Chapter 13

Twilight Passes Her Test

Neo, Spike and the mane 6 were riding the Friendship Express train back to Canterlot Castle to meet with Princess Celestia and to find out if Twilight passed her test. They got back to Canterlot within 10 minutes and they went straight to the castle. When they got there, Princess Celestia asked Twilight's friends to wait outside in the hallway, she only allowed Neo to come in along with Twilight.

Right when Twilight and Neo went into the castle, Spike and the ponies began waiting for the results of Twilight's test. 10 minutes later, they were still waiting, Spike was very nervous. The ponies were just trying to relax as they waited, still worried for Twilight.

Spike walked back and forth nervously, breathing heavily and he said to himself, "Keep it together, buddy... Gotta stay strong... for Twilight..."

Meanwhile in the throne room, Princess Celestia fashioned a new stained glass window that resembled Neo's victory in the Crystal Empire. The window showed Neo holding the crystal heart in his hands and the heart was glowing.

Princess Celestia, Neo and Twilight were looking at the window.

"It's beautiful," said Celestia.

Twilight looked down and signed, "I wish it had been me who ultimately made it so. But it wasn't."

Princess Celestia put her hoof under Twilight chin and said, "Twilight, as I understand it, Neo brought Princess Cadence the Crystal Heart because you weren't sure how quickly you could find a way to escape the tower. You weren't willing to risk the future of the citizens of the Crystal Empire in an effort to guarantee your own. Far better that I have a student who understands the meaning of self-sacrifice than one who only looks out for her own best interests."

"Does this mean...?"

Princess Celestia said in a proud voice, "Yes my dearest Twilight, you passed the test."

Twilight was so happy, she felt like crying. Neo was so happy for her.

He gave her a hug and said, "Congratulations Twilight, I knew you could do it." He kissed her on the cheek.

Twilight blushed and said, "Awww thank you Neo, this was your victory too. Thanks to you, I passed my test and the Crystal Empire is safe."

Princess Celestia walked over to Neo with a smile and said, "Yes Neo, she is right, this is your victory as well. You are a hero all around Equestria and I am so very proud of you."

"You are?"

Princess Celestia said with a warm smile, "Yes my dear, I am just as proud of you as I am of Twilight. You helped Twilight pass her test and helping each other through dangerous tasks is true friendship."

Neo and Twilight looked at each other, they smiled at each other and they hugged each other.

Princess Celestia giggled as they hugged, she said to them, "You two are such good friends, and I know deep down in my heart that you two will always be friends."

Then Princess Celestia gently nuzzled Neo's face and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Neo blushed and Celestia said, "I love you my sweet little boy."

Then Celestia nuzzled Twilight and said, "And I love you my faithful student."

Neo hugged Celestia and said, "I love you mommy."

Celestia giggled and hugged him back. She loved it when he called her mommy.

Then Celestia said, "Neo, would you excuse us? I would like to have a few words with Twilight,"

Neo gave Celestia a kiss on the cheek and walked off out of the throne room. As he walked off, Celestia blushed, she looked back at him and said, "He's such a sweet boy."

"I love him, he's a wonderful friend," said Twilight.

Princess Celestia and Twilight talked for a few minutes. While they were talking, Neo walked down a hallway in the castle. When he turned a corner, he saw Shirley Temple once again. She was standing by a staircase, once again wearing a white ballerina dress and a crown on her head.

She smiled at Neo and he smiled back at her. Then she began dancing and she sang the same song to Neo she had sang before, she sang the same song she sang before once again ("My County Tis' of Thee). This time, Neo sang along with her. She spun around like a ballerina, she stopped and looked at Neo with a warm smile. She waved at Neo and he waved back at her, then she disappeared.

Neo smiled as she disappeared, he knew it was illusion, but he felt happy.

Then a sweet female voice from behind him said, "Hello Neo."

Neo looked behind him and saw Princess Luna smiling sweetly at him, she was very happy to see him and she had heard him singing.

"Hi Luna, it's so nice to see you,"

Princess Luna giggled and said, "That was a lovely song."

"Thank you Luna, I didn't know you could hear me."

"Oh don't be embarrassed, it was lovely."

Princess Luna was so sweet and she always made Neo so happy, he gave her a big hug and said, "I love you my beautiful princess."

Luna giggled, she hugged him back and said, "Oh you, you're so sweet. I love you too."

