What happened between Twilight's entrance exam and her entrance to the School proper? How Twilight met Celestia, Cadance, and Spike, and got started on the road to becoming the Element of Magic.
What happened between Twilight's entrance examination and her entrance to the School proper? How Twilight got to know Celestia, Cadance, and Spike, and started on the road to becoming the Element of Magic.
Note: If you'd like more in this same timeline, a darker "flip-side" companion piece to this story can be found here: Acolyte of the Lunar Court
In addition, the Hearth's Warming tale The Night that Luna Returned is essentially a direct follow-on to My Little Student, and draws on some of the Celestia-related aspects of this story.
And Roomies explores who else might have had the room before Twilight...
In case there's interest, I've written a Making Of: blog entry, with the original outline and commentary on how this story came to be written.
It's one thing to succeed in enrolling your daughter in the most exclusive school for unicorn fillies in the land. It's quite another when she aces the entrance exam and is then personally welcomed into the school by its founder -- the most revered of rulers in that land -- as her own personal protégé.
It's a completely different ballgame when in the process your daughter very nearly spontaneously combusts and you yourself are temporarily turned into a cactus. It tends to color your outlook.
"It's not an official state audience," whispered Twilight Velvet. "Just a private meeting to talk about Twi's enrollment!" Her purple-and-white bangs flounced about her horn as she glanced nervously around.
"Oh yes!" Night Light whispered back. "It's only a meeting with the Princess herself! You know, the one who raises the Sun every day?" He tried to hold his head high, eyes front, just like all of the guards they had passed so far. Uncooperatively, a lock of night-dark hair fell over his face. He puffed it aside quickly. Then he glanced sideways at Velvet. "You think they'll want us to pay for that roof? Like... in installments?"
"Shh!" Velvet nodded significantly behind her. "Keep up, Twi!" she called brightly. "We don't want to keep Princess Celestia waiting!"
Following them several paces back was a lavender filly with a deep purple mane and tail, a red stripe running down the middle of both. She was currently trotting in reverse gear, and gently swiveled around, her eyes wide as dinner plates, trying to take it all in.
The Grand Gallery of the Royal Palace of Canterlot was long, high, echoingly spacious, and filled end to end with stained-glass windows. It looked very much like the architect simply couldn't decide what color to install and just ordered one of each. Every shaft of sunlight was a different hue, every window's subject was completely different: heroes, tyrants, and the merely well-known-at-the-time. Walking the length of the hall was like a complete Equestrian History major, all done in brilliant sunlight.
Finally spotting the archway they wanted, Twilight Velvet swerved quickly in that direction. The others followed. They ended up facing a matched pair of helmeted, plumed stallions, standing fiercely at attention, stock still.
"Uhm... we're Twilight Sparkle's parents. We were invited for a meeting with... Princess Celestia?" In the face of the guards' impassive gaze, Velvet's voice trailed off into a question and a nervously hopeful look.
"Yes, ma'am!" one of the stallions replied smartly. "You're to wait right here, please."
"Oh, that's a relief!" Velvet gasped. "We're early!"
"This sure is exciting, isn't it, Button?" Night Light whispered nervously over his shoulder.
"Yeah!" Twilight Sparkle squirmed her way in between them. "Are we really gonna see the Princess again? And does she really wanna teach me herself?"
"Sure sounds like it, Button!" he said, both proud and terrified. "How's that make you feel?"
"I love Celestia!" Twilight bounced up and down happily. "She's so kind! And she wasn't mad at all, was she?"
Night Light swallowed, remembering the look in Celestia's eye afterward. It wasn't any readable emotion, just a calm, regal, knowing gaze. Who knew what the Princess really felt? And then this summons! Although Velvet kept insisting on calling it an invitation.
Night Light found himself nervously polishing his hooves on his fetlocks out of habit.
"I sure hope she's not, Button!"
The guards suddenly stiffened, their eyes wide. They came even further to attention, if that was possible.
Uh oh. Night Light cringed. What have we done now? Are they offended?
A mildly amused regal voice spoke from directly behind them.
"Are we waiting for someone?"
Twilight's parents turned in shock to find Princess Celestia standing tall and proud before them in the sunlight, her sparkling, multicolored mane flowing about her. Twilight rapidly craned her neck upward trying to see and tumbled over backwards. She quickly scrambled to her hooves, and all three of them knelt respectfully to the Princess.
Celestia favored each of them with a warm smile, most particularly Twilight. "My apologies for having to keep you waiting. Please go right in!"
Velvet gaped, despite herself. Princess Celestia wants us to enter AHEAD of her?
The guards had already stepped aside, their horns glinting as they magically unlocked and swept the doors open. Twilight and her parents found themselves being gently shooed into the private audience chamber beyond, with Princess Celestia bringing up the rear. Behind them, they heard the guards shutting the doors with a soft boom that sounded disturbingly final.
The Princess nodded to soft seating cushions set out for them, and swept one over for herself with a flicker from her horn. As she settled herself on it, they hesitantly did likewise. All except for Twilight: she scrambled up onto her cushion and then bounced on it a few times, finding it delightfully springy.
"First of all," Celestia said, without preamble, "let me reassure you that the School and I are quite at ease with what happened at the entrance exam. Such things will happen, particularly in a school that teaches unicorn magic. Though it's usually not quite so dramatic!"
"If I may... Your Majesty?" Velvet began timidly. "What exactly did happen?"
Celestia gave her a very brief cautioning look, then turned to smile down at Twilight. "Our little filly here demonstrated a remarkable, perhaps nearly unique gift for harnessing and expressing magic. And, my little pony, if you're really prepared to apply yourself, you can accomplish much with that. You can be a great help, not only to your family and friends, but to myself, and to all of Equestia. That is, if you're willing to put in the effort!"
Twilight didn't need any coaching. She looked Celestia right in the eye. "Yes I am, Your Majesty! I'll study real hard! I want to learn everything there is to learn about magic! Absolutely everything!"
"Well! Why don't we start with all the possible things first?" Celestia suggested gently. "And we'll go on from there. Hmm?"
Twilight just nodded, speechless with wonderment.
"Now, we can work out the details of Twilight's lessons later," Celestia went on to Velvet and Night Light. "One thing I would suggest -- if you and Twilight are willing, of course -- is for Twilight to spend some time here at the Palace at first. She and I can get to know each other better, and we can begin working out the best way to begin teaching her the understanding and control she will need for her later studies."
"Oh, my!" Velvet stared at Celestia, a little dazed. "Um, I think that sounds... fine. Uh, that sound okay to you, Twi?"
"Yes-Yes-Yes-Yes-YES!" Twilight bounced up and down, overjoyed.
Velvet glanced at Night Light, and he shrugged gently. Couldn't hurt, his look said. Beats being arrested for having an unlicensed weapon of mass destruction for a daughter, was probably closer to what he was thinking.
Behind Celestia the doors unlocked and swung open again. Through them stepped a young alicorn pony, pink in hue, with particolored hair and a gemstone heart cutie-mark.
"Now," Celestia went on, "my official duties as always take up a good deal of my time, so allow me introduce you to --"
"Cadance, Your Majesty," the pink pony interrupted.
"-- Cadance," Celestia echoed smoothly, as if nothing had happened, "who will be looking after Twilight at times I am otherwise engaged."
"Twilight Sparkle!" Cadance said with a warm smile, trotting quickly forward. "I'm so pleased to finally meet you! Princess Celestia asked if I'd like to spend some time with you, and I said yes! I hear you're a little power-house!"
"So..." Twilight said, puzzled, "you're like... a foal-sitter?"
"Not just a foal-sitter," Cadance replied, with a mischievous smile that Twilight couldn't help but echo. "The foal-sitter!"
"Can you do magic too?" Twilight asked, hopefully.
"You bet I can!" Cadance replied.
"Do you know lots of spells?"
"A few! In fact," she added, "would you like to learn one right now?"
Had Twilight been a fish she would have leapt straight into the boat.
"Yeah!"
Velvet and Night Light exchanged a look over Twilight's head. Then they looked at Celestia, who merely sat looking on with quiet interest. They held their peace.
"It's called the Welcome Spell," Cadance said, mysteriously. "Because you use it when you're meeting someone for the first time, or when you haven't seen them in a while. And that also means it takes two ponies to do it properly. Think you can help me out?"
"Uh huh!"
"Okay, step right over here."
Twilight willingly trotted down from the cushion and stood on the marble floor before her.
"Now, watch closely! It goes like this..." Her hooves tap-danced gently as she sang:
Sunshine, sunshine!
She fell flat on the floor, covering her eyes with her fore-hooves, then revealing them.
Ladybugs awake!
Sitting up on her haunches, she extended alternate fore-hooves.
Clap your hooves,
She jumped up, turned to the side, and shook her hindquarters.
And do a little shake!
She smiled at Twilight. "Think you can do it with me?"
Twilight stared at her wide-eyed, for a long, uncomfortable moment. Her parents glaced at each other uneasily.
And then a brilliant smile lit up Twilight's face. She happily joined right in as Cadance sang it again, copying her beat for beat, not missing a step:
Sunshine, sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves, And do a little shake!
And the two of them both started laughing uncontrollably, perfectly at ease with each other. Even Celestia gave a hint of an approving smile, while her parents looked on amazed. There was just something about the silly little song and dance, or perhaps it was the way Cadance did it. It was impossible to perform it with even a hint of decorum or reserve. It made it perfectly clear to Twilight that here was someone who held nothing back, could be trusted completely, and knew just how to have fun.
When they were both finally able to breathe again, Celestia spoke up, glancing at Twilight's parents for their permission. "Cadance, why don't you and Twilight go take a look at where she'd be staying while she's here, to see if she likes it, while her parents and I go over the details."
Cadance came about smartly. "At once, Princess!"
"At once, Princess!" Twilight imitated her, so eagerly that it threatened to bring on another attack of the giggles.
Celestia nodded smoothly in dismissal. "Cadance. Twilight."
Cadance trotted from the room with Twilight close on her heels. The doors swung closed behind them.
And Celestia turned back to her parents, all business.
"To save time, allow me to anticipate your questions. Yes, what happened with Twilight is very unusual. No, I do not believe she is in any danger, to herself or anyone else. And yes, I meant my offer to serve as her mentor. She'll need an extra helping hoof to get her started. I am pleased to be able to provide it."
Velvet and Night Light relaxed, somewhat. "It won't be a burden, Your Majesty? We know you're very busy!"
"Not in the slightest," Celestia said. "It is what the School is for, the very reason for which I founded it. I am actually looking forward to it!"
"Twilight's just been so determined to learn magic," Velvet went on. "Ever since the first time we took her to the Summer Sun Celebration, she's wanted to be a student at the School, to learn from you." She looked downward, nervously. "You're... her role model, Your Majesty!"
"I am very honored by that," Celestia assured her. "And I hope that Twilight will come to accept and respect me as her teacher. Yet I want it quite clear, I have no intention of trying to replace the two of you in Twilight's affections. You are her parents, after all."
"Well, we're just ordinary ponies," Night Light said. "Not like you, Your Highness!"
Celestia's eye swept his way, and he shivered. There was that same unreadable gaze again, like staring down a well a thousand years deep.
"There are some things that transcend even royalty. And family is one of the most important. If at any time you are not comfortable with this, in any way, you will tell me." There was a brief hint of cold steel in her voice as she looked at both of them. "And I promise you, it will be made right."
"Yes, Your Majesty." They both bowed, nervously.
"Oh, listen to me." Celestia shook her head. "And I was trying so hard to keep this light! I really should learn to be more like Cadance. She knew just how to reach Twilight, right away. I envy her that."
