Twilight and Pearl get a huge surprise when they meet the Dragon Queen.
Several months have passed since the Siege of Canterlot, and things have begun to mostly return to normal. Twilight's reborn friends are settling in well, and the cleanup is going rather smoothly.
So of course something has to happen to upend it all. When she receives a message out of the blue, Twilight is shocked to see who it is from.
Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder and one of the two near-mythical Dragon Aspects, herself, wants to meet her and Pearl. But why, and why does she seem so interested in Pearl herself?
Twilight sighed irritably as she shot a look at Azure. "Still nothing?"
The Pegasus nodded sadly. "Phylis was very thorough it seems. Even if they had won, she deleted everything in Canterlogic's files. And the only pony who might know more is still missing."
Twilight groaned. slamming her head on her desk. "Ponies do not do something like this for no reason! This was too well coordinated to be a coincidence. Is there anything from Zephyr Heights or Bridalwood? What about Zipp and Pipp?"
Azure shook her head. "They are even more in the dark than we are. We have them under constant protection. It is too dangerous otherwise."
Twilight's ears fell in despair. "Ponies still blame them for what Haven did?" Azure nodded. "I have never blamed them for what their mother did. Why can't more ponies see that they are innocent?"
Azure could only shake her head sadly. She had a daughter about Pipp's age herself, and it tore her up inside to see ponies so young be shunned and almost hated for something they did not do. "Your friends don't seem to care. Rainbow Dash has stood up for them more than once. As has Pearl. Vocally in her case of course."
Twilight giggled. "That is good to hear. Where are they now?"
Azure tapped her chin. "I believe Pearl, Sunset, and Pipp are all streaming at the moment. I can't say what though. Video games were never my thing. Sunset looked positively excited though."
Twilight smirked. "Well, Sunset was a rather famous streamer in her first life. I am glad to see that she has not lost the fire for it."
Azure rolled her eyes. She would have to take the princess's word for it. "And the others are helping in various ways across the city. Pinkie Pie looked positively giddy when Sunny offered to show her some of her own recipes."
The two giggled before Twilight sighed and looked back at the ever-growing stack of papers on her desk. So much for it ever going down. "I am almost hoping something happens right this second," she grumbled. "Any second now..."
For a moment, neither said anything, before Twilight sighed in annoyance. "Damn it. Stuff like that never happens when I want it to. This stack used to be so small. What happened to the good ol' days?"
Azure could only shrug. Before they could say more, however, the air before the princess shimmered in a haze of scarlet, before depositing a letter onto the desk in gout of flames. Twilight looked at it in shock, while Azure scratched her head. "Was that a Dragon Flame Mail spell?"
Twilight nodded. "It was. But only Spike knows how to reach me with it, and he is asleep. So then who..." Looking at the seal on the letter, she felt her breath hitch. The Tree of Life intertwined with Equus. Only two beings in all of existence used that symbol. "It can't be," she whispered as she carefully undid the seal, and began to read.
'Princess Twilight Sparkle.
I am sorry that we have never once been able to speak. Lord Ember has always spoken highly of you, and your dedication to preserving all life, even at the expense of yourself, speaks of how you truly deserve your crown. A mother will always put her children first.
Life is my Aspect, little one, and I, like all mothers, know both the pain and wonders that entails. My children, while not perfect, are a good example of this.
I know of what has come to pass in Equestria. The nightmare that certain fools threatened to unleash. I also know that you have met the Guardian of the Everfree and his connection to your student. I remember well the heartbreak and despair he felt when she first passed.
It is time I stopped my seclusion. I would dearly love to meet both you and Pearl Rose, for I know of her love and fascination with all of dragonkind. Find a wide-open space, and I will be able to find you. Canterlot is too small, and I do not wish to frighten nearby towns.'
But it was the name at the bottom of the letter, that only confirmed what Twilight had read. 'Alexsttrasza.'
Azure's mouth dropped in shock as she too read the name. "The Life-Binder? The Red Leviathan? I thought the Dragon Aspects were just a myth."
Twilight nodded numbly, still unable to believe it herself. "They are both very real, Azure. Ysera is seen only very rarely. Have you ever read reports of a colossal scarlet red dragon?"
