Chapter 10
Celestia saw visions of a field of a sea of grass positioned on a hill. In the background, she could see Ponyville down the crest of one side of the hill, with a single tree dominating the landscape immediately behind said crest. She recognized it distantly, though the memory she had of the location was decidedly unpleasant. The image shimmered with guilt, and the two were plunged into a memory of Celestia shouting “Twilight Sparkle!” with anger in her voice. But before the image could take over the memory, Twilight gave a wobbling effort to push it aside. Memories of play dates on the hill and hugs between the two of them merged together slowly, hesitantly, and with prompts from Celestia. Gradually, the image of what Twilight wanted the hill to represent solidified within the span of their minds. Celestia could not feel the distant tug that a vision of the past would give her. Neither could she feel the rush and panic that the present brought. Which left her to conclude that this was a dream of things to come. She watched herself crest a hill, followed dutifully by Twilight. The two of them sat down, spread out a picnic basket, and settled together.
Celestia enjoyed the sight, but something felt like it was missing. Incomplete. Twilight wasn’t done. It was then that she saw that more ponies were cresting the hill. Surrounding them. Pegasi, one brash and one timid, one fast and one quiet. Earth ponies, one strong and one bouncy. Pinkie Pie she already was starting to learn the qualities of. Applejack was still nothing but a name to her. Rarity was there, too, and the two of them were smiling the quiet smile of two co-conspirators to one another. And, of course, the dragon she had raised from when he was the size of a loaf of bread was staring at her with the same casual, open love that the two always shared together. But, rather than feeling crowded by no fewer than seven other creatures seeing beyond her mask and into the pony she was beneath, Celestia felt a company and acceptance she had only distant memories of having ever had before. That loneliness from before, that desire to be understood and accepted for who she was was being quashed by these ponies. At last, she realized why Twilight had held back so much and so often. She was not simply a pony Twilight wanted to see or a new element of Twilight’s life. Rather, Twilight, when searching for a mate, wanted somepony to share her life with. It was a good thing, then, that the life Twilight led was so often what she wished for in life. To be accepted. To have true, honest friends. Twilight often led a life so like the one Celestia wished she could have, and here she was, offering Celestia a chance to be part of that life.
Celestia pulled her horn away from Twilight with a stunned, silent expression, elongated sparks of magic arcing from their horns still. Laces of joy, love and happiness touched her horn from Twilight’s, until at last the two magical appendages sparked no more and fell silent.
Celestia felt moisture dab at her eyes, but this time she was the one to push forward. The two of them connected again, and this time it was her in control of the vision.
Twilight was in a study, sitting by a warm fire. Spike was, of course, napping in a corner, a comic book with images of costumed crusaders emblazoned on the corner serving as his blanket. An encyclopedia of magic was sitting in her front hooves, and to her right was an empty cup of coffee. Everything was back to normal, and precisely as she liked it. Of course, normal meant that the burn of loneliness, that sensation of emptiness, was still in the back of her mind, but she was alright with that. After all, there were still five magical ponies in her life for her to share in the happiness of when she decided to leave her dusty old books. And she was content with that. So why did it sting so much to think that everything she had experienced with Celestia had been a dream?
A voice behind her laughed, and suddenly the image morphed again. Celestia was sitting behind her, wrapping her wings around her. A tea kettle and matching cups floated in her grip, settling down between the pair and arranging themselves to their liking. Celestia summoned a book of her own, and the two of them curled up together, wings around one another’s backs. And then Twilight realized what her new idea of ‘normal’ could be. She realized what Rarity meant about a special somepony being different. She didn’t just get to share her time and her lifestyle with Celestia. Like Celestia had said eons ago and in a different world, a lover was somepony she could share her life with. What Celestia had never mentioned was that a lover was somepony who would look at her life and see something beautiful.
The two broke apart again, and this time could not help but look at each other in a kind of awe.
“Wow...that’s…” Twilight began.
“Very much so.” Celesta agreed. “Perhaps we might enjoy a change in pace.” She dabbed at her eyes with a wing. “I seem to recall a set of dusty old books in the library I had mentioned earlier.”
Twilight’s smile settled from one of overpowering joy to a sort of cozy familiarity. “Let’s do that, yeah.” She trailed off in thought, staring at the last shades of the twilight. “...Yeah.”
“Twilight?” Celestia offered up a simple smile.
“I’m just thinking about what you said earlier. Maybe you’re right. About sunsets, I mean. I never really stop to look at them. Maybe I should…”
“Shall you tell me what you know about it, then?” Celestia moved to settle beside Twilight, wrapping a wing around the smaller alicorn. “Or would you rather hear what I have to say?”
“That one is Cadenza. The first one in the night sky.” Twilight pointed to a star. “It’s not actually a star or a moon. Rather, it’s a mix of rock and gas, and it’s decently big. Cadance made it as a vacation spot, but...well. She and I have had a few laughs over flubbed spells before, and that was one of her bigger ones.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “I don’t remember Cadance mentioning to me that she tried and failed to create a planet for the sake of public luxury.”