"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Velvet asked, "but wasn't that Princess Mi Amoré --"
"Ah!" Celestia stopped her with a glance and a slight lift of the head. "She has asked me -- and now I am asking you -- to refer to her simply as Cadance for the time being. Twilight is a bright young filly and she'll eventually figure it out on her own. Yet Cadance feels, and I quite agree, that it's best not to trouble Twilight right now with how seriously we are taking this. Cadance is quite gifted in magic herself, and will be able to step in if needed when I am unavailable. And she was not boasting about being an excellent caregiver. I can recommend her without hesitation. Twilight is in very good hooves with her."
There was a respectful tap at the door. "Enter," Celestia called, not looking round.
"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but.. you summoned me?"
"Shiny!" Velvet called out, unable to stop herself.
"Mom! Dad! I heard about Twi! Is she okay?" The blue-maned unicorn stallion suddenly recalled who else was in the room, and crashed to attention, his armor rattling. "Uh, forgive me, Your Majesty!"
Celestia glanced his way with a smile. "At ease, Lieutenant. Your sister is quite unharmed. Come and have a seat with your parents. We're discussing Twilight's entrance to the School, so this concerns you as well."
Shining Armor carefully trotted round to a cushion to Velvet's left and seated himself, making an almost comical attempt to make no noise whatsoever. The guards outside shut the doors again.
After a moment's consideration Celestia turned to Shining Armor. "Perhaps we should begin with you, after all. Why did you choose to enter the Guard, Lieutenant?"
"I... suppose I've always felt it was the best use of my shield magic, to protect Equestria..." Under Celestia's unblinking gaze, he blushed. "And, well, I suppose I've always felt protective of Twilight in particular, wanting to help keep her safe. The Guard seemed like a good career choice, both ways."
"Commendable," Celestia said. "Twilight will likely be staying here in the palace at first, as she begins her studies. Would you be comfortable with a transfer to the Royal detachment? Temporarily at first, though it can be made permanent if it proves a good fit. That would station you here in the palace as well, and if the need did arise you could be alerted quickly, and could make any decisions needed on your parents' behalf."
"Well... I'd be honored, Your Majesty!" Shining exchanged an amazed look with his parents.
"And you yourselves?" Celestia asked them. "You are also welcome to stay here as guests, to help Twilight get settled in."
"Oh, we wouldn't want to impose!" Velvet said in a rush, then paused for breath. "I mean... well... I suppose we'd finally come to terms with Twilight coming to live at the School from now on. I wouldn't want Twi to feel we were hovering over her, afraid to let go, afraid to let her finally live her dreams." She allowed herself a brief glace around. "Even if living here has always been a personal dream of mine! I mean, I've written stories about this place!"
"I've read them. They're very good. Almost make me feel like I live here."
Velvet's mouth fell open again, seeing the amused twinkle in the Princess's eye.
"And I need to get back to the office!" Night Light said. "Those books aren't going to balance themselves!" He suddenly brought himself up short. "What am I saying? We're discussing my daughter's future here... and all I can think about is the stupid grind?"
"It's okay, Dad!" Shining assured him. "We get how you really feel!"
He smiled thankfully at both of them. Then he looked at Celestia.
"Your Majesty, we trust you, and we trust your judgement. If you think we should stay, we will. If you think it's better to give Twi some space for now, we'll do that. We want what's best for her!"
Celestia nodded. "As do I. She's a very fortunate young filly."
"And here we are!" Cadance said, "This is where you'll be staying while you're here. That is, if you like it!" She nodded towards an open door in the corridor they were trotting along. "Go on, Twilight! Tell me what you think!"
Twilight ran ahead and peered wide-eyed into the room. It was grandly spacious, with a checkered marble floor and tall arched windows that looked out on an expanse of blue, cloud-filled sky. An elegant red-canopied bed stood to one side, with a teddy bear resting against the pillows. Near the windows there was a wide table, with a semicircular couch beneath the windows and comfortable seating on the near side. The room's other furniture was finely made but homey in style: dressers, chests of drawers, and a wardrobe with mirrors on the front. On the other side of the table from the bed was a tall bookcase, chock-full of interesting looking tomes.
And sitting smack in the middle of the floor, looking totally out of place, was a battered gilt toy chest.
"My toys!" Twilight cried, running up to it and flinging the top open with her forehooves. Rummaging around in it, she immediately pulled out a floppy, well-loved pony doll with button eyes and spotted shorts, along with a blunt-tipped quill and a wrinkled scrap of parchment.
"I hope you don't mind, Twilight," Cadance said as she stepped in through the door. "Celestia and I wanted you to feel at right at home. The Princess had your luggage directed here rather than to the School so you'd have something familiar waiting to greet you."
Twilight ran back over to her and hugged her tightly. "I love it, Cadance! Thank you!"
Cadance hugged her back. "You're most welcome, Twilight." Then she trotted over to the doll. "And who is this?"
"This is Smarty Pants!" Twilight said, running back and using her magic to pick up the toy. Concentrating, she grabbed the quill and pen and tucked them into the toy's stubby fore-hooves. "My big brother gave her to me one time when I was having trouble understanding some of the books on magic I was reading." She leaned close to Cadance and whispered. "She's magical!"
"No way!" Cadance whispered back, wide-eyed.
"Uh huh! He said she was so smart she could help me understand anything I was trying to learn. I just talk to her about it, explain it to her, even the stuff I don't quite get. And she magically helps me understand it myself! It really works! It's amazing! She can help me learn anything!"
"Well! Then I'm doubly happy she's here for you. She'll be able to help you get started right away!"
Twilight looked troubled at that. Setting the toy gently on the floor with its back resting against the chest, she gazed around the room. Then she trotted over to the couch near the windows. Clambering up on it, she stood with her forehooves hooked over the top, staring out the window at the clouds beyond.
"Cadance?" she asked in a small voice. "The Princess is being so nice to me. Making me her student, inviting me to stay here. Did I... did I do something wrong?"
"It does seem like a lot, doesn't it?" Cadance agreed, coming over to kneel on the couch beside her, resting a foreleg on her shoulders. "It's a little overwhelming, hard to take in. You're not sure if you deserve it. Believe me, I know what that's like! But trust me, Twilight Sparkle, you do deserve it! The Princess sees something in you she doesn't see very often: a little filly with so much potential. She wants to start you off on the right hoof, and so do I. And besides, she is the Princess of Equestria. She can't help it if she has to live in a great big huge palace like this, can she?"
Twilight brightened up a bit, and then smiled. "I suppose not." Then she peered down through the window into the valley below. "Wow! I can see all the way to Ponyville from up here!"
"It looks so small, doesn't it?" Cadance said. "Yet there are a lot of very nice ponies that live there, going about their business every day. And to them it's home, just like Canterlot is for us."
Twilight rested her muzzle on her forehooves and stared out through the windows, drinking in the sweeping expanse of mountains and flatlands, which stretched away as far as the eye could see.
"Will you be okay here for a minute?" Cadance whispered to her. "I'm just going to step into my room next door, and make sure the rest of your things arrived safely."
Twilight nodded idly, and Cadance trotted off through a connecting door.
Staring out through the window, all of Equestria spread out before her, Twilight found herself wondering if this was what it felt like being the Princess. Having a huge land like this to watch over, from her royal court high up here in Canterlot.
After a while, Twilight waved a fore-hoof authoritatively, as she imagined Princess Celestia doing, in order to decree... well... whatever it was one decreed. Like jam rolls, maybe.
"Jam rolls for everypony!" she whispered. "By order of Princess Twilight Sparkle!"
She giggled. Like that would ever happen!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"So, niece -- how are you two getting along?"
It was long after the Lowering of the Sun Ceremony. Celestia and Cadance were strolling together along a night-dark path in the gardens where they could speak in private.
"Far better than I had any reason to expect, Auntie! She's such a wonderful little filly. And she's no trouble to manage. Give her a book and she's quiet for hours. I have to remind myself not to abuse that!"
"Does she like the room I picked out?"
"I had to peel her off the ceiling when she first saw it. Then she settled right in."
"How many times did she bounce on the bed?"
"Ermm, six. No, I tell a lie, seven! Then she fell off. I may have to brush up on my levitation, the way she races around."
"Any further sign of --"
"Not that I can sense. But I've been careful to avoid anything that might startle her."
"Good. We should let her have a good night's rest. Then I'll begin with her in the morning."
"Anything I can do to help?"
"Yes. Spoil her," Celestia said levelly, glancing her way. "I'm going to have to push her farther than she'll want to go, going to have to be harder on her than I'd ever want to be otherwise. If she comes to you crying, saying she hates me, hates the School, hates magic, hates all of it, don't object. Don't defend me. Just be there for her. Hold her close, let her get it out of her system. And then do something fun together. Let her know that we love her and care for her -- the way only you can."
"Absolutely, Auntie! Should I avoid teaching her spells myself?"
Celestia considered for a moment. "I don't think you can. She knows her mind, and I suspect she can be very persistent. But... little spells, firefly spells, nothing she has to expend effort on. I want the time she spends with you to be down-time, comfort time."
"Got it. Yet I don't think you'll have to worry, Auntie. She's stronger than she looks. What happened at the entrance exam, coming to live here, being separated from her parents for the first time... all that would have knocked any other pony for a serious loop. Somehow she manages to stay calm, take it one step at a time, all on her own."
"I hope so, niece," Celestia said. "I really do. Because she will have to, when the time comes."
The next morning Twilight woke up, and sat up in the bed. She stared around at the room as if trying to decide whether she was really still there, that it hadn't all just been a wonderful dream.
Cadance looked in from her room. "Morning, sleepy-head! Ready for some breakfast?"
"Uh huh!"
After a quick but solid breakfast served for them at the table near the windows, Cadance led Twilight out into the corridor and on a long, winding route through the palace. As they went, they passed numerous guards, all of whom came to attention smartly as they passed.
They turned a final corner and came face to face with a set of plain, gray doors, tall and wide, with no sign of doorknobs or any other means of opening them. As they approached, the doors swung open and Celestia herself stepped through. Behind her, the doors swung closed again.
"Good morning, Twilight! Ready to begin?"
"Yes, your Highness!" Twilight said. She moved to kneel respectfully.
"Twilight!" Celestia snapped. "Stand up straight! From now on you will neither kneel nor bow in my presence. I am your teacher, and you are my student. I want your full attention. No crouching, no crawling, no hesitation! And if you have a question, any question, you will ask it! Am I clearly understood?"
"But... what about in public? Everypony kneels to you!"
Celestia considered it. "When we are with others and it is socially required, it is permitted. When it's just the two of us, never! Understood?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes, your Majesty!"
"Thank you, Cadance," Celestia said to her. "I'll send for you when we're finished. Shall we say around lunchtime?"
Cadance nodded. "Highness." She smiled at Twilight, and then trotted off.
"Now then, my student," Celestia said. "Your first task is to get into the classroom. It's right through these doors behind me."
Twilight approached them, looked at them. "There's no doorknobs!"
Twilight thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't know! There isn't anything else!"
"But there is! Look more closely."
Twilight stared and stared, but couldn't see what Celestia meant.
"Do you see the crack shaped like a bird?" Celestia suggested gently.
There were cracks in the ancient, much-repainted wood, Twilight saw, but none that specifically looked like the one Celestia meant.
"Or the dent where someone tried to break in by kicking them?"
As hard as she looked, Twilight couldn't see what Celestia meant. Yet she was determined not to give up. She decided to be methodical about it, like one of her books had suggested. She started at the upper left corner of the door frame and moved her gaze steadily rightward until she hit the upper right corner. Then she worked her way back leftward. Back and forth she went, from one door to the other, steeling herself not to look at Celestia for another hint.
Celestia stood beside her, patient and unhurried, letting her search.
After a while, Twilight spoke up. "I... see a spot where the paint is chipped. And there's a rough bit, like there's a knothole under the paint. And a greasy spot. And a really wiggly crack, like a doubleyou with too many you's..."