Azure shrugged. "Only in passing. I always chalked them up to an over-eager imagination."
Twilight chuckled. "I used to say the same thing. But not long after I ascended the throne, I was walking through Everfree when I spied a massive red dragon in the distance. As I got closer, I could see that she was different from the dragons I know. I stayed out of sight, for I did not know how she might react to being intruded on. I think she knew I was there, though, for she looked right at me and smiled, before taking off and flying northwards."
Azure still wasn't convinced, judging by her looks, but she decided to defer to the princess on this matter. "Assuming Alexstrasza is real then. Why would she want to meet Pearl? She does not know her."
Twilight nodded, thinking on it a moment. "Perhaps it has something to do with Pearl and Summer being Twin Souls, and how far back her connection with her and Kohaku really goes. I do not know. But I doubt Pearl will care."
Azure nodded as the princess stood and made for the door. "You plan to tell her now?"
Twilight nodded. "I need to get away from all of this Celestia damned paperwork! If they do not mind that is."
Azure rolled her eyes as the princess left with a spring in her step. She somehow doubted it would be as easy as Twilight hoped it would be.
"Are you kidding?! When do we start?" Pearl all but squeed, bouncing in place excitedly as Twilight finished explaining what was going on.
Sunset rolled her eyes. "Slow down speedy. And here I thought the Aspects were nothing but a myth. Imagine how I felt the first time I played World of Warcraft, and those names popped up, and then meeting them in Dragonblight at Wyrmrest Temple and the Emerald Dragonshrine?"
Pipp gave her a confused look. "I have no idea of what any of those are."
Sunset nodded. "Old video game from when I was first alive. Probably not a thing anymore."
Twilight nodded, before looking at her student. "Pearl. Are you sure about this? Alexstrasza wants to meet you. But I will not force you into this. No matter who it might be."
Pearl nodded. "Are you kidding? I've wanted to meet her my whole life! I always knew her and her sister were real. No matter what other ponies thought. I knew in my heart they were." Her smile widened. "Hey. Do you think we can meet Ysera as well? That would make this even better!"
Twilight giggled. "I do not know about that, my Faithful Student. The Mother of Dreams is even more of a recluse than her big sister is." She winked, though. "But if things go well this first time? I don't see why you can't try and meet her."
Pearl's grin would have made Pinkie Pie proud as she pranced in place.
Celestia sipped her tea silently as Twilight relayed the news she and Pearl had received. "I must say that I expected this to happen sooner. If not from the Dragon Queen herself, then from her sister."
Twilight's nose scrunched. "You mean to say this has happened before? How have I not heard of this? I would think there is no way to hide either of the Aspects if they ever come to Equestria."
Luna shook her head. "There are several in fact. All of which neither of us knew about when we first met them."
Pearl blinked in surprise. "You've met both Alexstrasza and Ysera? When? They stick out like a sore wing. Even compared to most dragons."
Celestia giggled. "Indeed. And to answer your first question, Princess Twilight. The last time the four of us met was not long before the Nightmare Moon incident, and it was only us four, and no record was made of it."
Twilight frowned. A part of her was still peeved that the sisters had kept things from her, even after all of this time.
Luna took a sip of her coffee, noticing Twilight's sudden shift in mood. "And to answer your question, Pearl. We have met them several times. They came to our coronation in fact, though we did not know it was them. And again after we defeated Discord."
Celestia nodded. "I believe Alexstrasza came to your first coronation, Twilight. But I cannot be sure. Ysera is less concerned with mortals, though that is not to say that she does not care at all."
Pearl tapped her chin. "So why don't we see them more often? I don't think even Dragon Lord Ember has seen either of them. I get they care more for dragons than ponies. But still."
Celestia and Luna shared a look. "Only they can tell you that, Pearl. That She Who is Life has asked to see you personally, Pearl says that there is something that none of us can see that she can," Luna replied.
Pearl sighed. Go figure. It wasn't like her life couldn't get any weirder. A part of her hoped that, if this meeting did go well, then she could one day meet the Emerald Queen as well. Maybe she could pull some strings with Kohaku. This seemed right up his alley.
It couldn't hurt anyway.
