The Simple Life Chapter 40

     “Well you know what they say sister, shoot for the moon.”

     “Thou doth sound utterly ludicrous, why would they say that?”

     “Simple, because even if a stallion were to miss, they’d land amongst that star filled mane of yours,” Celestia chuckled.

     “We see that thou wordplay is still as sharp as any sword it would seem,” Luna responded with an annoyed frown as her sister managed to spin the popular phrase around at her expense. “Still, it befuddles Us, in the times we had escorted Thunderlane, as well any another to the bed chamber, the resulting climax is always the same. One would think at least ONE of them would want to change it up a bit.”

     “Power, sister,” Celestia answered calmly. “It’s a symbol of dominance, one inherit in all males. Think of it as them marking their territory, a symbol of their conquest.”

     “They are silly and confusing creatures when you think about them.”

     “Well I don’t know about that sister, I think they’re rather black and white, or in the case of your Cutie mark and Thunderlane leaving a lasting impression,” Celestia couldn’t help but grin as she raised her eyebrows suggestively, “white on black.”

     Luna couldn’t help but chuckle as well at her sister’s pun as the two of them lounged in what was once her own room in the castle. Celestia had kept it intact, everything was the way she had left it, as if she expected her to return home at any moment. Considering her sister, she could not see her doing anything different. The hour had grown late, and shortly after concluding her appointments with herself, Twilight Sparkle, and everyone else, Celestia had offered them rooms in the castle to spend the evening before departing back to Ponyville tomorrow. With her sister’s royal duties having come to a close and the moon dutifully raised by herself, Luna took this opportunity to catch up with her sister as she had grown to miss their talks as of a late. She counted herself fortunate to be in the company of Twilight and the other elements and she realized her sister hadn’t the outlet for entertainment and conversation that she still currently enjoyed. Over the course of several topics they discussed, Thunderlane had come up.

     “And how is he now? I figured things might be a tad strained after the events in the Crystal Empire.” Celestia inquired.

     “He no longer desires Our company,” Luna sighed. “We blame Our self, for we acted most unbecomingly. A series of good intentions gone horribly awry, it would seem we still have knack to destroying such things.”

     “You always did break your toys, Luna. However, now your toys are often stallion’s hearts,” Celestia commented. “And while I’m sorry to hear that things are not well between you two, I have often said you need to be more careful with your things.”

      “And We intend to be,” Luna countered. “Young Thunderlane was good stallion, We will see to it that things are once again amended between us.”

      “Now that’s a new one,” Celestia spoke, a small hint of admiration in her voice. “Usually you no longer bother with them once you are finished playing with them.”

      “Thunderlane is different, he’s a good stallion and did not deserve to be wronged the way We had wronged him,” Luna explained. “Even with all that is going on, I often think of him and still desire to mend the bridge between us. I would like very much if we were friends again.”

     “I wish you the best,” Celestia said with smile.

     “But enough about him, surely Our sister has her fair share of exploits and encounters with the stronger sex,” Luna said pleasantly, eyes giddy and smile on her face in anticipation of any tales her sister would give her. However she found her smile quickly fading as Celestia’s own demeanor grew detached. Her concern only grew after Celestia did not answer and Luna thought that she might have lost her to her own thoughts.

     “Sister?” she probed, trying to yank her older sibling back to the conversation. “Sister are you alright?”

     “Yes,” Celestia said, her attention snapping back to her sister as she placed a smile back on her face. “Luna? Might we change the topic?”

     “Something is wrong sister, what is it?” Luna asked more fervently.

     “Might we change the topic?” Celestia asked again, her voice soft and Luna could have sworn it was shaky. “Please?”

     Luna did not like it. Not one bit. But she could tell her sister sincerely did not want to discuss what was the matter and decided not push her. No, today was to be a happy day, she would ask again another time.

     “So,” Luna continued awkwardly, “What’s this I hear about you having a nephew? I must admit I never gave it much thought, but now that I do, I most certainly don’t recall taking a sabbatical from my time on the moon to return home and birthing you a nephew. A prince at that.”

     “Blueblood,” Celestia replied, perking up that her sister how now changed the topic. “Yes, he is quite the character. And while he is not true Equestrian Royalty, he is indeed a prince in his own right. And he’s my nephew, because I adopted him as such.”