“Oh, no, it’s a functional planet. It just has a deadly atmosphere. And is about four hundred degrees too hot to live on. But it’s big enough. That’s why it looks so bright. Well, that and the deadly gasses reflecting the sunlight. Anyway, she made Shining and I promise not to tell anypony, and she wanted us to see it one night and...and--oh! OH! Oops!” Twilight clasped her hooves over mouth. “You didn’t hear it from me.” She whimpered, a blush spreading across her face.
Celestia giggled. “Your secret is safe with me. But I must confess, it is most unlike Cadance to name something after herself.”
Twilight, lowering her hooves from her mouth, waved a hoof. “She let Shining name it. He’s a big dummy for doing something so cheesy and she’s a big dummy for asking him to begin with, if you ask me. Of course, they do that thing that ponies do when they’re in love whenever I bring it up.”
“That thing?”
“Giggling like idiots and sharing this big smile with each other. As far as I’m concerned love must have some sort of inhibiting effect upon the logical centers of your brain.”
“And do I inhibit the logical centers of your brain?” Celestia gave a smirk.
“Princess,” Twilight fixed Celestia with a flat look, “I am going to be twice as dumb as my brother whenever you’re around if we keep going with this.”
“Just promise me you won’t zone out on your friends whenever my career or mane colour is so much as mentioned and you will be better off than your sister-in-law.”
Twilight giggled like an idiot, then pointed over at yet another star cresting into the evening sky. “That star over there is Sirius. Luna told me she made it to light the way for lonely ponies at night. Sure enough, sometimes it will hone in on a lost traveler and zoom over their heads if they pass under it. It’s been very helpful in a lot of ponyhunts, especially the historic case of--” Twilight trailed off. “I’m sorry, you probably already know all that. It is Luna, after all.”
Celestia leaned her head against Twilight’s neck, smiling to herself and closing her eyes. “It’s nice to hear somepony cares enough to know the story off by heart either way. As an addendum to what you just said, I used it to track down Luna herself a few times, too. If the star leads to Luna, usually it means she needs somepony to talk to.”
“Mmm. I remember her first visit to Ponyville. She tried to push me away a couple of times. But...I know what it looks like when a pony is alone and hurting. I know how to push ponies away when I want to be sad, too. And I learned how to make it better from my friends.”
“How do you do it, Twilight?”
“Me? Or ponies in general?”
“Either. I feel that often I can’t find a way to pry into Luna’s mind, and sometimes I still feel there is that wedge of distrust and fear between us. Do you have a suggestion, perhaps? You two hit off so well together.”
“Cadance would be a better pony to ask than me. I’m not all that much like Luna, but like I said, we hurt in the same ways. So I know that I--well, when I think about it, you need to do more of what you do with me when I’m upset.”
“When I try that she accuses me of babying her.” Celestia pulled away from Twilight, a sheepish blush forming across her muzzle.
Twilight frowned. “You don’t treat me like a baby, but--oh! Right. She...she sometimes doesn’t really get that others want to help. She assumed the worst of Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. And me, when I went to the Crystal Empire. When I was with her I had to work to show her I was being earnest. And I’m sure you haven’t said everything you needed to say to Luna.”
Celestia sighed. “I cannot say everything I need to say to Luna. I don’t have the willpower. Not to my own family. I suppose that’s unfair of me, but...while I can forgive her, I cannot trust her.”
Twilight nodded. “You’re afraid. Like when Rarity talked about the Gala tickets. You don’t want her to see the bad side of you.”
“Yes.” Celestia whispered. “Yes. I am afraid. I am afraid of facing what I did. I am afraid of being turned against again. I can face Tirek, Discord, Chrysalis, any creature that comes to our kingdom, even when I know I am doomed to fail. But I cannot face what I did to Luna, and--” Celestia bit down on her tongue, unsure of even giving voice to the thought that troubled her next. Her voice, still a whisper, came out ragged and uneven, as far from the famous smooth calm of Princess Celestia as any sound she had ever made. “--And I cannot face what Luna did to me.”
“Yes you can.” Twilight put a hoof to Celestia’s chest, nuzzling her. “I know you can. You always can.”
“I am afraid I don’t hold in your certainty.”
“Then ask for help.” Twilight looked up at her. “I’d do it for you in a heartbeat. You know I’ll do anything for you, you’ve seen me do it.”
Celestia gave a weak chuckle. “But of course I can’t simply trouble you with every problem in my personal life.”
Twilight simply shook her head. “My notes say otherwise.” She said in a voice that would have rung with sing-song teasing had caution not tempered it. Twilight’s face stayed serious, and so did her tone. “You told me a date would always be willing to share in my problems, and that I could always ask my friends for help if I needed them. Well, here I am, facing my date needing my help. And, like you said they would, here I am offering. Don’t forget the other ponies you could ask, too. Cadance knows a thing or two about dealing with little sisters, and so does Rarity. Spike knows what it’s like not always getting the recognition he deserves,” Twilight gave a guilty, sad little smile at this, “and Pinkie Pie can cheer anypony up.”