"Nope. Can't help you, Pearl," Kohaku said with an infuriating smirk as he leaned back on his bed.
Pearl threw her hooves up in exasperation. "Oh come on! Don't tell me with how old you are, you've never met either Aspect? For crying out loud, one of Alexstrasza's titles is Life-Binder. There has to be something there."
He nodded. "I have in fact met them both. Mother was very good friends with Alexstrasza before she ascended to the spirit realm. I remember the first thing I said to her when I met her for the first time." He smirked. "I honked her on the nose and called her an oversized red gecko."
Pearl's eyes began twitching as her mane began springing out of place. "You what?!"
Kohaku chuckled. "Oh yes. I was two, so I didn't know any better. Don't tell me you never did something dumb at that age?" He smiled knowingly as Pearl blushed. "Her consort at the time, Tyranastrasz, was furious and probably would have had me as a very light snack. But she just laughed it off."
Pearl could feel the steam billowing from her ears as her brain malfunctioned. Why did she put up with him again?
Kohaku tapped his chin in thought. "And then, of course, I started chewing on her tail. It took a while for mother to pry me off. But it was worth it."
Pearl's brain finally gave up the ghost and decided to take a vacation far away from this insane reality as she all but flopped onto Kohaku's bed with a pained groan. "Some days I just wish I had stayed in Baltimare. Everything made sense then."
Kohaku chuckled as he lifted her head with a tail. "But where's the fun in that? And think of everything you would have missed if you had stayed. Assuming the city is still standing when Princess Twilight is done with it."
Pearl's ears fell. She tried not to think of what her mentor had promised she would do if Maretonia did not retreat from the city. "The only ponies still in the city are traitors or invaders. She promised she would raise the city to the ground. Don't know how she could though."
Kohaku did not respond. He knew very well what the princess could unleash on the city. Even as far away as it had been, he had felt the invocation of the Rain of Colorless Fire that had erased Klugetown from existence. The unholy magic of the spell sickened him and all who knew of the spells.
Pearl saw the look in his eyes and decided not to dig too deep. Some things were better left unknown. "So what am I supposed to now? Celestia and Luna couldn't offer me anything. Twilight can't. I'm stumped."
Kohaku sighed as he sat up, smiling as he lifted the Pegasus's head. "Pearl, Pearl, Pearl. Use the brain I know you have. Do you really think the Queen of Dragons would ask to see you personally if she didn't think you were worth it? While we always haven't seen eye to eye, I know Alexstrasza is better than that. Just be yourself, and you'll be fine. Besides. You'll have the princess there with you."
Pearl managed a small smile. "You know. For being a nine-tailed pain in my ass, you do have good advice every now and then. Just don't let it go to your head. Maybe that's why Summer sticks around. You're not that adorable."
He just smirked. "I try. And after thirty millennia of life, I like to think I know a thing or two." He booped her nose. "And I will have you know that she finds me very adorable thank you very much. Maybe Princess Twilight has a thing for mouthy little redheads."
Twilight watched with an amused smile as Pearl paced back and forth, casting an occasional glance skywards. "Keep this up, my Fathul Student, and you'll dig yourself all the way to Neighpon. You will be fine."
Pearl shot her a glare but stopped all the same. "I can't help it. I am so not ready for this! Can't I take a rain check? Like forever?"
Twilight giggled as she wrapped a wing around the Pegasus. "Pearl. You'll be fine. Alexstrasza would not do something like this if she did not think you were worth it." She winked. "Besides, if I have to listen to Kohaku complain he did all of this for us, and you chickened out, he has my permission to annoy you all he wants, and he will not hear a thing from me."
Pearl's eyes widened in horror as she looked around the huge clearing they were in. She knew for a fact it hadn't been here before and was large enough that even former Dragon Lord Torch could stretch out and have room to spare. She frowned as she saw a shadowy fox snickering in the treeline.
Twilight saw it as well and rolled her eyes. "And besides, I need a break from all of this me-damned paperwork! I just wish the girls were here."
Pearl gave her a look. "They didn't want to come? I know Fluttershy is still afraid of dragons. But I didn't think it was as bad as you made it out to be. I mean. She kicked one out of a mountain once. This should be easy."