     “Clearly thou have a thing for taking on personal students, and apparently raising them to replace me,” Luna joked, “but I never considered you one for adopting.”

     “He was a special case. Years ago, about three decades if I recall, there was a small city-state called Eponia. It had separated and became it’s own entity after Night of Ruin due to its isolation. It was located to the far west and once it was joined to Equestria it was renamed San Palomino. Just south of Las Pegasus. I had ventured there, while it was Eponia and spoke with the self-declared king and queen and petitioned them to join Equestria. I reasoned that surely their small land would benefit from Equestria’s resources and protection, but the King and Queen were proud of their way of life and small kingdom they had carved for themselves and declined.”

     “Sister, there is no Eponia now,” Luna asked, “what happened, what changed their mind?”

     Celestia sighed sadly.

     “A swath of daggers under the cover of darkness I’m afraid, their most trusted advisors it would seem, supported joining, and when they declined, they murdered them in their sleep before approaching me to allow the annexation of the land. I was appalled, but the kingdom was left leaderless, as such I put it to vote amongst the ponies that lived there and the decision came down to the annexation. I had felt horrible, as it would seem to disgrace all the King and Queen who had worked hard to provide for their ponies, who had been so mercilessly cut down had wished. I later learned from one of the recently departed monarchies’ servant ponies that they had recently celebrated the birth of their one and only soon. His mother had named him Blue Blood, and to honor them, I took him in. I adopted him as a nephew for I had no right to take the place of the colt’s mother.”

     “What of the advisors?” Luna asked.

     “The moment the annexation was complete, I personally ensured those that made the boy an orphan saw justice within the hour,” Celestia remarked, there was certain coldness in her voice as she delivered the news to her sister, but then her pleasant tone returned. “Anyway, Blue Blood grew up here in Canterlot, and ever since he was a boy he had a longing for the sea. Indeed, he made himself rather useful. A talented unicorn by any standard, I found him the perfect position and under the tutelage of the finest Naval Commanders Equestria could offer did he flourish and I placed him as my Chief of Naval Operations. He’s quite brilliant actually.”

     “Really,” Luna again questioned, her disbelief palpable. “Of the few times I’ve met with colt he seemed aloof, spoiled rotten, and a bit of an elitist pig.”

     “Yes, he has had that effect as of late, but he wasn’t always that way,” Celestia replied. “I blame myself, I pushed him away. He was talented, very talented and showed interest in rule. But you know as well as I that father’s will, even in death is absolute. So I turned my attentions to Twilight Sparkle, Cadence before her, and Sunset Shimmer before her. I felt horrible, but how could I explain that which even I do not fully understand. We fear that has caused him to grow bitter and resentful of most mares, and I have little to in substantiate that distaste. I had hoped for the better when he announced he had fallen in love and wed. But that only made things worse I’m afraid. ”

     “Somepony married him?!” Luna asked, shock clear in her voice.

     “Indeed, and exotic princess of Saddle Arabia had caught his eye and he courted the mare, married her, and had a daughter.”

     “What happened to them? I have never seen them!”

     “That is not my place Luna, that is his story to tell, if he so chooses. All I will say is that that chapter of his life has ended. Quite unhappily.” Celestia replied sadly. She took a deep breath and began again, her voice cheering up as she continued. “However he is dedicated to Equestria, I actually have him to thank for brokering the deal with Lord Graywing to sell airships. He has been a cornerstone in not only the construction of the new ships, but in finding jobs from the displaced ponies in Baltimare in his shipyards.”

      “Interesting,” Luna mused. “Perhaps I’ve misjudged the stallion.”

     A loud and impatient knock came from the bed chamber door and Celestia sighed as she already knew it was for her.

     “You could ignore it, sister,” Luna implored, wishing to spend more time with her sister. “Save it for the morning.”

     “No,” Celestia resigned as she rose and made her way to the door. “Heavy is the head sister, heavy is the head.” The alabaster Alicorn opened the door with her magic, and features turned startled at the pegasus who was on the other side. Her guards stood at the stallion’s sides, ready to restrain the stallion before them if he attempted anything brash, but the look of fear in his eyes told her that he most like wouldn’t. “Can I… help you?”

     “Please!” the navy maned, white coated stallion shouted, panic in his voice as did all he could to remain calm. “Your majesty, please help! They’ve arrested her! You have to come help!”