Celestia gave a faint smile. “I did find her quite delightful, but I would hardly call her a friend. We spent not twenty minutes talking to each other.”
“For Pinkie Pie, that’s enough.” Twilight giggled. “She was so sad when I told her she couldn’t give you a ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ dance when you came to town with Philomena.”
Celestia gave a sigh and a smile. “You truly would do anything for me, wouldn’t you, Twilight?”
“You asked me to make friends with the creature I hated more than anyone else in the entire world. Yes, I would do anything for you.” Twilight put a hoof to her chin. “Well, no. That’s not entirely true. There are some things I would never ever do no matter who asked me. But I know you’d never ask me to do those things.” Twilight shook her head. “That wasn’t the point of the question, though, was it?”
“It’s not something I needed you to think long and hard about.” Celestia confessed.
“I like to remind myself sometimes.” Twilight smiled. “But the answer to your question--I think, at least--is yes, I would absolutely roundup anypony and everypony I thought could help a friend with a problem. And for you...Of course I would. I could never do anything less.”
“Of course you would.” Celestia confirmed, falling into a smile at last. The two of them stayed silent for a while, quietly eyeing shooting stars and enjoying the sensation of their fur against one another’s skin. There was warmth shared between both bodies and minds that neither was willing to break without a good reason.
At last, Twilight’s eyes widened at a reason to break the silence. “Oh, that one is mine!” She pointed, wrapping a hoof around Celestia’s shoulder. A little star blinked at them from the southeast corner of the sky.
“Yours?”
“I found it when I was a teenager. Well, er,” Twilight blushed, her modesty taking control of her once again, “I mean, Luna always had it, but she lost track of it about a hundred years before the start of the modern Equestrian era. I found it again when I was going through my big astronomy phase.”
“And what did you name it?”
“Star Swirl’s Lantern.” Twilight’s eyes filled with nostalgia at the memory. “Of course, it had to be turned to Ancient Equestrian, and it got shortened down to Lanterna, but they did keep the name. It was fun meeting all of the ponies in the department for it, too.” Twilight giggled. “Distant Orbit was so kooky. It’s always nice reading essays by him.”
“I’m surprised this hasn’t come up before. I would have thought you would have been proud to share your accomplishments with me.”
“I guess, until now, I thought it just wouldn’t be something worth spending time on with you. Most of the time I want to talk about magic and history and my friends and, of course, about you and what your life is like. And most of the time you want to talk about politics and history and your family and my life. Between all that I think little stories from our pasts like that just get lost sometimes.”
“Well,” Celestia spread her wing, “I’m sure we will have plenty of time to track them down. To the study?”
Twilight beamed. “To the study!” The scholar led the way with a spring in her step. Celestia, for her part, trailed behind and enjoyed the show. The doors to the study flung open with a bang, Twilight sitting atop a bed nearby and trailing a beckoning wing lazily across the empty space beside her. Celestia eyed the familiar scene with joy, closing the doors behind her as discreetly as she could. A fireplace not yet lit stared at her, as did the cosy bed upon which she sometimes slept or rested when enjoying her reading. A modest set of reading lamps mounted on wire frames or rounded dishes--made of copper and foiled with gold against her instructions and desires--lay upon a truly impressive collection of bookshelves and work desks. A set of scrolls levitated into Celestia’s magic from the ancients section with a flourish, and she settled upon the bed with a heavy ‘thump’. Twilight gently placed a hoof upon Celestia’s horn, dissipating the magic with a delicate touch. The scrolls fell into a lavender aura, which promptly shelved them all above tomes with silver pages and below books written by hoof five hundred years before. Celestia looked at Twilight in surprise.
“I don’t really want to read right now.”
Celestia went from surprise to staring at Twilight as if she had promptly unmasked to reveal a grinning Pinkie Pie underneath. “Twilight Sparkle doesn’t want to read?” She raised an eyebrow.
Twilight put a hoof over Celestia’s.
“Twilight Sparkle has learned that it’s important to spend time away from those dusty old books with her--” Twilight bit her lip. “Well, darn, I don’t have a good word to replace ‘friend’ with.”
“We’ll think of one.” Celestia placed a hoof over top of Twilight’s. “I am partial to ‘special somepony’, myself.”
“I don’t know. It seems kind of...sappy? No, it isn’t that. It’s more like…” Twilight put a hoof to her chin, looking down at the snowy white sheets. Celestia gave her space. “Impersonal!” She said at last, whipping her head up and breaking the silence. “Yeah. It’s impersonal, that’s what’s wrong with it. Nothing about you makes me think of a somepony.”
“I don’t think it’s meant quite that literally, Twilight.”
“But you know I won’t be able to say it without thinking about it that way.” Twilight said with resignation.
“I suppose so. Perhaps ‘lover’ would work?”