Twilight shook her head. "They did in fact. But I did not think it would be wise. Rainbow is just dumb enough to try and do something. Applejack never was able to keep her in line. No matter what she did."
Pearl rolled her eyes. That was an understatement. Before she could say more, however, she saw a distant dragon-shaped speck. "I think I see her. At least she's on time."
Twilight turned to look as well. She too could just make out a distant shape rapidly growing in size. It soon began to dwarf everything around it, and even Torch seemed small in comparison as a colossal red dragon was revealed at last. She circled the clearing a few times, before descending.
Pearl gulped as Twilight tightened her grip. So much for running for the hills now, but her nerves soon gave way to another feeling. "I never imagined she was so big," she whispered in awe. "She's so beautiful."
Twilight nodded. "Neither did I. And I have seen many wonderful things in my life. But nothing such as this."
Alexstrasza seemed to hear them, for she smiled as she landed before them and brought her head down to their level. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Princess Twilight. But thank you all the same."
Pearl giggled as Twilight blushed, before backing up as the Aspect turned her gaze on her. The blazing light soon faded from her eyes as she smiled. In those eyes, she saw boundless compassion and love for all life, welded to intellect and wisdom that beggared belief. She had never felt so small before. A feeling shared as well.
Alexstrasza chuckled. "Do not worry. Many have the same reaction when we first met. And I see why Kohaku likes you. You are nearly her."
Pearl rolled her eyes. Not this again, as again she saw her mentor tense up at something she still refused to explain. "I get that a lot. And I will tell you what I told him. I do not care what I look like. I am not her. Some days I wonder why I stick around him as it is."
Twilight gulped as the queen turned her gaze on her. "You still have not told her?"
The alicorn shook her head. "It is not my place. And what could I say that Kohaku can't say better? Every time I go to his home, though, it feels like I have done it before. Long before we first met in fact."
Alex smiled. "Oh, my sweet child. There is more to the both of you than either of you know. A bond that goes back much further than either of you know, and deeper than mere teacher and student."
Pearl and Twilight shared a confused look. What did she mean by that? Yes, they loved each other more than the usual student-teacher bond. But that was it. Twilight loved the filly almost as if she was her own daughter.
And Pearl? Well, she did have a major crush on the princess. But so what? Who didn't at her age? In her heart, Pearl knew that, no matter what some of her fantasies said otherwise, it would never work out between them. Not only was the age gap enormous. But the Pegasus hated the idea of leaving Twilight a widow for all time. It wasn't fair at all to her.
Alex's smile grew as she saw the glimmer in Pearl's eyes. One that Princess Twilight did not seem to see. "But that will come in time. I have waited a long time to meet you, Pearl Rose."
Pearl blinked, taken aback by this. "But why? You don't know me. I'm nothing to you. Just another Pegasus in a country filled with them. What makes me so special?"
Alex's smile softened as she looked at the filly's flank. "Your cutie mark says otherwise."
Pearl looked at it in confusion. "What about it? I still don't even know for sure what I did to get it. I've always loved dragons. Will to the day I die probably. I was hoping I could meet Spike. But good luck getting that lazy drake up now."
Twilight giggled, knowing the feeling all too well herself. Pearl's gaze turned distant as she looked at clouds above them with a somewhat dreamy expression on her face. "I've wanted to the worlds' foremost Dragon Scholar for as long as I can remember. Hell. Meeting you is a dream come true. I've wanted to meet you and Ysera for so long."
Alexstrasza chuckled. "A noble goal indeed. My sister might be harder to meet since she rarely comes out of the Dream, but she too knows your love and fascination for our kind. I only wish you could have met the others."
Pearl scratched her chin, and even Twilight looked confused. "What do you mean? There are only two of you. There always have been," Twilight finally said.
Alexstrasza sighed as she looked towards the north. "I'm sure you know the story, Princess Twilight. How my sister and I became as we are today?"
Twilight frowned. "The two of you stood against Galakrond, a nightmarish, mutated and diseased dragon that did unspeakable things to the dead. Necromancy is forbidden on pain of death because of the Not-Living he created. Even more so than what Grogar created."
Pearl nodded. She saw a haunted look in the Life-Binder's eyes however. "You're saying that's not what happened?"