Suddenly, she looked back to a spot in the upper left. There was a crack, actually two of them, two small arcs, that looked like a bird. And as her gaze swept onward she saw a rounded dent that might have been made by the edge of a metal shoe striking the door. And other details -- the more she looked, the more there were.
She dropped to the floor, trying to see underneath, but the door came down flush to the floor. Yet the bottom edge wasn't smooth, it had notches and places where the planks joined up.
She stepped closer, and saw that the surface of the paint was uneven, with small bumps and pits left by air bubbles. On a whim, she sniffed it. The wood smelt dry, a little musty. She put up a hoof and gently nudged the surface. The door juddered slightly, like it was loose on its hinges.
And then she put her eye to the very narrow gap between the doors, trying to peer between them.
Soundlessly, the doors swung open. Twilight had to hurriedly back out of the way to avoid being brained by them. She looked up at Celestia, who nodded.
"Very good, Twilight! This doorway is very special. It is called the Gateless Gate. It is proof against any force, any magic. It will only open to someone who has studied it closely, and knows it well enough to be able to distinguish it from any other door. Someone who is then able to see past it, and realize it isn't really a barrier at all."
She strode forward into the room beyond and Twilight hurried to keep up. Behind her, Twilight heard the doors swing closed, but she didn't pay attention to them because she was trying to figure out what she was seeing in front of her.
The room was gray. Not like fog, or smoke, or a cloudy sky. Just... gray, a single flat shade of gray all around her, with no lighter or darker spots, no signs of walls or ceiling, no features of any kind. She couldn't even really see the floor, even though she could feel it underhoof.
She looked behind her and couldn't even see where the doors had been.
Yet Celestia was still there, standing beside her, completely unworried and giving her time to take it all in.
"This room is called the Vault," Celestia said. "It was created a long time ago, when magic was sometimes used in... shall we say harmful ways. It is shielded from magic, so no spells can get in. But equally, no spells can get out, so I have re-purposed it as a training room. You can let off any spell you like in here, and it will harm no one."
Celestia came about so that she was facing Twilight.
"Now, I want you to do something important for me," she said. "I want you to think back to what happened at the entrance exam.
Twilight, at first eager to help, drew back at that. "I'm not sure I want to! It was... scary!"
"I know it was! You were channeling far more magic than you'd ever had access to, more than most unicorns ever have to manage. And since you weren't prepared for it, it started to get away from you."
"But... I turned my parents into plants!"
"And who turned them back again?" Before Twilight could reply, Celestia gave her a significant look. "You did, Twilight!" she said. "You could sense what was happening and you didn't like it, so you put things back the way they were before."
"I thought you undid everything!"
"I merely helped stabilize the magic. You decided what to do with it."
Twilight still looked doubtful, and more than a little frightened.
"Look at it like this," Celestia said. "You were standing next to the deep end of a pool. Someone bumped you, you tripped and fell in. You floundered around a bit, not being used to it. And then you climbed out. All I did was offer a steadying hoof to help you. And that is what I'm going to do here, so that you can learn to get used to it, a little bit at a time."
"Um," Twilight said, in a small voice. "Okay."
Celestia leaned close, touched her nose to Twilight's. Twilight could smell the Princess's breath. It smelled like caramels, of all things.
"Shut your eyes," she said gently.
Twilight did so.
"Can you feel me, here with you?"
"Yes."
"I'm right here, Twilight," Celestia said. "I'm not going anywhere. Now, think back to the examination, to what you told me about it. You were trying to hatch the dragon egg. You had tried every spell you knew, you felt like giving up. Then you heard and saw the explosion outside. It felt like one of your nightmares. It frightened you..."
And just like that, Twilight felt the blinding wash of magic energy flowing through her again, like electric fire, tingling and blazing. She tried opening her eyes. As before she could see nothing but the implacable white glare. It was like drowning in searing, actinic light. She felt terrified, wanted to stop it, to get away from it.
But she still felt Celestia's nose pressed against her own. And Celestia's horn brushed against hers, her mane cascaded around Twilight's face. The simple touches comforted her. She wasn't alone here.
And, she realized, the magic wasn't getting away from her this time. It was still blazingly bright, but she found her eyesight adjusting to it. And gradually she saw Celestia's smiling face materialize out of the glare.
Seeing that Twilight was comfortable now, Celestia drew back and looked around. Twilight did likewise. They were surrounded by the gleaming, blazing featureless energy. It was much like the gray room, only a thousand times brighter.
"I'm impressed, Twilight!" Celestia said. "Do you know how many times I had to kick that door before I realized how to get in? And how many tries it took me to be standing here, in the eye of my own magic, able to withstand it all without it crashing in on me?"
She looked at Twilight. "You have rare talent! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But this is only the beginning. You understand how to tame raw magic. Now you must learn to put it to use. Most unicorns only learn a few spells, which they use blindly, by rote. Your talent runs much deeper. You'll need to learn many different kinds of spells, understand what they all have in common, and then you'll be able to assemble spells yourself, so they do what you want them to do. And you'll also need to learn how to control the magic you can tap, letting just enough magic flow through the spells to make them happen." Celestia smiled at her. "Yes, it will take time, and there'll be some hard lessons to learn and a lot of difficult study. But I know you can do it, Twilight!"
"I will, Princess! I want to!" She looked around. "So... what do we do first?"
"Well, you found your way in here. Think you can find your way out?"
Twilight looked around. "Um. Where's the door?"
"Where do you want it to be?" Celestia asked with a sly look. "Remember how I made you look at the doors before, really look at them, until you could recognize them clearly, and distinguish them from any other doors? And then find them again when you need them?"
Twilight carefully turned in place, to where she thought the doors had been. And then she pictured them in her mind, remembering the cracks, the chips in the paint, the rough texture, the smell of it...
And before her the doors steadily appeared out of the glow, as if they had always been there.
She cautiously stepped towards them and they swung open for her. With Celestia accompanying her she stepped through. Behind her, the doors gently shut. And just like that, she was back in the corridor outside.
"Excellent, Twilight. A very good beginning!"
"Thanks!" Twilight smiled.
"But Twilight, I need you to promise me something."
"What?"
"You're still learning how to manage the magic you can channel. When you're in the Vault with me, it is safe to do so. We can control it together. I need you to promise me you won't try experimenting with it on your own. At least not until you've had a little more experience. We'll know when you're ready!"
"Yes, your Majesty!"
"And if you ever feel frightened, if you feel like it's getting away from you, I want you to find Cadance or me. We can help you."
"Thanks, your Majesty!"
"You're most welcome, Twilight. Well, we seem to be done much earlier than I expected! Let's take a break and do something together, just you and me. What would you like to do?"
"Can we visit the School library?"
"Why did I have a feeling you'd suggest that? Come along, then."
After seeing Twilight safely back to her room and helping her unload the small carryall stuffed with the books that Twilight had found at the library, Princess Celestia took a quick lunch, then settled herself on her throne in the Audience Chamber to keep an eye on the proceedings.
After several hundred years, with constant re-juggling of roles and responsibilities, it all ran... well... like clockwork. She only rarely had to intervene or express an opinion, since her staff knew her mind so well. The Council of Mares and Stallions deliberated on political issues, and presented options for her to decide amongst. The Chamberlain and her staff fielded paperwork and petitioners, referring the important cases to the Princess -- though always in her presence, so she could ask the party in question to step forward if she felt their case wasn't being given proper attention.
It all worked so well that she could easily have absented herself from the Chamber for an hour, a day, a week or more without serious harm. Yet she felt it important to be visible, to demonstrate her attention and concern for her subjects. It did sometimes mean a lengthy and tedious audience session, with only the occasional letter to be read or dictated. When she felt herself seriously nodding off, she would sometimes ask one of the clerks standing near the throne to read quietly to her from a book hidden amongst the scrolls on her work desk.
This afternoon there was some minor amusement: a trade delegation from the Griffons, very proud and stuffy, stalking about the floor with grand gestures of their pinions. They were quite confident she would see fit to accept their new tariff on feathers and silk, and it was entertaining seeing how long she could keep their hopes up before dashing them -- regretfully, of course, yet with a suggestion that their respective negotiators work together on a plan for increased trade.
Yet all the afternoon she found herself thinking back to the training session that morning, to the gentle touch of Twilight's nose pressed against her own, and Twilight's willing acceptance of her help. And the sheer power Celestia had felt being channeled through the tiny filly, as she learned to steady herself and keep it from overwhelming her. Only once before had Celestia experienced that level of power. It was exhilarating, and also frankly intimidating, because it was a reminder of how little time was left.
She wanted to return to Twilight, move right on to the next lesson, given how rapidly they'd progressed. Yet it wasn't fair to Twilight establishing that kind of precedent. Sooner or later, they would hit a wall and then it would be better for Twilight to feel comfortable taking a break rather than pushing ahead. And Celestia knew she also had to allow Cadance time to establish her own relationship with Twilight; that would be equally important. So she sat, and watched her dominion tick along its merry way... like a clock approaching midnight.
Finally, the Chamberlain announced the session's end. With relief Celestia allowed herself to be escorted to the upper balcony from which she performed first the Lowering of the Sun Ceremony, and then the Raising of the Moon. Even after all this time the latter was still a challenge, like trying to roller-skate backwards on a cliff edge. But eventually the Moon was hanging in a star-filled sky. Celestia did her best with the constellations and nebulae but always felt that even on her best evenings it was a rough-edged patchwork.
After a long inspection of the sky to make sure nothing was out of place, she permitted her private staff to take her in hoof, escorting her to the bedchamber, divesting her of the sculptured golden shoes, necklace, and crown, serving her evening cup of tea, and getting her settled for the night under a silken coverlet, since it was scheduled to be a slightly cooler evening for a change.
Yet once the candles had been extinguished and the serving ponies had crept quietly from the room, Celestia simply lay in the darkness for a long while, unable to relax enough to drop off to sleep.
Eventually, she shrugged her way out from under the cover and got up. Crossing to the bedchamber's balcony, she pushed open the doors and sat on the balcony looking up at the sky, at the Moon with its Mare shadow. With a practiced eye she located the four small Shepherd Stars, arranged in a tetrahedron around the Moon. With a light spark from her horn, she reached out to them, heard their muted replies. She could feel them weakening, failing, going over to her. Sooner or later they would succumb, and then she would escape.
And because everything has a balance, the prison would then be reversed, and Celestia would find herself imprisoned in the Sun, unable to defend Equestria and its many inhabitants from her wrath. That is, if Celestia was not simply incinerated on the spot in the Sun's flames.
"Even a thousand years is not forever," she whispered, shivering a little in the chill air. "Luna, my dear Luna, will you be merciful to them?"
"Auntie?" called a soft voice behind her. Celestia started, then controlled herself. She had left orders not to be disturbed, but she had also allowed that one Princess in particular might overrule that order.
Cadance stepped out on the balcony and sat down next to her, leaning close.
"Bad dreams?"
"Not yet. But only because I haven't slept. It's difficult falling asleep. I keep encountering her." She glanced at Cadance. "Twilight?"
"Tucked up and dozing. I just went in and pulled the book out from under the covers, so I'm pretty sure she's down for the night. That nice Lieutenant is on station outside her door if she needs anything. Now, what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Well, I can't do anything about the nightmares," Cadance said. "Yet I can make it easier for you to get to sleep. And that may help you avoid them."
Celestia frowned. "I worry I may become dependent on that."
"C'mon, Auntie, you need to get to bed."
"I am not a foal, niece!"
"No," Cadance replied unrepentantly, "you're the unchallenged ruler of all Equestria, who needs her beauty sleep so that she doesn't wake up one morning in a mood to lop somepony's head off."
Celestia looked askance at her. "I would never do anything like that."
"Try telling that to your subjects."
Sighing, Celestia gave in. Returning to bed, she let Cadance pull the covers over her again and then closed her eyes. She felt Cadance's magic settle on her, just a light spell, but filling her with warmth and comfort. She finally felt herself relaxing.
