Shortly after a teleportation to the eastern half of Gryphonia, Spike belched up a letter from Celestia that almost scorched the ceiling of the chariot. As it was several pages long, he had to reach for water after it was over.
Twilight got out her own water as she sorted the pages to read. Cloud and Rainbow were pulling the chariot, so she made a mental note to update them later. “Okay, let’s see what Celestia has for us.”
Twilight,
I apologize for how abrupt this mission is. You can rest first once you get to the Great Aerie, should you deem it necessary.
Diplomacy with dragons is harder than with any other nation, partly because of the nature of the Mountain Pact, partly because they aren't really a nation at all, and partly because their representative is the very definition of an old curmudgeon. In one of our weaker moments, Luna and I had his name put in dictionaries in the examples to make it literal. I spent six centuries apologizing to him for that.
Twilight snickered and blushed from the strange looks from Trixie and Spike. “Sorry; still reading. I'll explain in a moment.”
I want to warn you against copying my actions today when talking with other dragons, or even Volcanus himself. It can be very tricky knowing which track to take with them. On other days, I might have handled that very differently. Unlike most other bullies, he knows when he is being one. Like other bullies, though, he still crumbles when punched in the nose, whether that's figurative or not.
I also want to clearly define the consequences of failure on this mission. Volcanus is often a blowhard, and his demand for a life in exchange for the loss of a dragon egg is unlikely to meet with much agreement even with other dragons.
The real threat isn't from the Pact. It's from what could theoretically be done with a dragon's egg. There are a number of dark possibilities that make me go numb.
Normally, this isn't much of a worry, as nopony is usually dumb enough to steal one. Even if they survived the retribution from the dragons, every nation would treat them as a paramount threat. Yet here we are.
It's an odd feeling I have about this situation. If the thief knows what they are doing, the theoretical devastation would be unmatched by anything you've encountered since Zebrica. Yet I remain unconvinced that our thief has that level of insight.
My nephew just finished giving me an earful about not telling you of the anomalies in Gryphonia. I disagree with him, although I understand his point. I wanted you to uncover them yourself to approach the problem with as open a mind as possible, as I have full faith in your abilities to handle them. I'm also not convinced that they are related to the problem at hoof. This world is no stranger to such outbursts of magic, though it's been relatively calm for the last few hundred years.
Be advised that if we are entering a more active period, we could begin to see more troublesome beasts such as the snow crabs. You have full permission to give such creatures the mercy of death, as they are almost always uncontrollable, violent, and beyond saving.
For now, however, I must worry about what's happening to that poor unborn dragon. Note that it's entirely possible for the thief to go too far in using magic on the egg. This would result in the loss of the young life inside at a minimum, and could also result in leaving an area contaminated for centuries.
It could also result in the egg hatching, much like with Spike. However, Spike was nearly done incubating when your magic finished the job, and we have no such indication that's the case here. Too much magic too fast would be like tossing a chicken egg into a fire to keep it warm, rather than using a hen or lamp. The results would be… messy.
I'm enclosing a letter with signatures of all the representatives of the Pact, which should give you the ability to go anywhere in the world, even Gryphonia, in search of your answers. You have my permission, and supposedly the support of the diplomatic corps of all these nations, to use force to gain entry to anywhere you are denied. I've also called in an extra favor to help you, though I don't know if it'll get there in time.
One last thing. It's possible that, when you find the egg, it will be corrupted beyond saving. A corrupted dragon, even a newborn, is a threat to life all over Equestria. If this is the case, my orders are to destroy the egg rather than risk recovering it.
Good luck.
-Celestia
“Okay, that's some more info.” Twilight yawned. “We'll catch some sleep first, but we'll have to get going early in the morning. Before dawn, if possible.”
Trixie pulled a blanket from one of the storage cubbies in the chariot. “Are we sleeping in here? I'm not sure how much I trust a hotel or gryphon guest room.”
“We'll be a guest of the King. She won't do anything untoward directly like that. At least, I doubt she would. It would mean open war between Equestria and her faction. If the gryphon nation was still united, we would be on much more even terms. But with half of her subjects on the side of Ragnar? That's not a war, that's a slaughter.”
“Uh, Twilight?” Rainbow’s voice crackled over the radio. “I know you've never seen the Great Aerie before, so you might want to take a look.”