Alex shook her head. "No. That is indeed what happened. But it is not the full story. There were five of us who fought the abomination. Myself, my sister, and three others. Neltharion the black, Malygos the blue, and Nozdormu the bronze. They fell so that we might have any chance of bringing him down. They succeeded in weakening Galakrond enough for the two of us to destroy him utterly. But it cost them everything to do so."
Pearl's ears fell in despair, as she felt Twilight wrap a wing around her. "That's not fair. I would have loved to meet them. If they were anything like you."
The queen smiled slightly. "In their own separate ways, they were. Only my sister and I know where they are buried. Not even Kohaku, and he is one of the few who can access the Emerald Dream. Ysera considers him her equal, though I do not see it myself." She looked at Pearl strangly once more. "When his friend died, his grief caused untold damage to the Dream. The one you called Nightmare Moon was a product of this. My sister has been trying to repair the damage done for millennia."
Twilight's ears fell in horror. She wondered if Luna knew about this. From the corner of her eye, she saw a large fox in the shadows bow his head in remorse at what he had done. Grief stricken or not. "But what does this have to do with Pearl?" She asked.
Alexstrasa smirked, before she began to glow and shrink down in size. In a moment, she had shrunk down to the same size as Princess Twilight. When the light faded, the dragoness had been transformed into a pony dragon hybrid. Her twin horns still swooped back from her head, and the many rings and other accutraments she normally wore now were refited for a pony size. "Much, Princess Twilight. I want to give young Pearl something."
Pearl blinked in surprise. "Give me what? And I didn't know you could do that?"
Alex giggled. "Only my sister and I can do this. And this is something that I should have done long ago. A gift I never gave to a pony who truly deserved it. Not again. And it will finally shut that big headed fox up."
An annoyed snort came from the treeline, earning an amused giggle-snort from Pearl, and even Twilight could not keep a straight face at this. Her eyes widened as she saw the magic begin to gather at Alexstrsaza's hooves. She knew this magic, but that wasn't possible. Was it?
Pearl looked at the gathering magic with some concern as a hoof was lifted over her head. "Um. This won't hurt will it? I don't want it if it's going to hurt."
Alexstrasza shook her head, her smile turning gentle. "Not at all, my child. Think of it as waking from a wonderful dream, refreshed and ready to face the world."
Before Pearl could ask what she meant by that, Alexstrasza touched her hoof to Pearl's forehead. At once, a rush of power and magic flowed into the filly. her eyes glowing with the power flowing into her. It became so bright that Twilight had to shield her eyes from the glow around her student.
A moment later, the flow of power ended, and Pearl wobbled on her hooves, her eyes spinning wildly. "Ow. I'm going to pulverise the idiot who just ran me over," she grumbled, rubbbing her forehead, before making contact with something hard and pointed above her eyes. It felt like a horn. No way.
Looking up, Pearl felt her mouth drop in shock at what she saw. She did have a horn now. Long and spiralled just like Princess Twilight's own. Her height had increased as well, and she felt the incredible amount of magic that now coursed through her.
Alexstrasza nodded proudly as she stood back. "I name you Pearl Rose, Dragon Princess of Equus. I give to you the Dragon Soul. Use it well."
Twilight felt her eyes begin twitching uncontrollably. She could feel that this was real, and not a trick. Great. Just great. Not like she had enough to worry about already.
Pearl took a moment to admire her new horn, before grinning widely. "Oh, man. Mom and dad are gonna freak when they see this!"
After a moment, Alexsraza's brows furrowed. "I smell the magic of interfering busybodies on both of you. Perpetuating a charade that cannot go on forever. I had hoped that at least one of them would have come forward by now."
Pearl and Twilight shared a confused look. What did she mean by that? "I do not feel a thing," Twilight said, extending her magic, but feeling nothing.
Alex nodded. "You will not. This is magic that not even an alicorn can feel when the caster puts their mind to it." Her eyes briefly locked with those of a shadow in the treeline. "I have half a mind to dispel it myself. For it involves both of your families and a history that has been long forgotten."
Pearl scrunched her nose. "My family's always been connected to the sea in some way. Hell. Mom's goes all the way back to before Pegasopolis was even a thing."