     “Calm down,” Celestia spoke, trying to sooth him, but it was to no avail. “Why not start with who you are and who has been arrested?”

     “I’m Soarin’! With the Wonderbolts! And they’ve arrested her! It’s gotta be a mistake! They’ve got the wrong pony! You have to come help! You have to tell the royal guard they have the wrong pony!”

     “Soarin’,” Celestia sighed, she doubted her royal guard would make such a grievous mistake as arrest the wrong pony, but she decided to indulge him, if only to get him to stop hyperventilating. “Slow down, and take deep breaths. My guard are very well trained and would not have acted without good reason. Now tell me, who is that has been arrested?”

     “Spitfire!” Soarin’ nearly screamed. “They’ve arrested her and they’re gonna take her away!”

     Celestia’s body tensed and her frame became rigid at the mention of the name, but before should reply, Luna had made her way to the door, her interest rising at the mention of her champion.

     “Captain Spitfire? Are you sure?” Luna asked, but the look in Soarin’s eyes didn’t leave room for doubt, and as such she turned to her older sister. “This cannot be, I know the mare.”

     “Take me to her,” Celestia replied, her voice suddenly tired and aggravated. The guards allowed Soarin’ the freedom to gallop and so he did, leading the troupe down the castle corridors. As the two Alicorns followed, Luna spoke up on Spitfire’s behalf.

     “Sister, I know the mare,” she repeated, “This is most certainly a mistake.”

     “Yes,” Celestia grumbled, “There most certainly was a mistake.”

<->

     “Ugh…” Twilight moaned, her face buried in the soft plush pillow on the bed she now took up residence on. The purple unicorn had just laid down not moments ago, or to be more accurate, collapsed face down into and at the moment was not in any particular mood to answer the loud knock that was at her door. “Can you get that?”

     “Sure,” Foxtrot replied as he rose up, and began to walk to the door. Once in front of it, he reached out his hand, grab the door knob, turned and opened it.

     “That’s him!” Night Light shouted.

     Before Foxtrot could react, the door was pushed wide and two pegasus royal guards stormed forward, grabbed and twisted his arms in such it way it made him double over. Once they had control of him, the forced him roughly to the floor and dropped all their weight on him as he heard Twilight shriek from the bed. He attempted to thrash himself free for a moment, until he felt sharp, cold steel sting against the skin between his shoulder blades. The instant he knew they had a spear on him, he immediately ceased his struggling.

     “What are you doing?!” Twilight shouted.

     “What’s going on?!” Foxtrot asked just as loud.

     “You’re under arrest,” a fourth stallion said as he entered around the other three, his voice depressed and familiar. As the pegasus who bound his arm manipulated him into position, the stallion came into view and a lump suddenly grew as recognized Flash Sentry. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and wi-“

     “FLASH! YOU LET HIM GO RIGHT NOW!” Twilight shouted, now rising out of bed swiftly and making her way over. However one of the pegasus guards barred her path.

     “I can’t,” Flash explained, and even Twilight could tell his heart wasn’t into it. “He broke the law, your parents came and they’re demanding to press charges.” The tan pegasus then turned back to Foxtrot. “ Sorry bud, you can’t go around punching ponies in the face. Anything you say can an-“ the unicorn began again once Twilight was preoccupied with the other guard, but he was again interrupted.

     “MUZZLE THAT BEAST!” a feminine voice shrieked.

     “MOM?!” Twilight shouted in confusion and fury.

     “Can you guys hang on for like, a second?” Flash spoke up, “He’s cuffed, and I gotta read him his rights and stuff and you you’re making it reall diffic-.”

     “SHUT UP FLASH!” Both Twilight Sparkle and Twilight Velvet shouted simultaneously.

     “Shuttin’ up,” Flash mumbled as he took custody of Foxtrot and gently helped stand the wolf to his feet.

     “Mom! What are you doing here? What’s the meaning of this!?” Twilight screamed at her mother.

     “Justice!” her father answered for her, and Night stepped forward to look a furious, yet bound Foxtrot in the eye, before hawking back and spitting on the fur of his chest. “Thought you could get away did you?”

     “Nice shiner you got there,” Foxtrot grinned as he looked Night Light in face. The damage done was clear as blackness consumed the entire right side of his face.