Twilight turned around and pulled open the armoured shutter on the window as the others crowded around her.
The Great Aerie was smack in the middle of a massive, mountainous, alpine forest. Underneath the ground was a potent mana krene that bubbled up life-supporting magic, nourishing the trees to let them grow to obscene heights. The big granddaddy of them all was Yggdrasil, which was rooted directly above the krene.
At the size of a mountain, the mythical Yggdrasil held the Great Aerie in much the same way Mount Canterlot held, well, Canterlot. The actual amount of walkable horizontal space was much smaller than in Equestria’s capitol, but it was much more spread out, making it look larger visually.
From the outside, the leaves were dense enough to obscure much of the structures.
What could be seen was the twinkle of lights throughout. The gryphons weren't much for electricity, though there were some lines installed—very carefully, by expert pony civil and electrical engineers. The gryphons were, however, pretty good using the ambient magic for lighting using spells, runes, and simple artifacts. Parts of the trees themselves served as lighting, yet somehow Luna's dark and jeweled sky was as brilliant as though they were in the middle of nowhere.
When they landed, it was at the Equestrian Embassy, which was the closest landing pad to the King's throne that could handle a chariot of the Kitalpha’s size. There were ponies waiting for them, and they quickly and quietly rushed her team into the Great Aerie Palace.
Unlike the marble and gold of Canterlot, almost everything in the Great Aerie was wooden. There was some steel and fabric, but wood was the order of the day. Many of the pillars and moulding had carvings that had to have taken untold years to complete. Some were random decorations, but many were pictographic stories or runic lists of names.
A trio of gryphons had joined them as guards and escorts, the leader of which “expressed regret” that the King was not in the city at the moment, and that they would be staying at a guest room modified for ponies. By the time they arrived on hoof rather than wing, Twilight had completed a nice, healthy list.
Standing at the door to the guest room, Twilight quickly eyed the lead gryphon up and down, then gave him the list she'd been working on. “I'm going to need ready access to any government documents you have on these topics, as well as a list of gryphons with very high proficiency in the same. We'll be getting started early, so I must insist that this be worked on immediately.”
The gryphon took the list in his claws and nodded. “I'll pass this on to a gryphon that can help and make sure that the Royal Librarian is ready to assist you. I trust you can keep this quiet?”
Twilight thought back to the morning, which by her internal clock felt like months ago. “Well, there's already been an explosion this mission, so maybe.”
The gryphon turned to Rainbow. “Was that a joke?”
“Nope!” Rainbow fluttered over to a bed and melted into it.
“Oh.” The gryphon cleared his throat. “I'm going to make sure firefighters are on alert… just in case.”
“That's probably wise. Good night.” Twilight closed the door on him and shielded the room. She shuffled into the largest bed and fell asleep before her head hit the pillow.
She was moving. Twilight knew that. Probably walking under her own power, which should have been impossible, but she knew better to dismiss the impossible. There was also a smell. A kind of smell that created a pseudo-magnetic field that drew her in, seeking it out. In a moment, a warm sensation filled her belly and spread throughout her nervous system. There was also the presence of feathers around her.
She was hugging the small gryphon that brought her coffee.
“Um, you're welcome?” he said, eyes darting around the room.
“Did you bring me the things on my list?” Something in the back of Twilight's mind was taking care of the job of existing, because she was still at least ninety-two point four percent asleep.
“Not yet, but we're almost done. And your embassy wanted to see you?”
“Oh. Okay.” Twilight yawned and took the giant pot of coffee in her telekenetic grasp to accompany her mug. Ambrosia secured, she moved towards Trixie and Spike, giving them each a poke on the shoulder. “Hey, guys. Time to wake up.”
Trixie groaned. “Ugh. Still tired.”
Twilight downed another mug of coffee in one gulp. “So am I. That’s why there’s caffeine. Come on.”
In a couple of minutes, the two zombies shambled to something resembling standing, and then the three were on their way.
Trixie started her own cup of coffee. “Why aren’t Cloud and Dash coming?”
“We’re eventually going to the library to review documents related to advanced magic. Only you, me, and Spike are knowledgeable enough in this kind of stuff to really be able to add anything, so they’re going to get some more rest. If there’s time, us three can get a nap later.”
