Chapter 7:
The Great Rulers Of The Past
As the sun sets, due to Celestia's magic, nighttime was approaching, and stars are appearing in the sky. Aurora, Cadance, Shining Armor, Twilight, Flash, and the Guardians were walking through the meadow with the Queen leading the way angrily as the sunset begins to disappear. No words were spoken, but you could feel the tension in the air.
Twilight and Flash were walking with their heads down in shame as Flash uncertainly looked over at Twilight, who kept her head down, while Cadance and Shining Armor walked next to them. They felt bad about failing in their duty to protect the young foals.
Marina, Storm Heart, and Gaia looked back at the younger four in concern until Aurora stopped, and the Queen spoke sternly, "Gaia! Storm Heart! Marina!".
The 4 mares jumped at their names being called and trotted over to the queen quickly and got in front of her. And in her present mood, it was best not to anger her.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Gaia asked, nervously.
"You 4 take Flash, Cadance, and Shining Armor home. I've got to teach my daughter a lesson," Aurora said sternly as she turned a narrow gaze back at the younger alicorns and unicorn behind them, more specifically her daughter.
As soon as she heard that, Twilight crouches lower into the grass as if she was trying to hide as Flash, Cadance, and Shining Armor simply turned to her in concern. This didn't sound good. They were all at fault in some way for what happened, but it looked like Twilight was going to get a worse punishment.
Storm Heart then cleared her throat, "We'll leave you to it then?" She asked as the Queen nodded.
Following their order, the guardians headed back to the four young ponies as they got in between them and nodded to Cadance, Shining Armor, and Flash, which they understood.
"Flash, Cadance, Shining Armor come along you three. We're taking you home," Gaia said as Flash bowed his head sadly and Cadance and Shining Armor simply nodded. While Marina kneeled down to Twilight.
"Twilight…*Sigh*...Good luck, my dear," Marina said as she placed her right hoof on Twilight's shoulder, giving out a sigh. She then stood up as she and the others left. But hearing what Marina said made Twilight even more nervous. Twilight just watched as Flash, Cadance, Shining Armor, and Guardians left while the former 3 looked over their shoulders sadly, concerned or assuredly at Twilight as she gave them a worried look in return. What was her mother going to do?
"TWILIGHT!" Aurora called out to Twilight sternly.
Twilight flinched at her mother's voice before she turned and moved towards her. But as she continues to walk, Twilight's hoof lands in one of her mother's hoofprints as the young princess looked down and saw the giant hoofprint.
Seeing how much smaller her own hoof was compared to her mother's, Twilight could see that she has some big shoes to fill someday and is now realizing how much smaller and weaker she was compared to her or her father. Why did she think she could just start doing things as great as her parents so soon? Would she ever be as good a ruler as them?
Looking back up, Twilight continues walking towards her mother and sitting next to her as she nervously looks up at her mother. Aurora thought silently for a moment without looking at her daughter. Then Aurora turned to her daughter as the Queen spoke.
"Twilight, I'm very disappointed in you," Aurora said with a stern gaze.
"I know," Twilight replied quietly and sadly, bowing her head in shame. What else was there to say? She messed up big time.
"You could've been killed! You've deliberately disobeyed us! And what's worse?! You put Flash in danger!" Aurora said, scolding her.
"Twilight, do you understand what's at stake?! You've jeopardized the future of our kingdom!" Aurora said.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to show you that I could do it. That I can be brave and powerful as you and father," Twilight said, being very close to crying.
"We're only brave and powerful when we have to be, Twilight. You see, Twilight, being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble, it means standing up for what's right even though you are scared," Aurora said, being more calm.
"But you and father aren't scared of anything," Twilight said, her parents were always brave no matter what the situation.
"We were today," Aurora admitted, keeping a stoic gaze on the sunset.
"You were?" Twilight asked in disbelief. What possibly ever scares them?
"Yes, we thought we might lose you," Aurora said, wrapping one of her wings around Twilight.
"Oh, I guess even Kings and Queens get scared, huh?" Twilight said, relaxing a bit.
"More than you could've ever known," Aurora said, nodding her head in agreement.
"But you know what?" Twilight whispered, leaning in conspiratorially.
"What, sweetie?" Aurora asked, also in a whisper while leaning in and playing along.
"I think those Diamond Dogs were even scareder of you, Mommy," Twilight replied with a grin, looking up at her mother.
Aurora laughed in response as she leaned down with an almost predator-like gaze, "Cause nopony messes with the Queen! Come here you!".
Then Aurora grabbed her daughter and gave her a ruff surprise nuzzle.
"Oh, no! No! Aaarrrgh! Errrgggghhhh!" Twilight said in distress simultaneously to her mother, laughing at her mother's antics as she finally got loose and tackled the queen playfully to the ground. And all of a sudden, the lecture was turned into a playful family moment. All the problems and worries forgotten.
Aurora got up and ran in laughter, with Twilight chasing her as the Princess leaped at the Queen, bringing her to the ground again. They were all in laughter as Twilight playfully tugs on her mother's mane.
Twilight rested on her mother's neck and head while Aurora rested her head in the grass, as the older alicorn rested on the ground.
Once they eased down, Twilight asked her mother, "Mommy?".
"Hmmm?" Aurora asked, looking up at her daughter.
"We're a team, right?" Twilight asked.
"Right," Aurora replied with a chuckle.
"And we'll always be together, right?" Twilight asked with a smile.
"Twilight. Let me tell you something that your grandparents once told me and your father," Aurora said as she started sitting up a little.
"Look at the stars, The Great Rulers Of The Past, look down on us from those stars," Aurora started explaining as she and Twilight looked up into the stars.
"Really?!" Twilight asked, glancing at her mother before looking at the stars in awe and wonder.
"Yes, Twilight. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that our ancestors will always be there to guide you…And so will we," Aurora said, glancing over her shoulder at Twilight before looking back at the stars.
"But I can't see them up there," Twilight said, still looking at the stars.
"Keep looking, sweetie, keep looking," Aurora said.
And the two Alicorns continued looking at the starry night sky for a little while longer. Twilight enjoyed the evening, although it would quite be a while before she understood what her mother meant.
Author's Note: This is so touchy and amazing in this chapter, wouldn't you folks agree?
At first, after they were returning home from the Dragon Graveyard, Aurora ordered the Guardians to take Flash, Cadance, and Shining Armor home so she can teach her daughter a lesson, which made Twilight hide in the ground, frightened. After her friends have left with the Guardians, Twilight approached her mother nervously, stepping in one of her mother's hoofprints along the way, and when she arrived and sits down next to her mother, Aurora told Twilight that she was very disappointed in Twilight for disobeying the rules about going to the Dragon Graveyard and putting Flash in danger.
Twilight told her mother that she did that because she wanted to show her parents that she is brave and powerful, not scared and weak. That's when Aurora told Twilight the true meaning of Alicorn Bravery and she even admitted to Twilight that she and Cobalt were scared too, they were afraid they might lose their only daughter. Twilight now knows that even Kings and Queens get scared, but then she told her mother that she thinks the Diamond Dogs were even scareder.
This leads to Aurora grabbing Twilight and giving her a surprising nuzzle. And before long, Aurora and Twilight began playing around with each other, laughing and running. Finally, they eased down, catching their breaths. Twilight asked her mother if they will always be a team and that's when Aurora told Twilight something that her parents once told her when she was young...
Looking at the stars above them, Aurora explained to Twilight that Great Rulers Of The Past are up in the night sky looking down on them and watching over them. Which means that whenever Twilight feels alone, she will have to remember that her ancestors will always be there to guide her...and so will her parents