"I still say you would have made an excellent ruler," she said sleepily. "Selfless compassion such as yours is uncommon, and it is not a weakness."
"Yes, Auntie, we've been through all that. My magic isn't nearly powerful enough. I'm the Princess of Love, not the Princess of the Sun and the Moon, and I'm okay with that!" She gently rested a hoof on Celestia's shoulder. "For what it's worth, Auntie, I wish it had worked out that way. You'd have had so much more time to prepare!"
"And Twilight..." Celestia murmured. She finally dropped off, wheezing gently.
Cadance lingered to make sure Celestia was finally resting, then crossed to the balcony doors and shut them tight, with a glance at the Moon herself as she did so.
Then she trotted off to check on Twilight before turning in.
Next morning in the Vault, Celestia tested Twilight on the spells the little filly already knew. They began with levitation, which Twilight managed reasonably well, but only for certain objects: books, quills, sheets of paper, and objects the size and shape of her toys.
"To truly grasp levitation," Celestia told her, "one should be able to levitate anything on sight. Like this..."
Twilight whooped and then giggled as she was suddenly bounced into the air and turned in a slow somersault. "Wheeee! Again, again!"
"In a bit, if you focus on the lesson."
Landing on the ground, Twilight nodded eagerly.
"Now, let's start with something you probably haven't seen." A flicker of magic coalesced into a glistening translucent sphere.
"Woah!" Twilight stepped closer to look at it. It was something between glass and gossamer, like a soap-bubble but with no colors to it. "What is it? A crystal ball?"
"Close -- it is a perfect form. Every object in Equestria is based on perfect forms like this one. Most are combinations of them, so you'll need to become familiar with all of them. Take a good long look at this one, and let me know when you're ready."
Twilight thunked down on her hindquarters in front of it and stared and stared, looking for details, the way she had with the doors. But in this case there really was nothing more than the sphere's size and shape. After a minute or two she got up, and nodded.
"Now, let's make sure you can't cheat." A blindfold appeared, and wrapped itself around Twilight's head.
"Hey! I can't lift it if I can't see it!"
"Twilight, you should be able to lift an object wherever it is, so long as you know two things: exactly what it looks like, and exactly where it is in relation to yourself. You have both in this case. And we'll keep it simple. I only want you to lift it straight up and down. Oh, and let's make it a little more interesting..."
Twilight squealed as her hooves left the ground again. "Now I don't know where the floor is!" She protested.
"You shouldn't need to. The sphere is exactly where it was, floating right in front of you. See if you can find it."
Twilight tensed, her face scrunched up and her horn flickering weakly.
"Twilight, what are you doing?"
"I'm focusing! Like I always do for my spells!"
"A spell isn't something that you do, like lifting a load with your shoulders. It's something you make happen, by creating it and then powering it with your magic. Once you're better at it you should be able to lift objects without the least physical effort. Try to relax, and just think about the target of your spell and what should happen to it. Try to see it in your mind before you power it with your horn."
Twilight let out a breath, then steadied herself. Celestia watched as she lowered her head, thinking. And then her magic sought for the sphere. First it was too low, then too high, then to the left, then the right. She connected, and the sphere gave a soft ping.
"Yay! I found it!"
"Very good. Now remember: lift it straight up and straight down."
Twilight nodded. At first she tensed, but then she remembered, and deliberately relaxed herself. And the sphere juddered and began to move. Twilight lifted it a decahoof, then lowered it again.
"Excellent," Celestia complimented her. "Now do it again, and keep doing it until I tell you to stop."
As Twilight complied, Celestia tweaked her own magic. Both Twilight and the sphere began to gently rotate in space, rolling over and over.
"Woah! What's going on?"
"Nothing that should concern you, Twilight. The sphere is exactly where it was, relative to you. Center on yourself, stay focused on it, and keep lifting and lowering it."
"'Kay..." Twilight said, doubtfully. Yet she persisted, even as Celestia added another axis of spin, and then another. Twilight kept the sphere moving up and down steadily, as both she and it went round and round in all directions. Once, it almost got away from her, but Celestia gave it a gentle nudge to steady it until Twilight got a grip on it again.
"Now," she said, "instead of up and down, move it straight to the left, and straight to the right. That's correct! Keep at it. You're doing splendidly."
When Twilight had accomplished that, Celestia had her try sending the sphere out and back. It was a little harder and Celestia needed to steady the sphere more often, but she could feel Twilight rapidly getting the hang of it.
Finally, she slowed Twilight's rotation to a stop and settled her hooves on the floor again, removing the blindfold as she did so. Twilight wobbled unsteadily for a few moments as she got her land-legs back. "Oooooh! Cadance said I shouldn't have a big breakfast this morning. Now I know why!"
"Do you feel all right?"
"Yeah, I'm fine! That was fun!"
"I'm glad. Because in the end you're going to be royally sick of it. But it's important, trust me. To put together spells you need to take them apart into their elements, study the elements until you know them expertly, and then put them together, without being distracted by aspects that don't matter. And that means a lot of practice. So it's going to be light meals in the morning for while, I'm afraid. Now, let's look at some of the other spells you know."
They tried Twilight on luminance spells, which she could do relatively well. Celestia pointed out that the light should not be limited to Twilight's horn, but should be manifestable anywhere around her. And that Twilight should be able to choose its color at will. "Again, it's a matter of breaking the spell down into geometric position and hue values, and combining the elements you want."
Then they moved onto deflection spells, and here Celestia was surprised to find Twilight's abilities relatively weak. She could put up small barriers to slow an object flying towards her, but many unicorns could do that simply by reflex. She wasn't able to stop or deflect physical objects at all, and she had little skill with shielding against magic itself.
"I guess it's because I've always counted on Shiny's shield spell," Twilight admitted. "I never had to learn to do it myself."
"Then we should start you on shield spells as part of your practice work. You'll find they're not too hard, once you understand the basics of deflection and the perfect forms. Then you just put them together the way you need them."
"Uh, Princess Celestia?"
"Twilight, if you have a question, you ask it, remember?"
"Sorry! I was wondering -- is that how my brother's shield spell works? Like, combining the perfect form of a sphere with deflection?"
"Very good, Twilight! That's exactly how it works. But don't sell your brother short. I understand he can use the shield to block both physical force and magical energy, and he has excellent control over what is blocked and what is allowed to pass through. He may only know the one spell, but his mastery of it is quite impressive!"
"Wow! Um... is it okay if I tell him you said so?"
"Of course! When I think my subjects are doing their jobs well, I have no objection to saying so."
"Oh good! I wanna see him blush!"
"Ah hah."
Celestia skipped over offensive spells, transformation, and particularly invisibility, not wanting to add to Cadance's burden in managing Twilight. There would be time for those later.
Then she turned to healing and emotion spells and discovered another gap in Twilight's abilities.
"Well..." Twilight rolled her eyes, embarrassed. "I never really needed healy-feely spells. I don't have many friends, aside from my big brother. And when you use magic to make someone feel better, it never lasts, right?"
Sadly not, my little pony, Celestia thought to herself.
"Twilight, I begin to see why you had so much difficulty with magic during the exam. Spells are a combination of structure and magical energy. You use what you know to construct the spell, give it shape and purpose, but you also need emotional experience to apply magic to power it. Otherwise, you would not be able to judge whether the spell will help or hurt. And when applying emotion spells in particular, you need to know a lot about who you're helping with them to do them properly. You have a very analytical mind, Twilight, and can construct spells beyond your years. Yet you need a control of magic that is equal to that capacity, in order to power them properly."
"So... because I'm not good at feely spells, my magic gets away from me?"
"In a sense. We should find ways for you to practice those kinds of spells too, so you'll have the control you need."
"Ooookay," Twilight said. It was clear this prospect was less appealing. Celestia made a mental note to ask if Cadance would mind taking a morning session now and then. It made sense for Twilight to learn from the best.
They passed on to other spell types and Twilight showed similar unevenness, excelling in some areas, and having passed others over completely in her self-study.
Celestia left firefly spells for last, in case they ran out of time, and because they made a pleasant diversion. She demonstrated a few, like materializing little animated ponies out of magic that danced and sang songs. And then she told Twilight to look up, just as a large glob of water smacked onto her nose. Shaking it off, Twilight asked to see how that one worked, and was sad to find she lacked the materialization skills needed. Celestia had to promise to recommend a book Twilight could read to help her learn the basics.
Neither of them had realized how quickly the time was passing until they heard a quiet tapping from outside.
"Let me do it!" Twilight said. She turned around away from the tapping sound, and summoned the Vault doors. They swept open, revealing Cadance standing in the corridor beyond.
Celestia nodded at that. She's definitely improving, and willing to try things that might fail -- a very good sign.
"My apologies, Princess," Cadance said. "It's time for Twilight's lunch. Though if you need more time I can come back."
"No, I think we've made very good progress for today. Twilight, I'll send you a note with some references I'd like you to look up and read, and we'll pick this up again tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay!"
Celestia reluctantly stood outside the Vault, watching Twilight bounding off after Cadance, chattering like a bird, until they both turned the corner. And then she turned to the rest of her own agenda for the day.
"... and she taught me about firefly spells, too!" Twilight was telling Cadance.
"Really?"
"Yeah! And she mentioned I should ask you about the really good one you know how to do!"
"Oh, yeah! That is a good one. But I can't show it to you right now."
"But why not?" Twilight demanded, with a sad look.
"I tell you what, Twi," Cadance said, mysteriously, "if you can wait until bedtime tonight, you'll see why. Deal?"
Twilight brightened up immediately. "Okay!"
That evening, just after the Lowering Ceremony, Cadance dressed Twilight and herself in warm cloaks against the chill and then led her through the doorway into her room, and out onto her balcony, which looked down on the Canterlot Royal Gardens with its hedge maze, stone statues, and zoological park.
"Now hold still, Twi," Cadance warned. And Twilight felt herself lifted off the stone flooring, held firmly in Cadance's magic, and settled onto Cadance's back.
"No fidgeting back there, now! I need to focus!" Cadance spread her wings and lifted off the balcony, swooping down into the darkened gardens below. She thumped down on the grass, stumbled a bit then recovered, and finally swept Twilight off her back and set her on her feet.
"Now," she whispered, glancing around. "we're really not supposed to be wandering around down here this late at night. But if you promise not to tell the guards, I won't either!"
"Okay!" Twilight whispered back, delighted to be in on mischief.
They trotted through a gate into an open expanse of grass, surrounded by shrubs and trees. Cadance came to a halt in the middle of the open area, then glanced around to check that they were out of sight of the main path.
"All right," she said, "this isn't technically a firefly spell. It's really an emotion spell and it takes a bit of practice to pull it off. Do you know why fireflies flash, Twi?"
"Sure, to signal to other fireflies. It's how they find each other."
"Right! I forgot who I was talking to. Well, when a firefly flashes, it's basically signalling 'Here I am! Come be with me!'. So all I have to do is give them a little nudge with my love spell, and..."
Her horn sang with power, and its magic spread out across the open space.
And every firefly lit up, in the grass, on the branches of the bushes and trees, and in the air, twinkling and flashing, a snowstorm of gently glowing green embers.
Twilight spun slowly around, looking at them all. "Wooaaahhhoow!"
Gradually the fireflies winked out again, though a few of the more persistent continued flashing.
"I can't really do it more than once," Cadance said. "It's not fair to the fireflies. But what do you think, Twi? Is that a good 'firefly' spell, or what?"
Days became weeks, and weeks months. Each morning Twilight reported to Princess Celestia in the Vault for endless run-throughs of her assigned spells. And in spite of Celestia's concerns, Twilight revelled in the attention and hard work and progressed far faster than Celestia could have imagined or hoped.