Twilight nodded. "And my family has roots that go all the way back to the very earliest days of Unicornia. It becomes murky past a certain point. But the same can be said for many families. But what does that have to do with any of this?"
Alex smiled. "Oh, my child. Much. A connection that goes deeper than either of you know. A connection someone refuses to come out of the shadows and acknowledge. She had a chance when you ascended to become an alicorn, and again when you ascended the Throne of Equestria."
Twilight frowned. Why did it feel like the Dragon Queen wasn't telling her everything? Clearly, she knew far more than she was letting out. "Then tell us. You know full well whatever all of this is about."
The queen nodded. "Indeed I do. But it is not my place to say. Though if this continues for much longer, then I will, and damn what they may think of it. I may have no power over them. But they have no power over me as well. I have kept this a secret out of respect for those long gone from this world."
Pearl turned her head as a low growl came from the treeline. She didn't need magic to know Kohaku was beyond annoyed at this conversation and where it seemed to be going. And why did it look like there was somepony with him? Maybe she was seeing things, but the pony almost looked afraid of something.
She shook her head. Time for that later. She had bigger problems at the moment as she poked her new horn. "So what the hay am I supposed to do now? I was a Pegasus. I never learned a damn thing about unicorn magic. I never needed to. Is there a book about being an alicorn I can read or something?!"
Twilight suddenly burst out into a gale of laughter and giggles, earning an annoyed look from her fellow alicorn. "And what's so funny, princess?" Pearl grumbled.
Twilight wiped her eyes with a wing after a moment. "I am sorry, Pearl. But your question reminded me of when I asked Celestia the same question once. It was right after I ascended. Unfortunately, there is no book on being an alicorn. I should know. I tore through the Canterlot Archives, and the Restricted Section, and couldn't find a single one. No matter how hard I looked!"
Pearl's ears dropped. Darn it. "So what am I supposed to do then? You know what my temper's like. I feel like a ticking time bomb now. One blow-up away from doing something with it. How long before I hurt somepony? Or worse?"
Twilight's ears fell as well, sharing a concerned look with Alexstrasza. They could hear the genuine fear in Pearl's voice. That she was now a danger to everyone around her, or worse if her magic went out of control. Twilight well remembered what it was like for Flurry Heart when she was growing up. Sunburst had only been able to do so much to keep her magic under control.
Alexstrasza smiled gently as lay a hoof on Pearl's shoulder. "Then it is well that you will have Princess Twilight there every step of the way. She will be able to guide you in learning to control the magic you now have. I can think of nopony better for the role."
Twilight nodded, placing a hoof as well. "Indeed. It will not be easy, my Faithful Student. Not only must you learn alicorn magic. But you must also learn even the basics that a newborn unicorn instinctually knows, even if they do not remember it for some years. We have all the time in the world thankfully."
Pearl smiled a bit at that. That helped somewhat. Now came the question of how the hell was she going to explain this to her parents?
Alex again looked to the treeline, locking eyes with one figure in particular. "And there are several others who I am sure will be more than happy to help as well, Pearl Rose. One, in particular, I'm sure, will be more than willing to do so."
From the shadows beneath the trees, Autumn Sparkle Rose felt her ears drop. Maybe it was time she stopped running away from this. Her birth parents had always told her that hiding herself from family was the coward's way out. Hay. Her godparents had been telling her the same for five hundred years.
"You can't hide from Twilight forever, Autumn. Twenty-plus times reincarnated that I am or not, I know we taught you better than that," Pearl had said. Almost exactly as she had in her first life in fact. "You always come to me eventually. Why not Princess Twilight? I don't care that Kohaku says she isn't ready. What does he know about this?! I care too much about her to let this go on forever. Maybe she isn't Midnight's reincarnation, I don't care. Even if I have to drag you kicking and screaming into it! You're not too old for it, young filly."
Autumn well remembered those words from several reincarnations back. As crystal clear as they had been the very first time Mama Pearl had told them to her on her lap as a filly.
To hear it from the Life-Binder herself, someone who her mothers had always held in high regard and deepest respect, only drove the feeling home worse and made her feel like a little filly all over again.
Perhaps it was time she stopped hiding from her own family.