“Maybe. It seems a bit sudden to commit to that, but I would. I--” Twilight shook her head. “I’ll think of something later, I’m sure. Anyway, the important part is that reading with my friends is something I do once, twice weekly. It’s not how I like to spend my time with the ponies I love. And I especially don’t want to waste time we could be spending building...this, whatever it is, thinking up names for one another and getting lost in a good book. I want you, not the fancy books you have hiding away in your room.”
“There go my chances at bribing you.” Celestia gave Twilight a wink. The two of them giggled, then settled back to staring at one another with an intensity--a solidarity--that the two of them had never before given another pony. “But I can certainly understand the sentiment. While my favourite activity is of course solving problems brought to me by my little ponies, I cannot say it is the way I would like to spend an evening with you. Far too much to distract me from the purpose of the occasion.” Celestia cast a glance around the room. “So what, then, would you think you would like to do?”
“Something you never do with somepony else. Something you wish you had another pony to share with you, but you’ve never found the right pony to do it with. Some part of your life I’ve never seen before.”
Celestia put a hoof to her lips. “Well, goodness, there are quite a few of those between us, I’m sure. I’ve read much in your letters I would like to try that I’ve simply never been in the position to attempt. Racing in the clouds. Applebucking." Celestia looked at Twilight with a wry little grin. “Why don’t you indulge this old mare in something new for a change? Then, after that, I’d be sure to spend some time showing you a talent of mine to compare.”
“Well…”
Twilight went silent for a moment, her eyes searching about the room to see if she could find something she was talented at to surprise the Princess with. Winter Wrap Up briefly flashed through her mind. Micromanagement was hardly a romantic talent, and most other things that did not involve magic, friendship or learning were things she had rather painfully and forcefully learned she was terrible at. The quills and pencils upon the nearest workdesk, however, combined with the loose papers scattered about the desktop to jog her memory on a facet of her knack for science that she almost never showed another pony.
“Would you mind finding a place where it would be comfortable for you to lie down for a while?” Twilight requested, her eyes turning bright and sharp and her brow furrowed and squinted.
“Lie down? I suppose. What do you need me lying down for, Twilight?”
The bookish pony gathered some pencils and papers in her magic, then pulled open the drawers. Sure enough, a notepad revealed itself to be amongst the odds and ends that lay within. She gave a quick, contented grin at the sight, snatching the booklet from the chest with her magic. She nodded to herself, then lit her horn and closed the other pockets with a flicker of lavender energy. She turned to face Celestia with a searching look in her eyes and a sketchbook and paper hovering in her horn’s ether. “I need you to pose for me.”
“You’re going to draw me?”
“I am going to sketch you. A scientist needs to know how to in order to replicate visuals in the fields of atomic chemistry, kinetics, morphology and anatomy and mineralogy. To that end, I invested in art lessons when I was thirteen and was learning our unit on runes and symbology. It got me from a B grade to an A+, as you remember, but more than that, I never really stopped liking drawing. I mean, you know I can do runes fine, but I never really showed you the drawings I did besides. Real drawings. I...I guess I kind of fell in love with it. Taking note of the world as you see it. Making whole ponies out of a couple of simple, organized shapes. I never showed anypony, really. I mean, it’s me, right? I have a couple of drawings of each of my friends I’ve never shared with them, and even a few of my parents and my BBBFF. I just never found the heart.”
“You were afraid they wouldn’t like them.” Celestia said, pity slipping over her relaxed smile.
Twilight nodded, her pencil sketching rough, spherical and ovoid shapes that would become Celestia’s back legs within the next half hour. “Maybe if this goes okay I’ll show them some. I just don’t want anypony to get offended that I’m not drawing them right, or that I’m only picking up their bad side. You know. I don’t want them to think I think their nose is big, or their lips are poofy, or their coat is patchy, or their ears are droopy. But if you like how it goes, maybe I’ll give sharing it a try.” Twilight looked up at last from her rambling, noticing the silent look of focus set across Celestia’s face. “Oh! And please don’t stop talking on my account. I need you to hold a pose, but until I reach your face I don’t need you to hold it still. Besides, I feel like some conversation will help lighten the mood. I mean, I’m not Ponet or anything, but I’d like to show you I can do it since you asked.” Twilight descended into mumbling, drawing the arch of Celestia’s hips with a delicate, tender touch. She moved on to the thighs, giving them the same firmness and thickness that she saw in the pony before her.
“Very well,” Celestia said, her eyes still watching Twilight as intently as Twilight was staring at her. “What would you like to talk about?”
“Well...What’s it like being Luna’s sister? I mean, I’m sure you’ve heard enough stories from Cadance to know what it’s like being Shiny’s, but I’ve never really heard anything about the two of you.”
Celestia smiled at the thought of the description, a look of fiendish glee taking her that made Twilight do a double take. “I think I shall have to begin by mentioning that our penchant for practical jokes comes from our time spent together. I consider it a testament to my self-restraint that I have never used you or Cadance as resources in our great war of sisterly rivalry.”
