my fault! I should have tried harder! I should have known better! I should have—I should have…”
 
Perhaps it was because she could see that Twilight was on the verge of tears, but nonetheless Celestia offered her an apologetic smile. “You did the best you could, Twilight Sparkle.”
 
“But! But I probably set back relations with Vinland a century in one night! I should have known better that they’d be sensitive to honesty and—”
 
“I believe, Twilight,” she interrupted, “there may have been a miscommunication here.”
 
“What do you mean, Princess?” Spike asked, with his bowl of ice cream now empty.
 
“Doumis and Benta are not diplomats; otherwise I would have asked a diplomat to try and make them feel at home. They’re blacksmiths I wanted to hire to make the Vorpal Sword for the new Grand Arcanum my sister and I are going to appoint. Ideally, we wanted them to make it, but we do have a backup who has already accepted in case they were not willing.”
 
The world spun as the words sunk into her fatigued and panic-stricken brain. The fires were out and the Twilights were no longer running around, but the figurative room in her brain was still choked with smoke. Twilight took a sharp inhale and breathed a heaving sigh of relief. She failed, but it was not a critical failure that would doom anyone or anything.
 
“The fact you got one of them sympathetic, or so it seems, is an accomplishment in itself, Twilight Sparkle” Luna spoke before rising to her hooves. “I will see if I can apologize, sister. T’is my rule and I am not so vilified. They may listen to me.”
 
Celestia nodded “By all means, try.” Luna quickly trotted out of the room after the reindeer.
 
“Wait, we’re getting a new Grand Arcanum!?” Rainbow said, breaking out of her stupor. “Awesome! I bet it’s going to be Twilight!”
 
“Wha-?” the bookish mare said in shock.
 
“Darling, please,” Rarity said. “Not to discredit Twilight, but there are many qualified ponies already on the Leaflock Council. Besides, one needs to be on the council first before they can have a hope of being named the Grand Arcanum.”
 
“I think that’s enough excitement for me today,” Princess Celestia spoke as she stood. “Good night, girls. It is time I retired for the evening. I shall see you all tomorrow for the official announcement.”
 
They all bowed as the princess of the sun made her exit and they followed out of the dining room shortly thereafter. At last, the stress was beginning to catch up with her and, despite the early hour, Twilight now had a greater appreciation for Spike and his insistence on naps. “I think I’m going to bed as well.”
 
“So, do you know, Twilight?” Applejack asked. “Or, are you even allowed to say?”
 
“Hmm?” She replied blearily. “Oh, you mean Grand Arcanum stuff. What I can tell you is that I have legitimately no idea who the Princess is going to give the title to. I have, however, been asked to help with preparations. I guess this business with the Reindeer was part of it… and I failed.” Her head fell in shame. Despite the princess assuring her that it was not critical, failure was failure.
 
“Cheer up, Twi!” Pinkie chirped. “Sometimes… ponies or deer are just set on being grumpy. You gave it your best and that’s all that counts!”
 
Twilight smiled, pretending to feel better. “I suppose you are right about that. And I’m honestly too emotionally exhausted right now to argue with you.” Thankfully, her room was not more than a few steps away. “Good night, girls,” she said before stepping inside, shutting the door and falling asleep the instant her head touched the pillow on her bed.