New Princesses – turns out legends and rumors can be true by Quill Snap
The thousandth summer sun celebration was meant to be special. And it was special. Listen, dear reader, I myself still struggle to process the revelations. It doesn't happen often that we get new princess, let alone two. But I suppose Princess Luna is an old princess who returns.
Apparently the legend of Nightmare Moon – more associated with the Nightmare Night – is true. Princess Celestia has a sister who was banished to the moon as a counteract to a curse. And she is back, Princess Luna returned to Equestria.
The events of the celebration were the following. It started normally. The crowd and I were anticipating the princess yearly speech. I've noted that her Majesty's personal student was nervous, as if she was anticipating something else. I suppose the scholar of the crown was familiar with the legend of Nightmare Moon.
Then the princess was meant to be revealed,but instead Nightmare Moon was there and proclaimed to have taken over Equestria. What followed was… something. Twilight of Stars – Princess Celestia's student and the organizer of this year's celebration – engaged the Mare of the Moon in a discussion. Nightmare Moon offered her to take Twilight as her own apprentice, claiming to teach magic Princess Celestia pretends doesn't exist.
Does this mean the Princess keeps secrets from us or was it just a bait? Either way, Twilight rejected and attacked the ancient mare with a powerful flare of magic. A reminder why she is the personal student of Celestia. I can't imagine the nightmare scenario if she would have accepted!
Well, both mages left. Twilight ran off with five mares and a bat pony – a reminder that Thestral is a slur and should not be used – and after that, things got fuzzy. According to a statement of the Princesses, Twilight and the five mares tried to find and use the Elements of Harmony – another legend turned out to be true – to defeat Nightmare Moon. They did find them but they did not use them. The princesses fixed their issues themselves.
Nightmare Moon returned to be Princess Luna. But she isn't the only princess.
Some of you readers may be aware of the kingdom of Roam, specifically their royalty. One of their princesses had been rather private for the last few years. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza ascended to the rank of an Alicorn years ago and had been adopted as the niece of Princess Celestia. This had been held under wraps until now. Princess Mi Amore Cadenza assisted the six to find the elements and the princess.
I suppose this is why it was held in Ponyville.
After the celebrations were over, Lyra and Minuette asked Twilight what the hay just happened. Twilight explained, taking the chance to introduce her new friend group to two of the old group. Lyra was pretty happy to hear that Twilight will stay in Ponyville for a bit. "... albeit I will go to Canterlot the next few days to tell the others and my parents in person. Heck, Shiny and my parents are probably worried after the Nightmare Moon incident."
"Eh, Cadence probably told Shining Armour by now.", chimed Spike in. They framed Cadence as Shiny's Pegasi mare friend who acts like an overprotective older sister for Twilight. Not a lie, just that the Pegasi part should be in past sense and the words 'Princess of Love and Roam' are omitted.
While Lyra and Minuette know about Cadence, the Ponyville gang does not know they know.
Lyra then said, "Mm, if you move, does that mean we won't celebrate your birthday like we always do? It's pretty close."
"Yes, especially since your next is your twenty first.", added Minuette. "Kinda disappointing."
"You say that as if I can't just travel to Canterlot.", countered Twilight with an eye roll. If she had her wings out,she would flap them annoyingly.
"Uh, how do you celebrate her birthday?", asked Rarity, "It sounds like a big deal."
"It is not how, but where.", said Lyra.
"Princess Celestia allows Twilight to use a part of the castle and the gardens.", revealed Minuette. "In fact, the Princess celebrates with us."
"It was pretty surreal the first time.", said Lyra, which Minuette supported with a nod. "But pretty cool."
"Oh? The princess seems to be close to you, Twilight.", stated Fluttershy, remembering their reunion in the ruins.
"Yeah... I admit it is weird, but it is just how it is.", replied Twilight. "Now, what I planned is that, when visiting the others and my family, I stay two days, then the others come to Canterlot to celebrate, if they want."
"And us?"
"Pinkie, I mean you with 'the others'.", said Twilight.
"Mm, aren't tickets to Canterlot this time's around pretty expensive?", asked Apple Jack.
"I pay for you, sillies.", revealed Twilight.