“Spike wasn’t so lucky, evidently.” Twilight’s dry exasperation was one finely honed upon the shenanigans of the Element of Laughter and the Spirit of all Chaos himself.
“Spike volunteered after seeing the joy of the game.” Celestia’s eyes glinted with fiery mischief. “You of course were always too busy to join in. But some day I hope I might find in you a third party to our great war. After all, I seem to remember a certain friendship letter written on vanishing ink.”
Twilight blushed. “I knew you would bring that up. I, uh--Luna! Yes. Tell me more about pranki--er, Luna!”
Celestia gave a smirk, then returned to her speech. “Would you like to hear about her birth? Or maybe some embarrassing stories from when she was a filly? Maybe a bit about how she’s changed from--” Celestia saw the look of naked curiosity on Twilight’s face grow with every word she spoke, and gave a chuckle. “I suppose I’ll have to start from the beginning, then.”
“Please.” Twilight beamed. “I’ll be happy to throw in some detailing while you do, if time is an issue.”
“Very well. Back when I was younger, I was a vain little terror. You may find it hard to believe, but I had a reputation as something of a control freak. Now, when Luna was born, nopony was allowed to see her for the first few days. I, of course, couldn’t take that as an answer, so I snuck in and…”
---／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼---
Twilight showed Celestia the third drawing that night. Philomena spread a pair of finely feathered wings of ink and lead, flames done with a smear effect trailing behind her. Below her, a giggling Celestia with muscles shaded lightly but noticeably across her cheeks was frozen in mirth at the sight of her pet up to no good.
“It looks as lovely as the first two. I think you’re starting to improve upon my face, even.”
“More time to practice.” Twilight smiled, admiring the result with Celestia. The two of them lay against the backboard of the bed, Celestia having draped a hoof across Twilight’s stomach twenty minutes before. The night was waning, and with it the energy of the two exhausted ponies.
The two of them fell into silence, then, Celestia hovering the sketch to rest upon the desk alongside the other two. The room went completely still, and so too did the ponies it housed. Silence and calm took hold of the two, leaving neither room nor need for emotion or dialogue. Their glee, their desires and their fears all spent and conquered, the two exhausted souls at last lay together in peace.
Twilight at last stirred from the pile, her face wrinkled with irritation. “I still can’t find the right words for what we are right now.”
“Does it matter, Twilight? What I am right now is happy. And rather undecided on whether or not I want to settle you down with another horn touch.”
Twilight blushed. “No, but--it’s important. I want to know where to go from here, and how to treat what’s going on. And don’t say just do what’s natural, because that’s exactly what I’m trying to do.” Celestia, who had been about to say just that, opted instead to fall silent.
“Truth be told, Twilight, I can’t rightly say I have the words for it myself. You saw the same things I did when we crossed our horns. This is every bit as new and big and overwhelming to me as it is to you.” Celestia sighed, rolling from her position of status and facing the window. “I can’t give you an answer right now, but I can show you that hobby of mine nopony ever gets a chance to see. Maybe some cold air will clear our heads.”
Twilight looked at her, the worry and uncertainty turning back to the love that had been building ever since that moment in the solarium where she had realized that simple, quiet little phrase that had made everything make so much more sense. “What did you have in mind?” She asked.
---／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼---
“These ones were from Gregory the Grave originally.” Celestia smiled, her wings flapping against the breeze with a casual ease. “Sent in thanks for our help in the Great Restoration after the Griffon Civil War.”
“Wow,” Twilight let her eyes run over the soft material, not daring to touch it for fear of damaging it. “And you’ve kept it this entire time?”
“Of course. Here are ones from Cadance’s wedding, and here are the ones from when you brought Luna back to me.”
“And these ones?” Twilight pointed at flashes of lively red situated below the wedding gifts and to the right of the ones used in the necklaces from Luna’s return. Her wings lazily, keeping her aloft but static.
“Discord gave them to me, in fact. They were something of an apology for his role in Tirek’s escape.” Celestia looked over the roses with pride. Boxes of heavy clay suspended them against the walls of her study, creating the effect of a hanging garden along the side of the wall. “Every flower or frond has a history as a gift or an emblem, and each of them comes from a creature with whom I have had some history. I have ones here that your parents sent out of gratitude towards your acceptance and ones from your coronation.” Celestia’s gaze trailed along vines, ferns and petals of every sort to rest upon a box filled with flowers of every sort. Her eyes sought out the ones associated with Twilight, and once she had found the tulips and lilacs from the respective events, she led Twilight over to look at them.
“They’re beautiful. How can you even find time to sustain all this?”
“I admit that on occasions of my work making it impossible for me to keep them, a maid gets the duty of providing for them. Though of course the work is done per my instruction. I could not simply let them go, however. I am far too fond of growing things, and of the memories each of them brings me. Of course, a gift from you yourself would not be remiss.” Celestia gave a dainty pout, the mirth in her voice mixing with an earnest desire.
“We’ve been spending too much time around Rarity.” Twilight declared, looking at the pout with no small degree of perturbation.