After lunch and a nap, Twilight would often visit the library to look up the references she'd been assigned. Then she would study, intensely, for hours at a time. Occasionally she would become stuck and turn to a toy or game for a little diversion. But soon a book would catch her eye, or she'd see one of the guards or a serving pony doing a levitation spell, and she'd dive right back into it again.
For the most part Cadance allowed Twilight set the pace unless Twilight was clearly becoming frustrated with a difficult question or spell. Yet sometimes she felt obliged to try to pry Twilight out of her self-imposed scholarship.
One morning after a particularly long session in the Vault, Cadance stepped into Twilight's room and found her in what Cadance had come to think of as "air-traffic-control mode". Twilight was seated on a cushion on the floor, Smarty Pants right by her side, with six or seven books spread open around her in a rough circle and piles of more books stacked around them. She was swivelling her head around like a searchlight, flicking pages back and forth in multiple books at once. Now and then a quill would lift, scratch something on one of the many pieces of paper around her, and then be dropped again.
"Change of pace today, Twilight!" she called. "We're going to have a picnic lunch!"
Twilight looked up at her. Her expression looked like someone had just said dentist and doctor in the same sentence. "Do we have to?"
"Uh huh," Cadance replied. "But there's a twist! Come on over here."
Reluctantly, Twilight hopped out of her ring of books and accompanied Cadance over to the couch by the window. At Cadance's gesture, she hopped up and leaned on the back of the couch -- and Cadance noticed it wasn't as long a reach for her as it once had been.
"Now -- where should we have our picnic?"
Twilight looked up at her, puzzled.
Cadance gestured at the expanse before them. "Where do you want to go?"
"Anywhere?"
"Anywhere," Cadance said, nodding. "I mean, not somewhere dangerous, like the top of a mountain. But for once it's a bright sunny day all over Equestria, so we can go anywhere we can see from here."
Twilight looked around, not certain how to choose. "Oh, wait!" she cried. She raced across to her toy-box, knocking over one of the piles of books on the way. Fishing around in its depths, she came running back holding a small toy telescope in her mouth. Clambering up, she slid it open and held it to her eye, and panned it around.
"I see a playground!" she cried, and pointed. Cadance borrowed the telescope and looked. After a moment she spotted it too. It was in a park on the outskirts of Ponyville, at the base of a small grassy knoll. Shaking her head in amazement at Twilight's eye for detail, she smiled.
"Looks fine to me. All right, let's go!"
"Right now?"
"Well, I do have the Royal Golden Chariot booked for the afternoon. But we don't want to keep the nice flyers waiting, now do we?"
Twilight goggled at that. She dropped the telescope and didn't even notice when Cadance fielded it with her magic. Numbly, she followed as Cadance led the way out through the main door.
They ascended several flights of stairs to the palace landing pad. As promised, Celestia's Golden Chariot stood ready with its team of pegasus flyers already harnessed up, and a large hamper and blanket stowed on the riding platform.
As the two of them stepped out onto the pad, the guards snapped to attention. Cadance let Twilight scramble up onto the Chariot's riding platform first, and after speaking briefly with the lead flyer of the team, who nodded in assent, boarded herself.
"Detaiiiill... HUP!" The flyers snapped out their wings, and with several strong flaps lifted the Chariot easily into the air.
Twilight hung on the Chariot's railing for several minutes, watching the clouds passing below them. Then she looked up at Cadance.
"Cadance, are you a Princess too?" she asked.
Cadance had been expecting the question. "Indeed I am."
"Like Princess Celestia?"
"Well..." Cadance smiled. "Not quite like Princess Celestia. She's way more experienced than I am. And she does rule Equestria. But I help out in little ways, any way I can."
"Like with me?"
"Like with you," Cadance agreed. "Especially with you, Twilight!"
Twilight beamed, delighted, and turned back to watching the clouds.
The Chariot touched down in an open meadow near the playground. While the guards unharnessed themselves and took up station at a discreet distance, Cadance and Twilight set up their picnic in the shade of a nearby tree.
"Look!" Twilight cried, pointing to the middle of the blanket. "A ladybug! We should do the Welcome Spell!"
Cadance nodded. "Why not?" And this time she had to try to keep up with Twilight as they sang the words:
Sunshine, sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves, And do a little shake!
After lunch they went over to the playground, which stood empty in the sunlight since it was still school hours for the town's children. Twilight had to try everything: swings, slides, seesaw, roundabout, scurry tunnels, and the climbing web. But she eventually gravitated back to the swings, and Cadance patiently pushed her as long as she wanted.
Twilight sighed happily as she swung back and forth. "I am so lucky to have you as my foal-sitter!"
"I'm the one who's lucky, Twilight!"
"Huh! You're a Princess! I'm just a regular old unicorn!"
Cadance stopped the swing and grabbed her in a hug with a forehoof. "You are anything but a regular old unicorn, Twilight! The things you can do, the things you've been learning... you're going to be way better than me at magic!"
"Well... I can't do feely spells as good as you can!" Twilight objected.
"Give yourself time, you'll get there. And you have two of the best teachers in the land to help you. I had to figure out a lot of it on my own!"
Twilight looked at her, amazed. "Really?"
"Really. Celestia found me because of the spells I could already do, and she brought me here to help me learn more, just as she did with you."
"And you didn't have any books or anything to help?"
"Nothing but the love I felt for other ponies," Cadance said. "But that was enough to get me started, to focus the magic I had to draw on."
Celestia came awake with a start. She blinked in the light from the horns of the unicorn guards standing uncertainly beside her bed.
Lifting her head, she gave them a stern look.
"I look forward to a excellent reason."
The guards looked at each other. The one who drew the short straw cleared his throat. "Please forgive this intrusion, your Majesty! But we heard you calling out! Something about Miss Sparkle?"
Celestia sighed. "Then you acted properly, of course. It was an unsettling dream, nothing more. You may return to your posts!"
"At once, your Majesty!" They backed away hurriedly and left, shutting the door behind them.
The Princess of the Sun and Moon, ruler of all Equestria, hauled herself roughly to a sitting position. And shivered, tears welling in her eyes. Twilight Sparkle... alone, against her. And Twilight wasn't nearly ready yet. She wouldn't stand a chance!
You foolish old mare! she told herself. You've left it far too late!
Her head dropped back onto the pillows. Well, there was no hope of getting back to sleep now.
Her staff noticed when they came to dress her for the Raising Ceremony in the morning. The Royal Chamberlain, when she was sent away with a flea in her ear about a change in the Audience schedule, she certainly noticed. Word spread quickly and everyone tread quietly as the golden shoes stormed through the palace.
The Princess was Not in a Good Mood Today.
She managed to get through a hurried breakfast without banishing anyone. A dark cloud hung over her as she strode determinedly through the corridors, heading for Twilight Sparkle's room. The guards outside Twilight's room hurriedly got out of her way as she flung open the door and stood gazing around the room, tense and stern.
For a moment, she was balked. The room was empty, the bed made. She turned toward the door to Cadance's room...
... just as the door burst open and Twilight came charging through it, with Cadance right behind her. Twilight was giggling uncontrollably.
"Gotcha! Do you give up yet?" Cadance called.
"No!" Twilight called back.
Both of them came to a halt as they noticed Celestia.
"Auntie?" Cadance asked, worried.
"Am I interrupting something?" Celestia fumed.
"Princess!" Twilight raced over to her. "Cadance just taught me the most wonderful spell in the world! Can I show it to you?"
Before either Cadance or Celestia could say anything, Twilight's horn flared. And every inch of the power of her magic was behind it, with perfect control.
Celestia sat down abruptly. Hard. After well over a thousand years it took a lot to astonish her. This easily qualified.
Her bad mood was gone. Erased, as if it had never been. She was still tired, yes, but she could see it for the simple fatigue it was. She felt at ease, completely calm, able to rationally approach anything she faced.
And Twilight flung herself against Celestia, hugging her forelegs. "I see how to make my spells work! I see how to keep the magic from running away!"
Weakly returning the hug, Celestia looked to Cadance. "Does she now?"
"Near as I can tell, your Highness." Cadance said. "I only taught her a few comfort spells, nothing more. But Twi's always been a quick study. She used what you taught her about analyzing spells, and worked out what they had in common -- and from that, how to properly limit her magic to apply them. And it seems that now she can apply every ounce of her magic to her spells with perfect stability, if I'm any judge. Though I'd value a second opinion," she added quickly, still looking at Celestia with a worried gaze.
Celestia avoided her eye and looked down at Twilight.
"Then it seems I've arrived at the perfect time. Come with me, Twilight."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They strode into the Vault, and Twilight sat down in front of Celestia, ready for her lesson.
But Celestia simply stood, looking at her thoughtfully, for a long moment.
"Hmm? Everything is fine, Twilight. You've simply reminded me I haven't been giving your abilities nearly the credit they deserve. I think it's time we moved on from simple spell-casting to something deeper -- to the construction of spells themselves. This is very advanced work but given that you can properly contain your magic, I think we can shift the focus now."
"Cool!" Twilight beamed.
"Also... I'm thinking we should look into booking you into the next semester at the School, so you can begin taking classes with the other students on a wider range of topics than we can cover here."
"Does... that mean we won't be doing lessons together any more?"
"Of course not! You are still my student, Twilight. We'll still have our one-on-one time on a regular basis. But you'll spend more time at the School, and I'll also give you lessons that you can complete on your own. How does that sound? Feel like giving it a try?"
"Okay... sure."
"Twilight, what is it?"
"Princess... well... are you really sure I'm ready to move on?"
"Well, why don't we find out? How do you feel about taking a complete, all-day examination? On every single thing you've learned so far?"
"I passed, I passed, I passed!" Twilight sang, dancing in a circle around Cadance, as Cadance trotted down the corridor away from the Vault, trying thereby to keep both of them moving in the right general direction. "I passed, I passed, I pa-a-a-sssed!"
"Twilight," Cadance warned her, "other ponies are going to start asking me why I have a small filly orbiting me, and I'm going to have to tell them I have no idea who she is!"
"But I passed! Celestia gave me a pop final! And I got every question right! I got every spell right! I got them all ri-i-i-i-ght!"
"I'm happy and proud for you, I truly am!" Cadance said as Twilight started orbiting again. "But (a) you're making me feel seriously dizzy, and (b) you're liable to run into somepony, charging around like that without looking!"
"But I passed! I passed! I -- OOF!"
Cadance hadn't meant it literally but just as they turned the corner Twilight smacked straight into someone going the other way. The impact set her back hard on her haunches. "Ow!"
The other party had been flung several feet back down the corridor. It was a small purple dragon with green spines, who lay face down where he'd landed.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Twilight called. "I wasn't looking! Are you hurt?"
The dragon's head popped up. "Nah! I'm fine! Takes a lot more than that to faze me!" He jumped up and trotted up to her. Even sitting up as she was, she was only a little above eye-level with him. He stuck out a small claw. "Name's Spike! Nice to meetcha!"
"Hello, Spike!" Twilight replied hesistantly, putting out a hoof for a shake. "I'm Twilight!"
"Twilight Sparkle?" Spike asked, his green cat-like eyes widening. "Oh yeah! I knew I'd seen you before! You busted me out of my egg, remember? About time too! They had me sitting on that shelf for ages. I was wondering if they'd forgotten about me!"
"You're that baby dragon?" Twilight smiled. "Wow! I'm... glad I could help!"
"Me too! 'Course, it was a little weird being forty feet tall for a while. But I figured it would sort itself out, and it did." Spike beamed. "Princess Celestia's been talking all about you! I was hoping I'd run into you at some point. Though less painfully... for you, I mean!"
"Sorry!" Twilight got to her feet, just as Cadance came up to join them. "Oh, and this is Cadance, my foal-sitter."
"My lady!" Spike made a formal bow in Cadance's direction.
"Hello, Spike!" Cadance replied, smirking at him. "Are you on an errand, or are you just wandering around again?"