     “Take him, and that mare away!” Night Light ordered the guard. It was the then Both Twilight and Foxtrot’s attention was drawn to the struggling form of Spitfire, restrained and held tightly by two more guards just outside the door.

     “Okay!” Twilight fretted angrily, “Just hold on, clearly there’s been a mista-“

     “Your mother and I had the weirdest dream, lucky for us, when we woke, and offered Cummerbund a rather sizable bonus to his paycheck at the end of the month. He gladly help us interpret them. And would you know, it wasn’t a dream after all, apparently our foolish daughter slept with a mutt, and then the filthy beast and the mare he brought with him had the audacity to assault my wife and I in our own home.”

     “Yeah, well you deserved it,” Spitfire spat back at the two unicorns.

     “Rarrgh,” Twilight muttered under her breath angrily, “should have known to never trust a butler.” Then she turned attention back to her parents and shouted. “You guys can’t do this! You’re both constantly trying to run my life and you always end up ruining it in the process. Well not this time! I won’t let you.”

     “Well that’s a fine thing to say,” Night Light yelled back at her daughter, “We’ve always had nothing but your best interest in mind! If it wasn’t for us you never would have gotten as far in life as you have!”

     “My best interests? Horseshit!” Twilight roared. “The only interests you’ve been acting on is your own! Just like you forced Shining into the royal guard and practically threw him at Cadence, you forced me to study so hard that I never made any friends, just so I could get into Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns. Not to mention how you practically jumped at shipping me off to live with her at the castle when the princess offered me private lessons. You just wanted a fast track to the Canterlot High society!”

     “Honestly Twilight” Night sputtered at the accusation, “How can say such things! We pushed you, because we saw the potential you had. I swear, ever since the princess sent you to that backwater cesspool, it seems like you’ve done everything you can to undue all that we did! We just don’t know where we went wrong with you!”

     As the three argued back and forth, the guards had begun to move Foxtrot out to the hallway, but Flash Sentry paused once they stood him next to Spitfire.     

      “We takin’ them in Boss?” one of the guards asked.

     “In a sec,” the Flash replied, a small smile on his face. “I don’t really wanna take these two in, but these are the ponies I was telling you about.”

     “You mean these are the drama club?” the guard asked with a chuckle.

     “Exactly, and there is no way I’m missing out on these shenanigans,” Flash confirmed.

     “It’s like this all the time,” Spike groaned, his voice startling Flash.

     “Aah!” He exclamined, “where did you come from?!”

     “I’m everywhere,” Spike responded in hushed threating voice.

     “Mmm,” Flash mulled as he re-gathered his faculties, “More like you were standing here, but was too short for me to notice.”

      “Oh just suck the fun out of everything why dontcha?” Spike growled.

      As the guards chuckled amongst themselves, Spitfire rolled her eyes wishing to get this night over as swiftly as possible and get out of the castle, but quickly realizing the guards’ folly would keep her from doing just that. Then, to make matters worse, Sonic, Metal, and the multi-colored friendship brigade came out of their rooms, rubbing their eyes wondering what all the hullabaloo was about.

      “Speak of the devils,” Night Light continued as he saw Twilight’s friends congregate, “These are the riff raff that probably caused all of this.”

     “Excuse me!” Twilight Sparkle screamed angrily, “but those riff raff are my friends!”

     “Nonsense!” Twilight Velvet concluded. “Ever since you started hanging around with these ponies, these ‘Elements of Harmony’, you have done nothing but jeopardize your future. You’ve ignored our letters and suggestions. Ignored important functions where you could have been rubbing shoulders with your equals to instead wallow about in Ponyville with these ruffians.”

     “Ruffians!?” Rarity spoke up. “Why I never!”

     “Yeah!” Pinkie confirmed, bouncing happily, completely oblivious to the seriousness of the situation. “I’d say were more of an unruly mob.”

     “Ummm Pinkie,” Fluttershy mumbled quietly, “I don’t think that’s any bette-“

     “I’d reckon, we’re more or less a rag tag bunch a scamps,” Apple Jack said, adding in her two cents.

     “Pfft!” Rainbow Dash scoffed, “You can be a scamp if you want, I for one like unruly mob.”

     “As an outsider,” Sonic said with yawn, “I’d say you’re more of a five-mare band.”

     “But there’s six of us,” Pinkie corrected.

      Sonic slapped his faced in exasperation, “It’s a turn of phrase, Pinkie.”