Celestia maintained the pout for as long as she could, then at last cracked up and, as per Twilight’s predictions, giggled like an idiot along with her. It was as if nothing the other could do would bring anything other than joy. Twilight was tempted to say the effect was unsettling, and likely driven by hormones, but at the same time she was simply surprised and quite pleased to report she had not remembered a time in her life in which she was as honestly happy as she had been over the past two hours. “I’ll be sure to find you some lavenders somewhere.” She reported at last.
“That would be lovely. Have you any interest in gardening?”
“I’ve always been interested in botany. But I must say that the ponies in Ponyville you could talk to about gardening are without a doubt Cheerilee and Zecora. Everything I know has been snippets I picked up from them. Rarity and Fluttershy do it here and there, and I keep a couple of potted plants for company, but I haven’t found an interest in gardening itself yet.” Twilight looked over at Celestia with a half-smile, her lips curling into the next portion of what she had to say. “However, I’ve been happy to study the hobbies my friends think are important, and I would love to learn more about something that does the same for my…” Twilight held her tongue, frustration creasing her forehead in thought. “Whatever we are right now.”
“Whatever we are.” Celestia gave a carefree smile, flying to face Twilight and take the librarian’s hooves in her own. “I don’t need a definition.”
“Well, no, but…” Twilight still seemed uncertain.
“Maybe, Twilight, it is just possible that we are dating.” Celestia gave a teasing smile, pulling them both back toward the balcony. She settled upon the solid stone with an easy folding of her wings.
“Hey!” Twilight blushed. She landed beside Celestia, turning to face her in an instant. “I just don’t want to make it seem so plain. It feels so special, and--”
“And it is. It always is. When your brother started dating your sister-in-law, was that unimportant? Was it plain and ordinary? Look at the sunsets, Twilight. Or the evening stars.” She glanced out the window. “There are millions of them. They are quite literally an everyday occurrence. And yet staring at stars is one of your favourite hobbies. And yet you asked us to hang back and watch the sunset not two hours ago. An experience being one that repeats itself across time, that anypony can share in, does not by definition have to be impersonal, Twilight. Because, of course, everypony has their own, private life and story.”
Twilight looked uncertain at this proclamation, but at last she nodded to Celestia. “Maybe you’re right, Princess. But I still don’t think ‘special somepony’ feels right. And I suppose, ultimately, if you think that’s the case then that would make you...Yes, that would make you my date. Not in a cheap way, and not in a shallow way, but...like a sunset. It isn’t just something we’re doing for fun. It’s ours, and it’s every bit as special as it feels.”
“It is.” Celestia’s voice was, for the first time since that morning, filled with the secure, settled warmth Twilight was so used to. “And, I take it, that means I can expect to see you again at some point for a night like this some other time?”
“Not even Tirek could keep me back.” Twilight smiled. “And, after all, I remember something about owing you some flowers.” She gave a grin at this. “Next time we’re going to my place, though. I still haven’t given you the tour, after all.”
“That certainly does seem like a good deal to look forward to.”
“And a lot we have to learn about. And a lot we have to do together. It’s...it’s a lot. But it’s exactly the way I want it to be.” Twilight made her way to the doors, letting them swing back open with a flourish of her magic.
“Goodnight, Twilight. And thank you. For everything.” Celestia smiled the same warm smile as ever before, but there was a twinkle to it, a living brightness that had once been mere placid strength.
“I love you too.” Twilight said with a warmth and certainty that she had found in herself only that night.
Then, with a flash of light, Twilight was gone. Celestia smiled a private smile, and the doors to her study closed at last, pulling in all that Twilight’s open heart had given her with them.
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That was a delight to read. I'd offer some form of critique, but I'm afraid I'm terrible at it. But this was engaging from start to finish.
Thank you for writing.
Huh, that's it? Figured that when I saw it was still tagged Incomplete, I was looking forward to more and you say it's over now. Oh well.
Don't get me wrong, it's nice closure. But kinda leaves you hanging for more.
Unless the other story you mentioned is a sequel (even though that name doesn't make it sound so), in which case, sign me up. XD
i want a sequel but the ending was so nice, maybe well see an epilogue of the future dates these two will have
i can only hope
5046777 5046940 I do have plans for a sequel, though the other story is not that (it is, however, a Twilestia). As for the tags, that was my mistake
It is over?? But what about making it public and telling her family and and...
Just make a sequel please.
The first chapter of this faggot story is so bad, I think ill have a portion of my brain removed.
each other is sick and deranged.
The very idea of two bitch ponies
You are all a disgrace and should watch something natural like Family guy.
Oh congrats on making it to the featured box for the final chapter. This deserves it.
5047054 5047091 I have to wonder where all these terrible trolls are coming from, really. At least Henson's comment was decently funny.
5047091
You are commenting on a my little pony fan fiction. You have already lost your normal card.
5047091 If that's how you feel, then why are you even on this site? There's no need to insult people because you don't like something.