"A little of both actually," Spike admitted. "I'm supposed to be heading back to Celestia's chambers for dinner. But... I'm kinda taking the long way home, to be honest."
"Why, Spike?" Twilight looked amazed. How could anyone not want to take dinner with the Princess?
"Well... it's going to be a working dinner again, with some nobles from the crusty side of town. You know!" He rolled his eyes. "Gotta be on my best behavior, try not to barf when they tell me how cute I am, stuff like that!" He grimaced. "And she doesn't even really need me for stuff like that. I'd give it a pass, if I could!"
"Well, I just got done with my lessons for today," Twilight said, "and we're headed back to my room for dinner. You wanna join us?"
Spike looked sorely tempted. "Uhm... I should be getting back. I've already gotten in trouble a couple times this week for wandering off..." He added a look that made it very clear all he needed was an excuse.
Cadance looked from him to Twilight, a measuring look in her eyes. "I'm sure Celestia would understand, Spike," she said. "If she asks, I can tell her where you were."
"Well... okay! Don't have to ask me twice!" He readily trotted along beside Twilight.
They returned to Twilight's room, where the table by the windows had already been set for them. They set out an extra place and stacked some books on a chair for Spike to sit on. And there followed the strangest dinner Cadance had ever had with Twilight -- one in which Cadance didn't have to utter a word. Spike kept up an endless round of chatter with Twilight. He talked about the things Celestia had him doing to keep him busy, asked about the spells Twilight was learning, and gossiped with her about goings-on in the castle. And Cadance noticed Twilight taking the opportunity to pepper Spike with questions about Celestia. Spike didn't mind answering, though he admitted she kept him so busy they didn't spend a lot of time in the same room, even.
Cadance felt she should contribute something to the conversation, so she spoke up when there was a momentary lull. "Spike, if you don't mind my asking, how is it that you've learned to speak so well so quickly?"
Spike preened a bit at the compliment, then shrugged. "Celestia says it's 'cause dragons are born with language skills kinda built-in. We just need to learn the words, and we can use 'em. Saves a lot of time! Though some ponies assume that because I'm so small I can't talk yet."
"I don't know how anypony could get that impression," Cadance said dryly.
Cadance also noticed that Spike wasn't above playing tricks on Twilight, like pointing out the window at a passing pegasus while swiping a cookie from her plate and stuffing it in his mouth. And Twilight clearly enjoyed letting him think he'd gotten away with it. She also laughed out loud when Spike suddenly made a face and belched green fire.
"Whoah!" he said, thumping his chest with a claw. "Better out than in, huh? 'Specially if you're a dragon!"
Cadance was just stacking a few of the empty dishes to make some room when Twilight suddenly sat up, anxious. "Oh! I completely forgot! Celestia's going to start teaching me about spell construction. She assigned me to look up the twelve base spell components, and write a summary of each of them!"
"Can't you do it tomorrow, Twi?" Cadance asked gently. "It's almost bedtime!"
"She wanted it first thing! Ohhh!" Her horn flared, and a book lifted from a nearby case and thumped clumsily onto the table in front of her.
"Twi..." Cadance reminded her. "We agreed no reading at the table, remember?"
"But I'm all done, really! And this won't take long. I just need to look them up and write them down!" Frantically, she turned pages. "Now, I just need a pen and paper!"
"Oh, hey!" Spike said. "Lemme get that for ya!" He clambered up onto the tabletop, and Cadance quickly steadied it with a hoof as Spike marched over to the carved box sitting in the center, found quill and parchment, and fetched them back.
"Thanks, Spike! Now, the first one is easy, that's linear flow." The quill glowed with magic from Twilight's horn as it scratched hurriedly across the paper. "The next is fork-join, the third is iteration, the fourth recursion..." Suddenly Twilight looked at the paper. "Urhhh! I can't write when I'm in a hurry. I messed it up!" The paper scrunched up and flicked away, and the pen poised over a fresh sheet as Twilight frantically skimmed back a page.
"Here, gimme!" Spike said, reaching for the quill. Picking up the parchment, he held it up and readied the pen. "You tell me what to write, I'll write it!"
Twilight looked at him, surprised. "You can write, too?"
"Well, duh! It's just words, right? Writing's as easy as talking. Only difference is the words go down on the page rather than out in the air. Only problem I have is some of the longer words. I forget how to spell 'em, at least until I'm seen them a few times. But you can just show me those. I'll copy 'em down."
"Okay, the first is linear flow, the second is fork-join..."
"Hold it... fork... join... right, what's next?"
Cadance left the two of them working at it while she stacked the rest of the plates. Then she looked around, trying to find something else to do. For once she didn't want to interrupt Twilight's absorption in a book.
"... and the twelfth is the recursive combinator," Twilight said proudly, pointing a hoof at a line on the page.
"... re-cur-sive...com-bi-na-tor!" Spike muttered as he copied it. "Got it!"
"Perfect! I just need to sign my name, and we're done."
"Wait! Let's make it official!" Spike scribbled busily on the bottom of the sheet, then showed it to her. "How's that?"
"From the desk of Twilight Sparkle, as transcribed by Spike," she read. For a moment she looked uncertain. Then she beamed. "I love it! It sounds just like the notes the Princess sends me!"
"Yeah, well..." Spike shrugged. "She sometimes has me write those for her too, when she's busy doing too much at once. Like she always is!"
Cadance joined them in a laugh at that. "All right, you two! Bed time!"
"Yeah, I should be getting back!" Spike said reluctantly, climbing down from the table to the stack of books on his chair, and from there down to the floor. "I'll really catch it from Celestia if I'm late for my bedtime again!"
"Don't worry about it, Spike," Cadance said. "We'll cover for you!"
"Thanks a bunch... m'lady!" He bowed. "Well, g'night Twilight!" He waved. "Hope I run into you again!"
"Boom!" Twilight said, giggling.
"Yeah! Boom's right!" Spike smiled. "See ya!" He scampered out the door.
"Wow!" Twilight said, staring at the finished homework as if she couldn't believe it was already done. Then she hopped down from her seat and trotted over to bed.
Cadance tucked her in and blew out the light, and was just walking out through the door when she heard a sleepy voice behind her.
"Boom!" Twilight whispered to herself. Then she giggled happily.
Cadance smiled thoughtfully at that.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Let us be clear about this, niece," Celestia said later, in private. "Are we talking about the same Spike? It's like pulling shoe nails getting him to do anything. I have to dump him out of his basket every morning to wake him up! And more than once I've had to send the Guard out to find him when he's wandered off."
"One and the same!" Cadance confirmed. "And I think I know why he and Twilight get along so well." Cadance tried to figure out how to put it gently, then decided blunt force trauma was simpler. "It's because they're pretty much the same age."
Celestia eyed her levelly.
"Life doesn't begin 'til five hundred, you know. But I take your point. I keep forgetting that even though Spike speaks so fluently, he's still very young."
"The lessons Twilight is learning are easier for him to relate to since he's still learning things himself," Cadance pointed out. "And he also sees how much they mean to her, which makes him want to pitch in and help out."
"Spike?" Celestia said, disbelievingly.
"I'm serious! They get along amazingly well. He's so talkative and so undemanding. He's basically a very low-maintenance friend for her. I think she likes that. And --" She played her trump card. "-- he's able to get her nose out of the books."
"You don't say," Celestia replied dryly. "That is an accomplishment."
Cadance smiled at her. "So... may I tuck you in now, your Majesty?"
"Yes, niece. I would be very grateful if you did."
It didn't happen right away. There were a few arrangements to work out first so it was a few weeks later. One morning, Twilight and Cadance were playing a quick game of Candy Equestria on the floor in Twilight's room before Twilight's morning session.
"Oh, I remember this game!" Celestia said, casually stepping into the room while her guards took up station outside. "My favorite location was the Caramel Cliffs. Once I landed on that, I just didn't want to move on."
Cadance smiled. "I thought your Majesty was rumored to like cake!"
Celestia looked studiously innocent. "I have no idea how these rumors get started."
"Hello, Princess!" Twilight jumped up. "Are you here for today's lesson?"
"Unfortunately not," she said. "Duty calls. However, I did bring today's lesson with me. You can come in now!" she called over her shoulder.
Spike trudged into the room looking downcast. Then he saw who was in it and brightened up like a firework going off. "Twilight!" he called, trotting up to her.
"Hello, Spike!" She smiled down at him.
"Hey, are you getting taller?"
"Uh huh! Cadance says it's a growth spurt. It's mostly my legs though. Makes my head feel too small!"
"Nah, I think it looks good on you!"
"Thanks, Spike!"
"Now," Princess Celestia gently interrupted, "I'm assigning Spike here to be your assistant. He'll help with dictation and small errands, and lend a hoof with lessons that require it. And... maybe he'll also be able to help you learn how to pick up all the books you keep leaving lying around!"
"Sorry!" Twilight said, embarrassed. "I just get so wrapped up in looking up things that I forget!"
"Spike!" Celestia said warningly, "I'm putting Twilight in charge of you, so I want you on your best behavior. If she gives you an order, it's exactly as if it comes from me, understood?"
Spike bowed readily. "Yes, m'lady!"
Twilight gave him a crafty look. "So... you have to do what I say, huh?"
"Twilight, the same goes for you, young lady! I'm putting Spike in your care. So you're responsible for keeping him healthy and out of trouble, understood?"
"Yes, Princess," she said uncertainly, seeing the look in Celestia's eye.
Celestia smiled at them both. "And don't forget to find ways to have fun together. That's today's lesson, by the way. Once you're finished here, I want the two of you to go over to the School grounds. Spend some time finding your way around, seeing what the School has to offer, and work out between you how you can best help each other learn together."
"Can Cadance come too?" Twilight asked quickly.
Cadance smirked. "You weren't thinking of leaving me out were you?"
"Then I'll leave you to it. See you tomorrow, Twilight!"
"Bye, your Majesty!"
Spike watched over his shoulder until he was certain Celestia was really out of earshot. "Phew, that's a relief!" he said, turning back to Twilight. "When Celestia said she was assigning me to be somepony's assistant, I figured she was pawning me off on some old crone with twenty-six cats who'd have me dressed up in a sailor suit and serving crumpets!"
They eyed each other for a long moment.
"So!" Spike asked, "learned any new spells since last time?"
"Uh huh!" Twilight replied. "Wanna see one?"
"Sure! Uuuoops!"
Spike found himself hanging upside down in Twilight's magic field. He crossed his arms and looked bored.
"Oh, right! Embarrass-your-friends spells. Big deal. What else ya got?"
Taken aback, Twilight gently lowered him again. "Um, well..."
"Hey!" he said suddenly, "Celestia taught me a real cool spell! Can I show it to you?"
"Uh, sure," Twilight said, cautiously.
"Okay, all I need is a quill and some paper."
She levitated them out of a nearby box and gave them to him.
"Thanks! Now gimme something to write. Just say anything! Anything at all! First thing that comes into your head!"
"Uhhmm... Spike is a bat-eyed booger-brain?"
"Perfect!" He scribbed busily. "Now, observe!"
He carefully rolled up the paper, produced a small red band and a gold seal from nowhere, and affixed them to the scroll.
"What are you doing?" Twilight asked, mystified.
"Watch and learn!" Spike held up the scroll, took a deep breath, and exhaled a stream of green smoke that caused it to catch fire from end to end, turning into a wisp of smoke that swept out the door and down the hall.
Twilight watched it go, then looked back at him. "That's it? You're a magical scroll disposal?"
"Nope!" he said proudly. "It's on its way to Princess Celestia!"
Twilight goggled in horror. "You didn't!"
He nodded, beaming happily. Then he put up a clawed finger.
"Wait for it..."