Soon Twilight returned to Canterlot for a bit before her vacation really starts. As she arrived at the castle, into the part her family lives in, her parents hugged her. Shining Armour was also relieved to see his sister again. They sat in the living room of her parent's suite – essentially a suite – and just talked, Twilight had her glamour down. Her brother asked, "Is it true that you used a magic blast on Luna?"
"I... yes. But I apologized!" answered Twilight flustered.
"That's not it. It is just, you have like zero experience in battle magic.", clarified Shining, pointing out the obvious, "That you got a good hit in is just impressive. Maybe you could train a bit with me."
"Then you have to come to Ponyville.", said Twilight. "But not now, maybe after my birthday?"
"That is a great idea! We could visit you there.", said her mother Velvet. "I want to see the place you stay at."
"I want to see why you exchange it for the castle.", chimed her dad in.
"There is a lesser chance that I walk into mom's relatives than here in Canterlot.", said Twilight nonchalantly. "And dad, this is a palace. A castle is fortified."
Velvet looked bothered by this. Not by Twilight but by her relatives. Twenty years and they still don't see Twilight as family. Any interest only came after she became the Princess's pupil. Just ignoring Twilight would – while still bad – be one thing, but they go out of their way to be mean to Twilight. That's why Velvet won't invite her family to the castle. The princess supports her in that department. As in, her relatives are blacklisted from the Grand Galloping Gala.
After a while, Twilight left again to look for her Canterlot friend group. She soon found Moondancer, Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine at their normal spot, a doughnut shop near the palace.
"Hey!", she said, getting their attention.
Twinkleshine shot the question, "About that Nightmare Moon-Princess Luna thing, that happened?"
"Yeah, the papers and radio just said you and five other mares used the elements of harmony to neutralize her.", added Lemon Hearts.
"They did?", asked Twilight surprised. "While we planned to use them and found them, we didn't end up needing them."
"Oh! The reporters lied.", said Moondancer, "Or they were told lies."
"Well, from the start. We waited for the celebration to start, but instead of Celestia, there stood Nightmare Moon. She asked if we would know who she was-" "Which you did.", said Lemon Hearts. "-I answered. She-She offered me to become her apprentice, which I rejected. Then I attacked her with my magic and ran as fast as I could to the Everfree Forest, more specific to the castle of the two sisters, as I believed the elements to be there."
"What was your plan there? Did you think you could use them on your own?", asked Moondancer. "You would need to be an Alicorn!"
"Moony." Twilight just looked at her.
"Ah, right. I sometimes forget that you are.", she added, "Continue."
"Well, the other bearers followed me. Then we walked into Cadence." said Twilight. "Cadence didn't even try to pretend she was a Pegasus. Well, you read the news, that secret is out now. Must be nice."
"And a shock for the folks who knew her as a Pegasus." Lemon Hearts asked, "Honestly, I am surprised your maternal family rolls with that. Aren't they like super snobby with a superiority complex? Like about your adoption?"
"Are they aware he is dating a Pegasi mare?", added Twinkleshine. They think Cadence is a Pegasus.
"I don't know if they are aware that he dates someone at all.", said Twilight. "I avoid them as much as I can. Shiny also avoids them, albeit he is more, um, rude about it."
"Understandable.", said Moondancer. "Heck, I only met them once and I still despise them." For a while, her family kept the house they lived in before moving into the palace. They mainly lived there when there was a big annoying event in the palace and they wanted their peace. Over one week of Great Galloping Gala, Moondancer visited Twilight a lot there to work on a school project. Velvet's mother and sisters invited themselves there and Moondancer saw how not accepting they are of Twilight. But also that Velvet won't be a doormat for them. Moondancer respects Twilight's mother a lot and even interned with the mare for a bit when she wanted to try out Astrology.
"Anyway, while we got there, Nightmare Moon appeared and took Crowley with her.", said Twilight. "She is well, don't worry, she just stays at the castle due to the aggressive day light today.