“I’ll try,” Spike said through a fiery yawn. “But most of what I know is from osmosis from being around you.”
“Which should be good enough, hopefully.” Twilight waved them towards their destination. “First, though, the embassy wanted to see me. Hopefully that’s just a pit stop.”
When they arrived at the embassy after going through twisting walkways in the branches, ponies were already waiting for her. The ambassador himself wasn’t there, but given the obscenely early hour, that wasn’t surprising. Instead, there was a security chief and a few subordinates.
“Lady Sparkle?” The security chief was an old pegasus mare with a stern look in her eye and a military uniform to back it up. “My apologies for waking you, but there’s a concern with your chariot, and we didn’t want to risk opening it without you present.”
That got Twilight’s head to tilt. “The Kitalpha? What’s wrong with it?”
The chief opened her mouth to speak but one of the ponies behind her was first. “It’s meowing.”
An assortment of scenarios ran through Twilight’s head at light speed. Metamorphosis? No, that’s too much. Gryphon locked themself in? Unlikely; they shouldn’t be able to defeat the security wards so easily. Templar trick? Possible, but– A simplifying razor split through the noise. “Oh. Oh, I think I know what’s going on. Take me to it.”
When they arrived, Twilight opened the door to confirm her suspicions, and was greeted with a “mrooow” from under one of the seats. Opening the little cubby, she pulled out the stowaway black fuzzball. “Neutrino, you little booger!”
“Neutrino?” the chief asked.
“Yup.” Spike gave the kitty cat some chin scratches. “Princess Luna's cat. Or the Night Guard's. He's a troublemaker.”
Twilight gave the cat a hug to bother it. “He's the stealthiest feline I've ever heard of. How he even got into the Kitalpha, I have no idea. I'm afraid I can't watch over him, though, so I'm going to have to ask the embassy to watch him until Luna can pick him up.
“And I mean watch him. Constantly. If you don't, he will escape.”
The chief waved over one of the guards, who grabbed the fuzzball and gave him some pets, which was always a sure way to get Neutrino to melt into a puddle. Today was no different, and his purr only became louder when his jaw went slack.
Sighing, the chief took off her beret. “I'm very sorry to bother you for that, your ladyship.”
Twilight shrugged. “It's fine. Just another stop on the way. Which direction is the library?”
“A pair of gryphons will arrive at the front gates in a short while to lead you there. We’ll show you the way.” The chief waved to one of the guards, who silently led her away.
It was still an hour or so before dawn, which meant sunlight was extremely scarce, and cold still gripped the air. However, it also meant that fires had started in fireplaces throughout the city, filling nostrils with cooking smoke. Eventually that would mean the smell of rabbits and fish being roasted, though for now it was mercifully just wood.
Before long, two gryphons decked out in the colours of the gryphons’ royal guard arrived. With no chariot or wings of her own, they were walking to the library, which suited her just fine. It gave her a little time to be a tourist and take in the sights and smells of a city unlike any other…and to drink more coffee.
The library didn't turn out to be very far, and a little like her old home, it was one of the areas built directly into the side of a big tree. This library was larger, naturally, having been built into Yggdrasil. From what she understood, that also meant that it had to be rebuilt and changed from time to time; Yggdrasil was still alive and regrew what it lost.
Though nowhere near as large or grand as the libraries in Manehatten or Canterlot, the Aerie’s library had them all beat in coziness by a long shot, with warm wood everywhere, ornate carvings and decorations, and artisan rugs rich ponies would fight a battlemaster for the opportunity to purchase. The aisles and ceilings were also surprisingly generous. Most important, though, was the free coffee and doughnuts in the corner of the mezzanine.
Her nose pulled her on a beeline to the coffee, and as she charged her neurons with sweet, sweet caffeine, another smell hit her: brimstone. The coffee molecules in her nervous system did a dance line that hit her in the chest and forced her to scan her surroundings once more and finally acknowledge the elephant in the room. Or, rather, the dragon.
A female dragon easily the size of the Kitalpha, dressed in a white blouse that must have been custom-made for its size, was putting books and scrolls back on shelves, using some form of spell to handle the (relatively) tiny texts. Her scales were a mix of brown and burgundy, and her head sported a trio of horns pointed backwards. The dark dress on her lower half took a moment to recognize, as it blended well with her natural colours and oddly slender belly.