      “How do you turn a phrase?” Pinkie asked.

     “Silence.” Metal spoke up. “You’re all idiots. As such clearly you are a collective of Ne’er-do-wells, who by divine providence manage to occasionally do good instead of harm, which more than likely stem from problems that you yourselves have created.”

     “Hey!” Rainbow quickly interjected. “I will NOT be associated Mare-Do-Well!”

     “I said Ne’er-do-well, you buffoon. What in this ridiculous, unrealistic, and unexplainably stupid world is a Mare-Do-Well.”

     “Oh DO NOT, get me started on that thunder stealing bitch!” Rainbow replied as she angrily recalled the mare and crossed her forehooves over her chest indignantly.

     “Okay, I’ve had enough. Everypony? SHUT UP!” Twilight demanded before facing her parents once more. “There is only so much I can take, and coming into MY room, arresting MY boyfriend, and bad mouthing MY BEST FRIENDS is crossing the line! I want you outta here! Outta my life! And I never want you guys to talk to me again!”

     “We will do no such thing young lady!” Night Light declared. “These ‘friends’ of yours have caused you nothing but trouble and have dragged our family heritage through the mud simply by being associated with you! And if you ask me, enough is enough,” Twilight Velvet. “We will speak to the princess and see that your studies in Ponyville are concluded. They are clearly a detriment to your future!”

     “Is that so?” a strong, slightly perturbed, unmistakable voice came from hall.

     Everyone turned and immediately kneeled, Foxtrot and Spitfire being roughly forced to do by the guards, as they all saw Princess Celestia standing before them, Luna at her side as well as a panting Soarin’.

     Get off of me!” Spitfire barked as she shoved upwards, forcing the guard that restrained her back and rising to two legs before shouting at Soarin’. “YOU MORON! WHAT DID YOU BRING HER HERE FOR!?”

     “The Princess can fix this!” Soarin’ exclaimed nervously, not expecting Spitfire to react so negatively to him bringing royal aid. “She can help so you don-“

     “Help me? You’ll think she’ll help me?!” Spitfire roared. Her eyes suddenly locked on the sun goddess’s, her own amber eyes burning with hate. “If I was burning to death that stuck up bitch wouldn’t piss on me to put the fire out!

     The was a terse silence that followed Spitfire’s outburst as all in attendance stared slack jawed with the exception of the Captain and Celestia herself, whose expression was as indifferent as if Spitfire’s slander hadn’t even been uttered. Paying the fiery pegasus no mind, Celestia addressed Twilight Sparkle.

     “What exactly is going on here?” she said calmly.

     “These two savages assaulted us in our home princess! We dem-“ Night Light swiftly tried to explain, but was promptly cut off.

     “I was speaking to your daughter,” Celestia declared, “You will have your turn, Night Light, I assure you.” Then Celestia turned back to Twilight. “Is this true, Twilight?”

     “Well,” Twilight mumbled, unsure of how to proceed, “I mean, I wouldn’t really call it assault…”

     “That mutt punched your father in the face and that one drove my head into the table!” Twilight Velvet swiftly corrected Twilight Sparkle angrily.

     “Yeah, well you two started it!” Twilight argued back. “I mean, you uhh, you umm… you assaulted… uhh… Their character! Yeah! You assaulted their character! They were merely defending themselves!”

     “Oh really,” Night Light shot back before turning to Celestia, “Your Majesty, I was unaware that it was against the law to speak one’s mind in one’s own home or, for that matter, it would justify being savagely attacked! Unless I am mistaken, I was certain Equestrian Law protected free speech against such barbarism!”

     “It does,” Celestia sighed as she sat back on her hindquarters and raised a fore hoof to massage her temple, before casting a disappointed look down at Foxtrot. “Perhaps I have misjudged you, I didn’t expect it to be in your character to act out so violently. I expected it from this one,” she mentioned as she waved a hoof towards Spitfire. “But certainly not from you. I am sorry, but I really have no choice in the matter but to-”

     “WAIT!” Twilight shouted, drawing everyone’s attention back to her. The lavender unicorn gulped as desperately sought for a way to stay her mentor’s judgment. “They’re only doing this because they don’t like him! You can’t take him away! Please! You can’t! They’re only doing this because they don’t want us together!”