Suddenly, he looked ill, made a face, then belched a torrent of green fire that resolved itself into another scroll, which hung in the air between them. Spike collected it, unrolled it, coughed gently, and read:
My Faithful Student Twilight --
I'm pleased Spike has gotten around to showing you his little party-piece so quickly. While caring for him I discovered he has some unusual talents, and decided to put them to good use. If you should ever need to get in touch with me, you can send a message to me via Spike. You can also send me your lesson reports in the same way, once you begin your classes at the School.
Oh and by the way, you needn't worry about offending Spike. Dragons are naturally very wise and patient creatures, and Spike in particular has a wonderful sense of humor, as you've no doubt discovered by now.
Your Mentor, Princess Celestia
Spike and Twilight eyed each other again.
"That," Twilight said, "was underhanded, low-down and sneaky!"
"Yeah, it was, wasn't it?" Spike agreed readily.
Twilight looked thoughtful. "You know what else?"
"What?"
"That has got to be the grossest way to send a letter I have ever seen."
"I know, right?" Spike nodded happily. "Celestia thought of it! I can belch my guts out in public and nobody can complain about it because it might be something important!"
Despite herself, Twilight had to giggle at that.
Spike stuck out a claw. "Still friends?"
Twilight put out a hoof and shook with him. "Still friends! Wanna help us finish the game?"
"Deal me in! Uh, just one question... how d'ya play?"
They finished the game in short order and then, with Cadance in tow, set out to explore the School grounds together.
And apparently some kind of unspoken agreement had been reached, because from that point on they were a team, inseparable, and they never tried to humiliate each other again.
"Very good work, Twilight!" Celestia said, as Twilight finished demonstrating her most recent assignment in spell-construction in the Vault. "You're getting the hang of fixing flaws in your spells, and stopping failures before they get out of hand."
"Thanks..." Twilight said unhappily.
"What is it?"
"It's going so slow! Making spells is a lot harder than I expected! I have to figure out every way the spell can go wrong ahead of time!" She kicked a book lying on the floor beside her. "And I can only make such simple spells! Even levitating a book is better than what I can do!"
Celestia thought for a moment. "Would you like to see a spell that I created?"
"I know it is, Twilight. Keep up, and don't wander off!"
A different set of doors had appeared in the gray expanse of the Vault: tall, imposing, and inlaid with scrollwork. They swung open, and Celestia stepped through with Twilight close on her heels.
Beyond Twilight found herself in what looked like the Royal Audience Chamber, with Celestia's throne at the far end. But it was eerily silent and empty, with sunlight cascading through its tall windows.
And there was a fourty-foot tall banjo resting against the wall to the left of the throne.
"This is my memory palace," Celestia explained. "I created it a long time ago when I had many more things to keep track of and I kept forgetting them. Oh, yes!" she said in answer to Twilight's amazed look. "Until I really got organized I forgot names, dates, appointments, everything!"
"And this helped?"
"Yes. I found that simply trying to remember things myself wasn't working. Even the usual memory tricks like visualization and name association didn't work. So I took memories of places I knew well, and crafted this spell to turn them into actual places I could walk through, as real and vivid as if I was actually there again. Then as I walked, I could add objects to the various rooms in the palace that were totally out of place, but served as reminders. Like that banjo... I think it was a reminder I had music lessons first thing in the morning... at least I hope it was! And when I needed to recall things, I invoked the spell and then walked through the palace again, and the objects I encountered helped me remember."
"It's merely a copy of the palace and some of its rooms," Celestia replied. "But it worked well for me for many years. Now that I'm better organized, of course, I haven't had a need for it. I haven't been here for many years, to be honest!"
"You think I can do something like this?"
"You'll want to start smaller, but I see no reason why not. Come on back out with me, and I'll show you the basics."
They stepped back out through the doors. Twilight looked back at the empty palace hall in amazement.
Some day, she thought. Some day I'll be this good.
That evening, as Cadance was tucking Twilight into bed, she felt a gentle tug on her tail and found Spike standing beside her. He looked up wistfully. "My lady? Could we have a story? Please?"
"I suppose we have time for one. Come on up!"
Before Spike could attempt the climb, he felt Twilight's magic grab him, lifting him up and setting him down on the quilt. She patted the blanket next to her with a hoof. "C'mon over and sit with me, Spike!"
Spike trotted over and tucked himself in, and then they both looked up at Cadance.
"Well, what story should we have?" she asked.
"Could we hear one about dragons?" Spike asked. "I mean... if that's okay?"
"Sure, I'd love to hear one!" Twilight agreed.
"Hmmm," Cadance went over to the bookshelf and browsed through it. "Not sure what we have here..." The history of dragons was not well-known for pleasant and instructive fables. She looked back to Twilight and Spike. "Well, we'll just have to improvise!" She trotted back, and sat on a cushion beside the bed.
"All right, this is the story of the brave and honorable dragon..."
"And Daring Do?" Twilight asked quickly.
A good foal-sitter rolls with the punches. A great foal-sitter comes out swinging.
"...and Daring Do, in the Forbidden Cave of Gemstones!"
"Mmmmmm, gemstones!" Spike said, rubbing his claws together. "I like it already!"
"One dark and stormy evening, Daring Do was struggling through the jungle, when she came across the cave of a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon!"
"BUUUURRP!" Spike looked at them. "What? Just getting into character."
"Shush, Spike!" Twilight told him.
"Oh yeah? What's the pith helmet for?"
Twilight looked up at it. "Oh... nothing!"
"Ahem," Cadance went on. "What Daring Do didn't realize was that this was also an extremely honorable dragon! He lived his entire life by the Dragon Code of Honor!"
"Ooh, dragons have a Code of Honor? I hadn't heard about this. Did you, Twilight?"
"Nope!"
Cadance went on, describing a brief, family-friendly version of an all-out harrowing struggle for life and death above the glowing lava pools in the cave depths, resulting in the dragon nearly falling into the lava, and Daring Do coming to its rescue. "And since Daring Do had saved the dragon's life," Cadance went on, "the dragon swore an oath... to serve her faithfully until death."
Totally wrapped up in the plot, Spike jumped up and took one of Twilight's hooves. "My lady, I pledge myself to your service, according to the Dragon Code of Honor!" He bowed formally.
Twilight giggled a bit, but nodded. "I accept your service, oh brave and honorable dragon!"
"And Daring Do, who usually works alone," Cadance finished, "decided to make an exception in this case and asked the dragon for a lift back to her cottage. And he willingly flew her all the way home. The End."
Spike checked his shoulders, found to his disappointment that he hadn't magically sprouted wings. "Uh, would you settle for a cab ride, Twi?"
Twilight clapped her hooves with glee. "That was wonderful! Thanks for suggesting it, Spike! It's even more fun having someone to share it with!"
"Hey, no problem! In fact, tomorrow morning while you're at your lesson with Celestia, I'm gonna make myself an official Dragon Code membership card! That way I can just flash it to show my dragon pride! Well... G'night!"
He trotted off down the bed and lowered himself over the end rail to get to his basket.
Cadance moved to tuck Twilight in again, and found her looking troubled.
"What is it, Twi?"
"When I start taking classes at the School, will you still be my foal-sitter?"
"Whenever you need me to," Cadance promised. "And even when you're living at the School full time, you can always come visit me here at the palace. And I'll be following your progress from here, believe me! I'm looking forward to seeing how you turn out, Twilight Sparkle!"
"Thanks, Cadance! G'night."
"Good night, Twilight!"
"G'night, my lady!" called a voice from over the end rail.
"Good night, Spike!" Twilight and Cadance chorused, and then they laughed.
Even with Cadance's assistance getting to sleep, Celestia still found herself starting awake in the middle of the night, and then tossing and turning, unable to get back to sleep. And this night was proving to be much worse. She buried her muzzle in the pillows and tried to force herself to think of nothing, nothing at all.
When that failed, she thought back to the lesson with Twilight that morning, to her student's proud and stubborn insistence on perfection in her work. I remember someone else who felt that way, she thought muzzily.
On a whim, she found herself invoking the spell for the memory palace, and began wandering through it as a distraction. At first, she simply trotted aimlessly. Then she found herself wondering where Twilight was -- hadn't she kept up?
And then Celestia heard it... the laughter in the distance, the laughter Celestia always heard before she appeared, stalking out from the shadows, to torment them both:
HA-HA-HA-HAH! HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HAH!
But where was Twilight? Celestia stared around in mounting terror.
She was missing! Lost somewhere! Completely helpless!
I've lost her!
"Twilight!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Princess Celestia?"
The night guard stationed in the hall outside Twilight's room came alert at the sound from inside. Following orders, he gently opened the door and checked the darkened room beyond. Seeing Twilight still safely tucked up in bed, and Spike wrapped up in his basket on the floor at the end of the bed, he nodded in relief. When there was no further noise from either of them, he gently shut the door again.
He therefore did not observe the shimmering glow that settled upon both Twilight and Spike, and how a moment later they were gone.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"TWILIGHT!"
In her bedchamber, Celestia started awake. She hauled herself up and furiously shook her head to clear it.
The door crashed open. "Your Majesty!"
The guards recoiled from the look in Celestia's eye.
"The two of you, with me. NOW!" Quickly she donned shoes, necklace, and crown, then stood facing them, impatient.
"Well? I am waiting!"
The two guards hurriedly stepped into the room and took up station on either side of her. And then Celestia's horn flashed, teleporting all three of them to the hallway outside Twilight's room.
"Awaken Princess Cadenza. Have her meet me inside!"
"Yes, your Majesty!" Still reeling from the sudden translocation, the guards headed for the door to Cadance's room.
Brushing aside the guard at Twilight's door, Celestia flung it open, hoping against hope. She stepped inside, her horn blazing with light that filled the room.
Seeing the empty bed and basket, she let out a piercing cry.
The side door opened, and Cadance hurried in. She gasped. "Twilight! Where is she?"
"She's gone, niece!" Celestia whispered, her voice breaking. "She's been taken -- by HER!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Twilight awakened in the morning. She yawned and stretched, enjoying how comfortable the bed felt. Then her eyes opened in surprise. It was very comfortable, way more than she remembered.
"Huh?"
She sat up. The bed was completely different, with a much thicker quilt and much softer mattress. The room around her was completely different, also. It was grander and more elegant, for one thing. The curtains were heavy and colored a deep midnight blue. There was a windowed doorway leading to a balcony with a telescope on it. The table in the center of the room was piled high with papers and charts and compasses.
And the room was dark, shadowy, almost like it was still night-time. Yet based on how she felt, Twilight was sure it had to be morning.
She felt around with a hoof. Smarty Pants wasn't there beside her. That scared her more than anything else.
"Spike! SPIIIKE!"
"Wooah!" She heard a thud as he fell out of his basket. His claws landed on the endrail of the bed and his head popped into view.
"What is it, Twilight?" Then he looked around. "Hey, when did we move to the new room? Aw geez, why didn't you wake me up?"
"I don't know! I just woke up myself! Spike, I'm scared!"
"Join the club!" Spike clambered up onto the bed and trotted over. "Well, at least we're both here to be scared together, right?"
"Yeah." Twilight looked for the door leading to Cadance's room, and couldn't find it. She found the door to the hall -- it was in the wrong place, but she called out anyway. "Hello! Anyone out there?"
Usually the guards would have been in like a shot if she'd merely dropped Smarty Pants on the floor. There was no sound from outside at all.
Twilight gritted her teeth. "C'mon, Spike!" She jumped out of the bed, landing lightly on the floor.
"After I just got all the way up here?" Spike appeared at the edge of the bed. "Uh, a little help?"
Twilight moved close to the bed so he could slide off onto her back, and then down to the floor. Then the two of them moved to the door. Twilight opened it, and they peered outside.
"No guards," Spike said. "Where'd they all go?"
"I don't recognize this hallway. We must be in some other part of the palace. Let's head downstairs, see if we can find the courtyard."
With her horn glowing to provide light, Twilight led the way to a nearby staircase and they followed it down an unexpected number of flights. Finally they came to what seemed like a ground floor. After a short trot down a corridor, they came to an open door that seemed to lead outside.