“Huh.” Twilight sipped more coffee, fully acknowledging to herself that a spit-take or mini freak out would likely be justified. Only problem with that would be the waste of actually fairly good coffee.
“You must be Lady Sparkle.” The dragoness had a sultry, smoky voice. “My name is Deep Index, and I hoard the knowledge in these walls on behalf of the King. You have been granted access by her order, and the documents you have requested are in meeting room three, up the stairs and to the left.”
“Oh!” Twilight glugged more coffee. “Alrighty then. Do I pay for the coffee, or…”
Deep Index smoked a chuckle through her nostrils. “Even if we charged, I'd imagine diplomatic immunity would cover you. But I shall order extra, just for you and your team.”
The librarian shifted her gaze towards Spike. “I had heard you've a drake in your entourage, but I did not expect one so young. I do hope you've learned to control your flame.”
Spike licked his knuckles, and they licked back with a green flame. “I've been using it in spells for a long time now.”
Index eased her back and nodded. “Very well. Should you require anything, please ask. I will be putting away yesterday's scrolls.”
Twilight refilled her drink and bowed her head a little. “Thank you, Deep Index. We'll be upstairs.”
It wasn't until they were in their room and a privacy shield was in place that Trixie exhaled. “Empty Night! I didn't know there would be a dragon here, too!”
Twilight frowned as she sat down at the table. “Neither did I.”
Spike cleared his throat. “Well, on the plus side, she's really hot.”
The two mares gave him a look that translated into “Really?”
“Hey, come on! I'm a dragon, too, you know. But I will admit, this seems a little sketchy. She knows magic and has access to whatever knowledge the gryphons have. Quite the coincidence.”
Twilight leaned back and stared at the piles of books and scrolls. “I admit, I was just thinking the same. But I don't know if the King would just dangle the solution in front of our noses like that. She seems much more guarded than that.
“Can't ignore it, though. So, here's my plan. We'll comb through all this to get some possible leads, and then I'll take Cloud and Rainbow to follow them up. You two are going to stay here and keep researching, but keep an eye on that librarian.”
Spike rubbed his hands together. “Don't have to tell me twice!”
Twilight sighed. “Cool it, cassanova; she's a hundred years too old for you. Also, she's probably too powerful for you two to take on without backup. Observe and report; that's all.”
Trixie pulled over a book. “Stay out of danger and read. Got no problem with that.”
The morning was giving way to noon by the time Twilight left, list in bag. Cloud and Rainbow were waiting for her in the Kitalpha back at the embassy, along with one gryphon visitor in a staring contest with Dash.
Crap. Twilight puffed up her chest and strode in between Rainbow Dash and Princess Gilda. “I’m happy to see you survived, Princess. I regret the circumstances in which we last met, however, I will always act to defend my friends. Always. Now, is there a problem?”
“Yes.” Gilda said through a closed beak, looking over her shoulder at the faded scar on her back. “But also no. Much as I don't want to, I've been ordered to escort you on whatever it is you're doing. So let's get that done so I can go home.”
“No.” Twilight sat herself down to join the staring contest. “Last time we met, you dislocated Dash’s leg. I'm going to need more than your word if you think you're going to be following us around. Now, both of you, sit down and sort this nonsense out.”
Rainbow’s ears went back. “What, just like that? This isn't something that can be fixed in a single con—”
“Of course not.” Twilight clopped a forehoof on the floor. “But we can resolve a chunk of it and stabilize things enough that I don't have to send her away and cause a diplomatic incident. Now, talk.”
Gilda opened her beak first. “You were family. My family.”
Rainbow stepped back in surprise. “Yeah, you said that. So why—”
“And you rejected me for that pink annoyance.”
Twilight thrust a hoof between them. “Her name is Pinkie Pie. She is a bit much, granted, but I ask that you show more respect for a Bearer.”
“A ‘bit much’ isn't the problem.” Gilda laid down, wings lax. In terms of gryphon body language, this was a signal of no hostile intent. “My mom is a jerk, King or not. I wasn't good enough for her when I was young, so she sent me to be raised by couple after couple. Only good thing that came out of that was meeting Dash.
“The only good thing in my life, and she chooses that other pony over me.”
Cloud puffed out his chest. “The way I heard it, you were pretty mean to Pinkie Pie.”