Princess Luna and Neo looked into each other's eyes for about 30 seconds and they felt a strong feeling of love flowing through them.

Then Princess Luna said, "Neo, my love, would you sing me a song please?"

Neo thought for a second, then Princess Celestia and Twilight came over.

Celestia smiled at him, "Go ahead, sing a song for us."

"Go on Neo, sing for us, don't be shy," said Twilight.

"Okay, what do you want me to sing?"

"Sing that lovely song you just sang a second ago." Luna said, smiling like a child.

Neo played music with his mind and sang the song that Shirley Temple kept singing for him ("My Country Tis' of Thee" by Eryn Pablico).

As Neo sang the song, Celestia's eyes teared up and Luna couldn't help but sniffle. Twilight felt like crying as she listened to the song, they all thought the song was so beautiful. Celestia wiped a tear from her eyes as Neo came to the end of his song.

When Neo finished his song, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia and Twilight clapped for Neo.

"That was so lovely Neo," said Princess Luna. "I love you so much."

"Thank you Luna," said Neo. "I love you too my beautiful princess." Luna's cheeks turned pink when she heard that sweet comment.

Celestia wiped another tear and said, "Yes Neo, that was very lovely."

"That song was pretty," said Twilight. "What was it?"

"It used to be the national anthem of the country I came from," said Neo. "It's about the founding of the country and it represents patriotism and freedom."

Celestia tilted her head, "How interesting, what country is that?"

"It's called America," Neo explained. "In a way, this song kind of reminds me of Equestria. Equestria is so peaceful, everypony respects each other and they all love their princesses. I wish America could be more like Equestria, the people there could learn a lot from you ponies. I wish for Equestria to have as much freedom as America has and I am proud to be an American Equestrian."

Celestia smiled, "I am very glad to hear that Neo, it's very sweet of you to wish the best for Equestria. That is true nobility."

Luna and Twilight smiled at each other in agreement.

"Now Neo, you and Twilight should be on your way back to Ponyville," said Celestia. "I'm sure you want to spend some time with your friends."

"You're right, we should get going."

"Neo, won't you come to visit me anytime soon?" asked Luna, making a hopeful look.

"Of course I will. I love spending time with you Luna, and I love being with you. I promise I will come to see you as soon as I can."

Neo and Luna hugged each other again, Celestia and Twilight awed at the sweet moment. It made Celestia so happy to see her sister hugging the person she loved so much.

Neo, You're my hero," said Luna.

Neo smiled and said, "You're my hero too Luna." That comment made Luna so happy,

Twilight patted Neo's leg and said, "Come on Neo, let's go home."

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna escorted Neo and Twilight to the door. Outside the door, Spike and Twilight's friends were waiting for them. Spike was still worried about Twilight passing her test.

As Neo and Twilight were leaving, Princess Luna gave Neo a kiss on the cheek, making Neo blush. She said goodbye to him and asked him to come visit very soon.

Neo and Twilight came outside, Spike and the ponies greeted them.

"Well, what happened?" asked Spike, unable to stand the suspense.

Twilight looked sad for a second, then she quickly smiled and said, "I passed."

Spike and the ponies cheered, they were so happy to hear that Twilight had passed her test.

Neo, Spike and the mane 6 walked towards the Friendship Express train that would take them home to Ponyville.

Twilight and her friends sang a song to celebrate Twilight's victory. Neo didn't sing but he just listened to the ponies sing.

Then Neo, Spike and the mane 6 got on the Friendship Express and the train started taking them to Ponyville. As the train started leaving, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna came out on a balcony and watched the train depart.

And so Neo and his friends were on their way back to Ponyville and Neo played a song with his mind as they rode the train ("Paranoid" by Type O Negative).

Meanwhile over in another dimension stood the dark figure that had released King Sombra. Realizing that King Sombra had failed, the dark figure said, "King Sombra failed, no that it doesn't surprise me. These Equestrian creatures are so incompetent. As they say, if you want anything done right, you've got to do it yourself."

The sound of blood curdling screams could be heard in the background along evil demonic laughter.

"Equestria will be mine!" shouted the dark figure. "Very soon, hell will raise over this land of happiness and harmony and it will become a land of darkness and despair, and every pony and creature across the land will endure an eternity of pain and suffering."

The dark figure laughed an evil laugh and it echoed throughout the area.

The End.