5047265 5047203 Guys, he's an obvious troll. Don't feed him.
5047265 Ohh there's plenty of reasons. Namely I can call all of you faggots faggots.
5047279 You're right of course, but my day was bad enough without his s***.
5047346 I am sorry to hear that. At least you got a new chapter for your troubles.
5047349 Yes I did, I thoroughly enjoyed your story and it brightened my day considerably to have such a happy ending.
5047366 Just focus on the positives, then. I'm sure he means no real harm. useruseruseruser, on the other hand...
5047377 Positives come few and far between for me. I'm sure they meant harm. But they should be ignored.
That was lovely. I loved Twi and Tia's date at the end and I loved the end of their date. Everything was very well done and all the characters were perfectly portrayed.
So your final grade involved keeping the gold star I gave you many chapters ago and you get a follow, because I want to see this next story of yours.
So, I'll see you at the next chapter.
To quote the Twilestia group "Other ships just can't compare" Twilestia or Twiluna for me always. It's the best, beats the rest. Cellular, modular, interactivemodular. In all shapes or forms. A very very beautiful story. But left you kinda hanging when all the fluff and the cute and cuddly would come up. It makes you want more, and i want more. Please do consider making a sequel. And please make sure it has a satisfying ending. Sooo many Twilestia and Twilunastories alike have such unfinished or loose endings. You have gained a follower. And il make sure to stay for your upcoming story. Keep up the great work!
This was truly a great story
Just be sure to make a sequel
Cause if you dont... I will find you.
Thanks!
Those last two lines of dialogue are utterly perfect.
I like the idea of Celestia telling Twilight to "Draw her like one of her French Girls!"
Woo Hoo! I loved it!
Thank you, Neko Majin C and Abyss!!!
And thank you Knight of Cerebus! Great story!
Thank you Neko Majin C, and the Abyss for aiding Knight of Cerberus with this wonderful story. No thanks here for Knight of Cerberus though, he already got that from me :P
Well done, as someone whom have not seen a lot of TwiLestia this is most defenetly one of the better once.
I can't offer any critique but i may be able to see a cookie and a nice sunny day in you'r near future.
Reading this story have filled me with joy and that is relay all i look after in a story so i applaud both you and the folks that helped you.
~Tobben
Woo hoo! Go story editors! A round of applause if you please. It's been fun Knight. Goodbye Opening Twilight's Heart.
I thouroughly enjoyed this story and I'm glad to hear you're planning a sequel. I hope you include that little bit you mentioned about Celestia not being able to trust Luna cuz that is rife with possibilities.
I have no idea why I at some point hit the fav-button, and it's obscured to me why I read this. I don't even care for shipping. At all. And still I stuck to this story till the end. It's just that good.
Hold up I gotta sit up. *Sits up* OKAY! Wow, just wow. I honest to God love this book. Its now one of my top three FimFic fanfics of all time.My favorite part was the "And then the cafe exploded" best sentence of the whole book. God I love this book! I'm really happy to hear of a sequel in the works so keep it up.
5047377
Knight, if you never finish this story, I will rage.
Also, this was absolutely adorable and amazing and full of warm fluffy things, and I can't help wondering if we won't get a sequel at some point (unless Twilight's Reign of Terror is, but that is doubtful).
I think you mean kooky. Also, I second 5050008 - that story needs to be told.
5050559 5050733 Fixed, save for Neko's last selection. That was not an error. Rather, two different things happened. They slid their energy-laced horns against one another, and then the horns pulsed with magic in unison. It was the pulse that let them see into one another's minds. Ergo, not superfluous.
on
_____________
you
_______________
How so? In canon we never hear, or see her have a sister.
___________________
needs end " marks.
___________________
Since when was Cadance part of the Twilight household, and why did she go into Incest? Not that I'm complaining, but Cadance Incest is ... odd sounding.
____________________________
A sweet ending. Is there ever going to be a side fic that shows what happened after Trixie ran away and Rares went to catch her?
5052038 Errors are fixed. Turned against is grammatically valid, so I kept it. Regarding the statements on Cadance being part of the Sparkle household, in canon it is stated several times that she takes Twilight as an adoptive sister (which makes sense, Twilight being her sister by law) and spent a lot of time there when she was a teenager. She even says half the reason why she married Shining was so that she could get an awesome sister.
As for Trixie's plight, there will be an Epilogue at some point. Dinna worry.
5052141
Ah! As for turned against. That is valid, but turned against again, reads weird and I'm not sure if it is grammatically valid. But if against again is appropriate. Then that's something interesting to know. And awesome! I can't wait to see the epilogue. This was a cute fic, thank you for writing it.
That was definitely a nice ending.
Thank you for writing the story. 
A lovely chapter and again a great ending.
I still don't like the heavy dialogue quite as much as other Twilight fans might. To me she is more adorable when she tries to avoid overcomplicating things with a little help, and in this chapter it feels like Celestia is indulging her a bit too much, but maybe that's just part of the story and it has its own merits. I'm just not enjoying it as much as I would if the dorky little unicorn would just relax and let some things be unsaid.