Gilda scratched the ground as she made a fist. “Is it wrong to want to spend time with my best friend after I finally break free from that woman’s talons? Why is it my fault the other Bearer couldn’t take a hint?”
Rainbow huffed. “She was just trying to—”
“Wait a minute!” Twilight chewed her lip for a moment. “I think this is… Yeah, okay. So, I’m no psychiatrist, but I do know that there are differences between how pony and gryphon minds are set up. Gryphons tend to have fewer friends in their social groups, but the bonds are very strong. Ponies tend to have more friends, and their bonds are also strong, but it’s easier for us to form those bonds.”
Rainbow crossed her forelegs. “Not a very good excuse. What, I’m supposed to just be okay with what she did?”
Twilight turned Rainbow to face her. “No, you’re supposed to use it to understand her. Look, what she did was wrong, but she was also going through a lot. You don't excuse it; you understand the reasons and use it to make amends and fix things.” If for no other reason than I really don’t want to rock the boat too hard right now. Also, given that she seems to have a grudge against her mother, having her here might just prove advantageous.
“Dash.” Gilda lowered her head into a bow. “I'm sorry.”
Rainbow winced. “I… don't know if I can accept. The pony you need to apologize to is Pinkie Pie.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “You and I both know she'd accept it in the first half a heartbeat and conjure a cupcake out of the ether in the other.”
Rainbow sighed. “Yeah, yeah she would. I'm just… very uneasy about this.”
“And that's okay!” Twilight pulled out a piece of chocolate and offered it to Dash. “Canterlot wasn't built in a day, and emotional wounds don't close after a few words and an apology. They require real work. This is just the first step, and I'd be delighted to help you two mend fences.”
Rainbow rubbed her foreleg, then took the chocolate and offered it to Gilda instead. “Let's… try again, okay?”
Gilda took the treat and pulled Rainbow into a hug. “Thank you.”
Yay
Now I need to reread half of this so I remember what the bleep was going on.
But once again, yay!
Yay! New chapter!
I'm curious how this investigation is going to go. Very interested in seeing more of Gilda and her interactions. It would not surprise me if her dislike of her mother outweighs her old angers.
And I'm starting to get suspicious of Neutrino. I can't tell if he is the legitimately sneaky, adorable cat or some sort of spy. Then again, I'm just paranoid and he is a red herring.
Twi is going to have to deal with this caffeine dependency at some point. One cannot run at 200% continuously with no consequences.
I have to admit I have no memory of what transpired at the last meeting of Gilda and Dash. When was that? I also share Dash’s skepticism, and somewhat question Twi’s armchair psychology, but do look forward to what Gilda’s personality will offer the team.
Welcome back!
11340095
The mission back in gryphonia, Battle Royale is when they fight but have a few encounters a few chapters beforehand
Omg a update and really good one too though I might to rearead this at some point
Yay for it not being dead!
Awesome to see a new chapter! Glad to see the story is still alive ☺️
Probably wise
Said gryphon is no doubt very confused
Looking for help, or making sure no one sees this as he would never live it down
Which is likely still more than 99% of the entire Equestrian population
...interesting
Guess he was bored and decided to go on an adventure
Interesting
Given how she was described, I'm not surprised
Awww, I hope this goes well
It’s alive!
Hello CV! Nice to see you again!
Nice to see a new chapter. You did well in mentioning things slowly throughout, that made it easy to remember what had happened prior, without reading up on old chapters.
Looks like Gilda and Dash have a lot to hash out before they're going to be on good terms again. But it's a start.
Also, I'm getting chekhov's gun vibes from Neutrino. I'd be willing to bet he's going to have a part to play in all of this.
11340114
I think Nadnerb was asking for which chapter(s) to reread.
Thanks for writing, and good luck with work!
Thanks for the update! Enjoyed it.
Glad to see you're back. I've been waiting for an update to this with baited breath.
Everybody : O M G it is NOT DEAD???!!?!?!?!?
but for real, great to see this...now I have something to reread for the next month or so...
Yay! Indeed.
Oh, that exchange between Twilight, Dash, and Gilda... so great. Even in this alternate universe, you can't forget what "FiM" stands for.
That was a good chapter goodluck with the next one.
A spy cat? Maybe that's the help?
11340419
And i had provided them?
Huzzah! Love this story!