But it wasn't the courtyard. It was the main gallery of an ancient-looking cathedral with a high-vaulted ceiling. In the center of the broad space was a round stone base supporting a tree-like sculpture of stone spheres. And to the right, at the end of the hall, was a tall set of sculptured doors that looked very familiar.
"Ohmygosh!" Twilight gasped.
"What is it, Twi?"
She led the way over to the doors, and nosed one of them open. Beyond was a grand gallery ending in a matched pair of thrones, one of which was hung with tapestries bearing the sunburst emblem of Princess Celestia.
"We're in Celestia's memory palace!"
"Celestia's what now?"
"She told me about it!" Twilight said as they walked along the gallery. "It's a place she created by magic, which she used to help her remember things by walking around in it."
"Wait... lemme get this straight. We're somehow inside Princess Celestia's head? How's that even possible?"
"No, it's a spell! It gives physical form to her memories. Oh no!"
She came to a sudden halt, so suddenly that Spike crashed into her.
"Spike!"
"What?"
"Celestia also said she doesn't use it any more. What if she never comes here again? How will she ever find us!"
The two of them huddled together in the shadowy gloom, staring around at the night-dark Audience Chamber around them.
"She's not in any of the nearby rooms," Cadance said.
"And the guard on duty reports he saw her only minutes ago," Celestia told her, "so she could not be far even if she did merely wander off."
"Are you sure it's... her?"
"Who else could it be?" Celestia said flatly. "What I don't understand is how the Shepherd Stars could have failed us. I just checked them. They are weak but still holding."
"Auntie! What about... the other place? You know, where you found me?"
Celestia shook her head. "I checked there as well. It seemed too soon, yet I hoped that... but no, she was not there either!"
There was a clattering behind her. She turned to find Shining Armor coming to attention.
I am not looking forward to this.
"Lieutenant," she said calmly, "I regret to inform you that Twilight Sparkle appears to be missing." Before he could speak, she went on. "Will you assemble all available guards? We will conduct a thorough search of the palace and grounds. She will be found."
Shining Armor looked aghast, but quickly saluted. "At once, Majesty!"
He raced away, collecting guards as he went.
"Niece, that may buy us some time. You and I need to come up with a plan for locating where Twilight Sparkle has actually been taken... and get her back!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Twilight trotted down corridors and up and down staircases, but she could not find anyone or anything but echoing halls and night-dark, dusty rooms. Spike scurried along after her, his eyes wide as he stared up at the suits of armor and ancient tapestries.
"Hello!" Twilight called out.
"Um... Hello!" Spike added.
There was no reply.
By random chance they wound up back in the Audience Chamber with its two thrones. Forlornly, Twilight climbed the steps to the throne with the sunburst banner and sat down on it. Spike followed and sat down next to her.
"Maybe we should wait for daylight," Spike suggested. "It'll be easier to see stuff."
"I'm not sure if there will be any," Twilight replied. "This is just a magical copy of the palace. Maybe it's only daybreak when Celestia's actually here."
"But that would be good, right? We'd know she was here, and we could try to find her!"
"But where would we look? Celestia said she walks a path through the rooms. If we're searching the wrong place, she might pass right by us!"
"Did she say which way she goes?"
"No... but I have an idea," Twilight said. She looked around. "If we can figure out the path she walks, we can position ourselves so she'll find us when she does come here again."
"Sounds good. But... like, how are we going to do that?"
Twilight's face set in a determined look. "Spike!"
"Yeah, Twilight?"
"We're going to make a list. Of every room, of every thing in this palace. We'll figure out what belongs here, and what doesn't. The things that don't belong are what Celestia uses to remember stuff. Looking at them, we can figure out the path she walks!"
Spike looked at her doubtfully. "Every room?"
"Spike!"
"Okay, okay! I'm in! But that's gonna take a boatload of paper! Where are we gonna find some?"
Twilight thought for a moment. "The room we woke up in. There was tons of paper on that table. We'll head back there."
She stood up, and then thought for a moment. "Spike, climb on!"
"Okay!" He hauled himself up onto her back.
"Ouch!"
"Sorry! Guess I need to trim my claws a bit!"
"It's okay. Now grab my mane and hold tight. I'm gonna run!"
"Okay, got it... whoooaaaoohhh nelly!"
Twilight's hooves clattered off down the hall.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Celestia sat disconsolately on her throne in the Audience Chamber.
Before her, Shining Armor stood alone on the carpet, tense and puffing from exertion of the search.
"Your Majesty, the guards have searched everywhere. The palace, the grounds, even some of the adjoining streets in Canterlot. Twilight's not to be found anywhere. And I know -- I mean, uh, I remember -- how she plays hide-and-seek. I've checked all the places I could think of that she could be hiding, with no results."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Celestia replied evenly. "We must assume that she has been removed by force, and may be held against her will. Have the guards continue the search with that in mind. I will investigate as well from here, using all resources at my disposal."
"Majesty..."
"Dismissed!"
Shining Armor looked about to object, then nodded, turned, and left. The doors closed behind him.
And Celestia dropped her head and shut her eyes, gasping in sorrow.
My dear Twilight, I have lost you! As I lost Luna, so long ago!
She thought back to the touch of Twilight's nose to her own, so much like that of Luna. The uncertain yet trusting gaze, the mixture of determination and playfulness. The incredible attention to detail in the way she designed the constellations for the night sky.
Thinking of that, Celestia invoked an rarely-used spell, one that conjured up a familiar room in the old castle. A bedroom with night-dark curtains, a table cluttered with star-charts and sketches, and the balcony with Luna's telescope, which she used to triple-check her work.
Standing just outside the door to Luna's bedroom, she gazed in, tears welling in her eyes.
Take me if you need to, she cried in her thoughts, imprison me for a thousand years if it gives you pleasure! But please, dear Luna, please give Twilight back to me!
All at once, her head jerked up. The sheets on the bed -- they were thrown aside... as if someone had been sleeping in them? And was that... Spike's basket, on the floor next to the bed?
She heard a clattering of hooves coming from the nearby stairs. And Twilight Sparkle hove into view, with Spike clinging to her mane for dear life. Twilight skidded to a halt on the stone flagging when she saw she wasn't alone.
"Princess Celestia?"
"TWILIGHT? What are you doing here?" Celestia all but ran over to her, and pulled her into a hug.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" Twilight cried, "Please don't be mad! We somehow got into your memory palace and we couldn't get out and I didn't know if you would ever come back and I was afraid we might never get out and..."
"Shhh! Dearest Twilight, I am not mad at you. I am overjoyed to find you! But how did you get here? This is not my memory palace..."
Then Celestia looked up and around. "Well... this is a memory... of a palace.... which I suppose amounts to the same thing."
She looked back at Twilight. "I'm the one who's sorry, Twilight. I've been having upsetting dreams lately about someone I knew and loved very much, a long, long time ago. My memories of her were getting tangled up with my memories of you. You are a lot like her, in many ways! So while I was dreaming about her, you somehow wound up here, in my memory of her room."
"My lady," Spike said. "I completely don't get that! But I don't care! We're really glad to see you!"
"We sure are, and Spike was a great help!" Twilight said. "He kept me from being really scared, and he helped me figure out how to find you!"
"Aaah, it was nothin'," Spike said. He coughed green flame and produced a small pasteboard card scribbled with green and purple crayon. "All part of the service, according to the Dragon Code of Honor!"
To his surprise, he found himself being kissed gently on the forehead. Celestia smiled. "I'm glad Twilight has such a great friend!"
"Awwww!" Spike looked embarrassed. Twilight giggled at him.
"What's the matter, Spike? Can't you take a compliment?"
"Yeah, as long as it doesn't get all mushy!"
"Come along you two! Let's get you back to the real palace. I imagine by now Shining Armor will have torn apart the wainscoting in the cellars trying to find you!"
"Shiny! I hope he wasn't too worried!"
"He actually kept his head quite well in a difficult situation! We must think about a promotion for that," Celestia said. "But please don't say I said so. Allow me to surprise him!"
"Okay!"
To Twilight's surprise Celestia led them back into the bedroom. She motioned wordlessly with her head to Spike. He took the hint and hopped down from Twilight's back and into his basket, bundling himself up.
Celestia helped Twilight scramble back into the bed, then pulled the covers up over her.
"Was she really nice?" Twilight asked, as she was gently kissed as well. "Your friend who used to live here?"
"She was the nicest pony we had ever known. Until we met thee. Sweet dreams, young Twilight Sparkle!"
"But..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"...Princess Celestia?"
Twilight awoke, and sat up in bed in her own daylit room.
"Psst, Spike!"
"Right here!" He clambered up over the endrail. "Ya know, I think I'm gonna stick to those pepperoni-and-turquoise bad dreams from now on. At least I got a chance of figuring those out!"
There was a blazing aura of sunlight, out of which appeared Princess Celestia, Cadance, and Shining Armor.
"Twily!"
"Hey, B.B.B.F.F.!"
"Twilight, there you are!"
"Cadance! You'll never guess where I was!"
"The Princess has just been telling us. Like I said, you are definitely not a plain old unicorn! You never stop amazing me!"
"My apologies," Celestia said. "For all of this. I shall take immediate steps to make certain it does not happen again!"
"Uhm, Princess?"
"Twilight, if you have a question..."
"... I know, I know, just ask! But... now I that know where I was, I'm not so scared any more! Do you think I could visit that old castle again?"
"I think it's more than likely you will!" Celestia answered cryptically.
A few weeks later, Twilight finally moved to student's quarters at the School building itself. It was bittersweet, leaving her room at the palace, but Cadance solemnly promised to keep it reserved as long as possible in case Twilight ever wanted to come over for a visit.
Saying goodbye to Cadance was even harder, but Cadance reminded Twilight of her promise, that she would be available whenever Twilight needed her.
Twilight and Spike were unpacking books and clothes in her new dormitory room, with Twilight carefully ticking off items on a checklist to make sure nothing had gone missing. Spike put himself in charge of reloading the bookcase, grabbing books Twilight levitated out of the boxes and hustling them over to the shelves.
Coming across Smarty Pants in one of the boxes, Twilight glanced over at Spike. Then she tucked the doll away in her toy box and shut the lid.
"So!" Spike said, dusting his claws after tucking away the last of the books. "There's still some space left -- we gonna hit the library after this, Twi?"
"You know it, Spike! Let's do this!"
"May I lend a hoof?" Princess Celestia strode into the room. "Oh, I see you're nearly done!"
She looked around the relatively small, windowless space. "Are you sure this is all right, Twilight? Some of the rooms in the central dormitory are larger, and have a better view -- or any view, for that matter."
"But they're not as close to the library, and to the palace," Twilight said. "Thank you, Princess, but this is fine for me!"
"I'm pleased to hear it!"
"So, what's my lesson plan for today?" Twilight said. Spike hurried over to stand next to her, quill and paper at the ready to take notes.
"No lessons today, Twilight," Celestia said. "It's the weekend, remember?"
"Awwww!"
"But... I do have a few hours free. And I hear there's a certain playground on the outskirts of Ponyville that has good reviews. And do you know how long it has been since I have had a picnic?"
She leaned close and stared narrowly at Twilight.
"You wouldn't want to disappoint the Princess of the Sun and Moon now, would you?"
"No way, your Majesty!"
"Fine, let's go then!"
"Oh, well..." Spike sighed. "I guess I'll get on with finishing the unpacking and... woooaaah!"
He found himself unceremoniously dumped on Twilight's back as she and Celestia trotted out the door to the Golden Chariot waiting outside.
"Wait. Uh, can we talk about this?" he asked, trying to make it sound like he actually meant it.
He also wasn't quite sure which of them had done it.
The End
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, its characters and indicia are the property of Hasbro. No infringement is intended. This story is a work of fan fiction, written by fans for fans of the series.