Speaking of unsaid things, when she replies "I love you, too," that was a perfect example of such.
I finished reading it, and I went up to favorite and like it, but then I remembered that favorites were how I kept up with it, and I liked it after the first chapter.
You did a good job exploring the different characters, and what love means to each of them. I do think the last chapter felt just a little lacking, like there wasn't quite enough closure for my tastes, but, then, that leaves plenty of room for the imaginations of the fans, or for you to make a sequel if you decide to.
Nice little bow wrapped on top the little arc they shared. I feel the strength of this fiction was in the exchanges between the characters as most everyone could see where the story was going. A few pitfalls here and there and at times a bit wordy, though that comes with Twilight territory, but overall I was left with a satisfied smirk. I'm not sure why everyone is craving a sequel though. The majority of the fun was how terrible Twilight was at this whole dating thing with all of Celetia's subtle cues going over her little bookwormy head. With all the romantic tension let out of the bag, you'll have to capitalize on something else. Good luck if you move forward with it, and thank you again for sharing this little romp. It was quite enjoyable.
5047588 5049742 5054450 5049742 5047140 5047921 5050008 5047705 5047879 5046743 Thank you one and all! Hopefully you'll join me for my next story.
5052038 The epilogue will include what happened to Flash and Trixie.
Now to the reviews:
5066848 I can wholeheartedly agree with everything you have said here regarding the story's strength and weaknesses, save for one thing: This story's conflict was not at all just Twilight's fault. Go back over Celestia's lines. She is every bit as abominable at this whole dating thing as Twilight is. As for a sequel, which will happen after my terror bird story has run its course, the conflict will be exploiting one of the most important themes of this story. Most shipfics do not focus at all on the lives of the ponies beyond dating. This one, however, most certainly did. Looking back at what Twilight was actually trying to do for Celestia across the story and why Twilight couldn't happily date Flash or Trixie (both of whom wanted nothing more than a relationship with her) gives some good evidence of this. Therefore, making a sequel about this story would be a little bit of this:5047062 and a lot of the two of them trying to balance their new relationship with the realities of being overworked princesses with a wide array of friends and family who each will have their own reactions to this new change.
5055964 I'm not entirely sure what it was lacking. Do you have an idea, or is it just a gut feeling? Either way, yes, there will be a sequel, and an epilogue to boot. Thank you for joining me on this romp of mine.
5055515 The reason Celestia let Twilight talk so much (and vice versa) is because they have been miscommunicating throughout the entire story. Moreover, Celestia wanted to know what exactly was at the core of Twilight's problems, because Twilight continually hid them from her (as Twilight is oft wont to do in canon) and it was obvious to Celestia that Twilight's hiding them was hurting her. The quiet implications in the last two lines of dialogue helped signify them reaching the end of their character arc, with the two of them finally reaching the same wavelength in communication and finally starting to read one another's hearts and minds together. The title of the story was not an accident, after all.
Thank you very much all three for taking the time to give this story a serious look-over. I'm very grateful for the feedback, as always.
5068414
Err I probably should've phrased it as the most fun I had with the fiction was Twilight's shortcomings. I did not mean to imply Twilight was at fault as Celestia was just as bad being entirely cryptic and afraid to open herself up. I just had found myself enjoying the moments when Twilight messed up. Neurosis is both serious and hilarious. Sorry for the confusion!
5068424 It's fine. After all, not even prancing pony princesses are always communicating exactly what they want to say.
5068414 I'll be there, I'm always excited to see writers I enjoy with new stories.
5068414 gut feeling.
5070043 vagueness
5070191 I dunno, it just...well, the story's not over. there's a sequel and an epilogue planned, so it works. the only issue I'm having is the feeling that twilight's progress hasn't come to a conclusion, and knowing that you have more planned, that makes sense.
5070243 Specificity!
Loved it!
5169470 Keep reading. It's not a misunderstanding thing. What Twilight is saying is very much how she really feels, and it isn't taken out of context at all. It becomes much more important shortly after Flash is removed from the story.
In fact, the inclusion of that plot point was ironically enough expressly done so that I could show the audience that I was going to subvert a common Twilestia cliché, which is that Twilight's obsession with Celestia is romantic in nature and she just hasn't realized it yet/is too nervous to confess this and so turns Celestia down. I can link you some of the more popular stories that made this idea such a cliché, if you'd like. But no, Celestia didn't get the wrong idea. Read on to see what Twilight thinks of Celestia and why Twilight is acting the way she is.
Cute story. The end of it is a bit quick. Then again, this story is not about finding love and live happily ever after, right?
I felt the characters quite natural and honestly, I think you are right, that this would be Twilight's most probable reaction if she was confronted with Celestia's infatuation/love. Just a little remark: at times, it felt more like a session at the psychologist rather than a date. But maybe that's just me rushing through the words to see how this is going to work out 
Thumbs up!