Fortuitous timing, I was doing another reread and had just gotten to pulling Honesty out of the Syphon! As everyone else has said, I'm glad it's still alive.
Mana krenes seem to be increasingly common in this Equestria. Come to think of it, the gryphons' history from pre-Discordian times hasn't come up, has it? Being a hybrid race, were they something he created?
And Neutrino, quite the Chekov's cat indeed. I don't recall Twilight ever checking him with her magic Sight, or anyone really thinking of him as anything but the unofficial mascot of the Night Guard. My possible explanations are: a) it's Luna's seneschal Pulsar, since he says Luna is his protector rather than him protecting her and Neutrino is only seen in Canterlot (until now); b) one or more changelings, as we don't ever see him actually go through the War Room portal; c) one of many constructs of the Knights Templar that help them avoid official notice and attention; d) an agent of the Majestic Twelve wearing a changeling amulet; e) something else that is the source of the ongoing leaks from RGIS. Mysterious cuddleslut kitty!
Huzzah a new chapter
The image of Twilight just walking around with an entire pot of coffee floating behind her is now forever stuck with me
Yay update! Gotta agree with a bunch of other folks that Neutrino's presence feels very Chekov's Gun. Also is Neutrino a reference to Robert Heinlein? The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
Still don't trust Gilda as far as I can spit a rat.
glad to here you are working. but how is your health holding up?
this chapter is amazing.
11340983
I'd love to see Aurora add a cup-holder to herself, or make a helmet with two cups on the side and a drinking straw connected to them.
And, in one spot where the carver hoped no one would notice, “Bread, Eggs, Milk, Cherries.”
Ooh, I do love to see a dragon librarian. Though whether Deep Index will be help or hazard remains to be seen.
In any case, always happy to see more of this story. Looking forward to more. I’m just wondering if Neutrino is more than he appears, or if he’ll only weakly interact with the plot. I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.
11340095
Canterlot, luna, punishment.
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! IT’S BACK!
Glad to see one of the best stories on the site will continue.
That cat..... There's something very odd about that cat. One the one hand, I was starting to suspect that Neutrino was the source of the information leaks. Then again, if he's an active spy, why did he draw attention to himself by meowing so he would be found in the Kitalpha? It's possible he's working for someone on Twilight's side as well, but what to purpose was he spying on Twilight? What was he doing on board Kitalpha?
Yay!!! New chapter :D
Horray!! let's read :)
11343658
To be fair he's a car, domestic cats are odd, it's thing one bout domestic animals they have time to develop quirks and odd habits thier ancestors didn't. A pampered royal kitty?that's just a recipe for weird behavior and it doing things for no understandable reason. Two things lead to weird behavior, time and brains, it's why modern mankind produces so many weirdos.
11340087
Neutrino is the leak in the intelligence confirmed.
Yes He’s back!
Really glad to see you back : ) had to reread the story to refresh my memory, and it was totally worth it! Still one of the best stories here of its kind.
Take care!
Man, I haven't read pony fiction in years. Awesome to see this story still updating, course I had to reread the whole thing because otherwise a large part of the amazing subtle nuances would fly right over my head but this story holds up super well to rereads. I still really love your much more serious take on the world of Equestria.
11345915
I've had cats before, but there's just too many coincidences here...
...Hold on a minute.....what if something was possessing Neutrino? A pony possessed in that way would risk detection, as behaviour changes would give them away, or perhaps result in them being mistaken for a changeling. But a cat being controlled? It would likely be put down to weird kitty behaviour, and it would also explain why he seems normal most of the time (i.e meowing when he wakes up in Kitalpha and most likely wondering how he got there) but then does this weird disappearing/reappearing act....
Whichever way it goes, I've got a feeling Twilight's starting to smell a rat as well, note that she gave that somewhat coded instruction to the guard to watch him very carefully and to make sure Luna collected him.
I took a long break after Manehatton, and let me just saw Wow. I'm still Impressed with the quality and variety in this story the depth of character and plot is still consistent and worthy of its own Fandom. The only frustration I personally have is I keep expecting Twilight to get her mane or wings after every arc.
And I finished the Sory again! Really enjoyed it!
11439006
It's not that it's sex, it's who she's having to think of having had sex.