"When we arrived at the castle, we started to look for the elements, which was pretty difficult. Cadence then theorized that we don't need the stone artifacts. She said that the elements are concepts, that ponies have then." Twilight wanted to tell them about the Starswirl part, but she knew she could not, as that may hint at Cadence's higher importance. "Talking with Apple Jack, she realized that she may be Honesty. As she stated that, the stone artifact of Honesty started to glow. We saw it though gaps in a wall. There we found the other ones.
"The others started to realize theirs. I at first thought my element is magic, but when it didn't work, I realized it is friendship. Magic does not match the other concepts of the set, but friendship does.", explained Twilight. "Then we found the princess's. While we were looking for the elements, they had a long overdue sister talk and Luna turned back to normal."
"So all that could have been avoided by communication?", asked Lemon Hearts. "That sounds like my sister's marriage!"
"Why was your element a crown?", asked Twinkleshine.
Twilight just pointed at her necklace. But then she said, "Well, that or a theory Cadence had. Well, not really a theory. Cadence said my element is the glue connecting the others, the activation key. Maybe that's why mine is a crown."
"Either way, pretty impressive.", said Moondancer. "Twilight, may we met your other friends?"
"Yes, I invited them to my birthday, actually.", revealed Twilight. "Also, we still celebrate in the castle."
"Good.", said Twinkleshine. She is too used to celebrate Twilight's birthday there.
Arriving at the castle, Rarity and the others were excited. Not only were they invited to an exclusive party in the castle, but they also got to meet Twilight's family and Canterlot friends. Lyra and Minuette were also happy to see Moondancer, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts again.
Then they were greeted by Cadence in all her Alicorn glory.
"Hello everyone! Oh, Rarity?" she started, surprised by Rarity.
"Told you, you overdress.", said Rainbow Dash. Rarity was wearing a dress worth the Galloping Gala. "Why are you wearing that? This is just Twilight's birthday."
"Exactly, sure, it is held here and the Princess's attend, but you still overdressed, Rarity.", agreed Cadence. "But either way, your dress looks great."
"Thanks...", said Rarity embarrassingly.
As they walked into the hall used for the party. There they found Twilight talking to a stallion. Cadence galloped to him and cuddled him. Minuette said, "That is Shining Armour. Twilight's older brother and the Captain of the Royal Guard. Oh, and Cadence's colt friend."
"Girls!" Twilight came to them. "It is so nice to have you all at one place!"
Moondancer, Twinkleshine and Lemon Hearts joined them and introduced themselves to the Ponyville gang.
"No wonder you're the element of friendship with that many friends.", said Apple Jack.
Then Shining informed her, "Oh, there are more, but some of them aren't even in Equestria, so they can't be here."
"More?"
"A perk of being the princess's pupil, international contacts.", said Twilight. "Let me introduce you to my parents."
While her parents were quite lovely, Velvet struck them as weird. Oddly nervous.
Weeks passed and Twilight got used to Ponyville. One thing she easily realized was that, despite being a small town, Ponyville was far from boring, mainly because the odd pony may just tread into town. That was the case for a Unicorn called Trixie Lulamoon. At first she started out as an entertainer, but then she just became annoying. It won't have been such a problem for Twilight, if the blue mare haven't just barked into her library (while it is a public place, who the hay goes into a library six in the morning) and demanded a magic show off.
Apparently her friends and most of Ponyville had hyped her up as a big mage due to the flare against Nightmare Moon and the whole 'bearer of the element of literal magic' shtick.
"No.", was Twilight's first answer. And her second and her third. The fourth time she said, "Trixie, can't you accept a no?"
"The great Trixie," - turns out she speaks in third person, probably a show-mare gimmick - ",may accept the no if you admit you decline my challenge because you're inferior than her."
Twilight looked unimpressed. "You sound as if you have either a superiority complex or an inferiority complex. Either way, you have one." Can somepony have both?
Trixie stomped her hooves in annoyance. "If you think you're so much better than me, why don't you accept my challenge?!"
"Why do you want to challenge me?", asked Twilight. "If you don't know, I'm Princess Celestia's personal student."
"I know! That is why I want to challenge you!"
Twilight sighed. "Fine. What type of challenge do you have on mind?", she accepted.
"Just-Just come to the market place in an hour!" With that, Trixie dashed away, yelling around that Twilight finally accepted her challenge.
"I hope I don't regret this."