It's not strange for people to not want to think of parental or familial figures as sexual ones. With humans it is likely an offshoot of our psychological systems for avoiding inbreeding, (we seem to tend to develop an 'ick' reaction to the combination of sex and those who we were around as young children).
11439715
i will agree with you on that.
but it was the whole subject and not just that she had thoughts about her mentor / second mother figure.
Twilight is 32+ and when Celestia asked if she have been with anyone, if she have had a crush on anyone or the likes of that, Twilight completely locks up and thinks all of it is bad thoughts, and yes having a person you look up to in the way Twilight looks up to Celestia ask does question would send her into a panic, i again just find it weird that Celestia have not tried to get a different relationship in does 16 year.
my point is more that in the 16 years between S1E1 of mlp:fim and this chapter nothing has really happened to Twilight herself it feels like. her friends are either married, getting kids, have a fashion empire, or became captain of the wonderbolt.
Twilight just kept working in Ponyville and didnt do much more with her life by the sounds of it, she didnt move to Cantalot to studie or have easier access to books that can help her study, she didnt become a magic teacher or magic advisor at Celestias school, or a mage in Celestias court.
with how powerfull and with how much Twilight studies it would make sense that she would get a high postios to do with magic.
the way Twilight is acting her in this situation would be in Character with how Twilight would have been, but with a time gab of 16 years this just feels odd.
while im reading the story i have to constantly remind me that 16 years has passed because it doesnt feel like 16 years has passed, for they are talking about events from the show like they just happened or happened a couple of years ago
im not that far into the story (about 80k words into it) so maybe we will hear more about what Twilight have been up to during does 16 years, for right now that time skip still just feels out of place of the majority of the story.
it is actually only Rainbows Dash part of the story that make some sense with that time skip.
11441465
Even the part that goes on to talking about Twilight's sex life is still:
A: Talking about it with a maternal figure.
B: Includes a partner being suggested that Celestia had just mentioned that she had been with, (i.e. it is going to re-trigger the original issue).
11441635
I agree with you 😊
It just still brings me back to my first comment that in 32+ year no one has really talked to her about this?
That it is okay?
That Celestia in does 16 years have had motherly feelings for her but never showed any interest in her social Life beyond does friendship reports and research papers?
There is nothing wrong with how Twilight react to the information that her perfect teacher is not a virgin 😱
But it feels odd, with the timeframe of the story.
That in 16 years some of her friends "knew" that the prinsesse was guiding her to become an alicorn but didn't tell her?
My point is not the subject of their conversation or Twilight thinking sex is "bad thoughts" and get turned into a child "who was caught in the act of stealing cookies" when they talk about it...
Its that 16 years has passed and she feels like she has barely changed a day.... 16 years is a long time...
Alot can happen in 1 year and we then have a 16 year skip... Oh boy.... Oh wait only a few things has changed?
I'm still reading the story because it is good but having to constantly remind yourself that 16 years has passed takes you out of the story...
And this moment here just pulled me completely out of the story
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It's not the intellectual knowledge, it's a visceral reaction to having to think about it. It's like how almost everyone knows their parents have had sex but most people still don't want to talk with their mother about her sex life, or their own sex life.
It's not a rational reaction, it also doesn't go away simply because it's been brought up before. Saying someone shouldn't be having it because their older or that it should have come up before is like telling an arachnophobe that they shouldn't be having a fear reaction because they should know that spider is harmless.
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Super minor spoiler about Twilights sexuality (it's brought up in a later chapter). Twilight is explicitly aromantic asexual. While that type of reaction can be a bit of a stereotype, some people do have negative responses to sex. I'm aro-ace and while I don't have a super negative reaction, I routinely forget that sex is a thing that people actually routinely do. Like, I know intellectually that it's a thing that people do, but it's just such a foreign concept to me that I have trouble recognizing that people actually have sex. Outside of explicit reminders like fluttershy being pregnant, it'd be easy to just neglect that part of peoples lives. To me, shining and cadence as well as big mac and fluttershy may as well be friends that live together, even if I know that's not necessarily the case intellectually. It's not necessarily colts have cooties, it's sex itself. She's fine with stallions, just not sex or romance.
It's likely that mixed in with it being celestia like others have said. Her getting the talk doesn't necessarily fit into this. I could also see shining or Nigh Light giving spike the talk given that spike is a guy.