     “It’s true,” Foxtrot quickly spoke up. “He tried to bribe me! He offered me fifty thousand bits to never see Twilight again! That’s why I hit him… well that and he’s a jerk, but mostly because he did that!”

     “YOU DID WHAT?!” Twilight Sparkle roared as lunged towards her father angrily, but was swiftly held in place by powerful magic. Her vision was hazy, and even through her rage she knew the golden light of Celestia’s magic anywhere and quickly halted. Once she ceased, Celestia released her and Twilight turned to look at her mentor once more. “Please… please you can’t take him away from me,” she pleaded.

      Spitfire sighed as she watched the events unfold, and seeing the look of sorrow in both Twilight and Foxtrot’s eyes forced her hooves. She knew what she had to do.

     “Twilight,” Celestia began, “I’m sorry, but the law is th-“

     “It’s all my fault!” Spitfire shouted. Everyone now looked at her, Celestia in particular who raised an eyebrow at the outburst. “I commanded him to do it. I’m his commanding officer and I gave him the order. What’s more I’m his alpha and he does whatever I tell him. I told him to hit Night Light. If you wanna blame somepony,” Spitfire confessed as she and Celestia now stared at each other. There was a deep hatred that boiled from within Spitfire as her eyes locked with the alabaster Alicorn, but they were met with lilac eyes that issued forth only cold indifference. “Then blame me.”

      Celestia mulled over the Captain’s words for a moment before the slightest of smiles took up residence on her face. “Seems fair, very well, release him,” Celestia commanded. The guards shrugged to each other as all others in attendance stood in shock at what just happened. Celestia then turned to face Spitfire directly. “I hereby charge you with two counts of aggravated assault, since you are guilty by your own admission, I sentence you to three years confinement….”

      Twilight’s world was a blur as she couldn’t believe her ears or her eyes. Spitfire, Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts had just taken the heat for Foxtrot so that they could be together. Taken the heat for a crime that she herself had planned out without them knowing and was about to be sent to the castle dungeon for it. Without a moment’s thought, the small unicorn found her courage and sense of justice.

     “IT’S MY FAULT!!” she screamed, far louder than she intended and as such now all eyes were back on her.

     “Dude,” one of the guards muttered as he leaned close to Flash, “This is getting ridiculous,”

     “I know right?” Flash responded and the two quickly shared a hoof bump as they continued to watch the events unfold before them.

     “I did it! I planned it! I tricked them both! It’s my fault. Arrest me!” Twilight quickly sputtered.

      “Shut! Up!” Spitfire grunted through grit teeth as she heard Twilight. The pegasus not believing that Twilight was about to throw her sacrifice away due to some misguided sense of morals.

      “Twilight,” Celestia fumbled, her surprise catching the rest of those attending to be caught off guard. “Surely you are mistaken.” The Alicorn’s voice was altered, a tone of heavy hinting now present as she attempted to save her pupil from her own accusation. “You can’t plan to make others do violence.”

     “I can,” Twilight said adamantly, “I can and I did. Here!” Twilight whirled around and lit up her magic to manipulate her saddle bag and produce a small piece of parchment. Once the paper was in front of her she began to read out loud for all to hear. “Convince Spitfire to come with Foxtrot and myself to Canterlot. Check. Introduce her and Foxtrot to my parents. Check. Force my parents to act out  their elitist and xenophobic ideals. Check. Insinuate to Spitfire to hurt my parents. Check. Leave room and let nature take its course. Check. Bribe butler and leave. Check. See it’s all here. I planned it. It’s my fault!” Twilight finished as she levitated the paper for Celestia to review. 

     “Told ya she’d have a checklist,” Foxtrot chuckled to Spitfire.

     “Twilight, I,” Celestia mumbled as she looked at the paper in disbelief.

     This is absurd!” Night Light yelled “We have the criminals and we insist they both be arrested! That mutt is just as guilty as her!”

     “If the Princess is to arrest anypony, it should be me!” Twilight spat back.

     “Be silent you silly little girl,” Night Light quickly chastised. “Do you see? Do you see what you’re so called ‘friends’ have turned you into?” The stallion then addressed Celestia, “Your Majesty, in addition to the arrest of these two vagabonds, we insist that you put an end to Twilight’s studies in Ponyville immediately!”

      “BE. QUIET!” Celestia ordered, and instantly Night Light shriveled backwards beside his wife. “Twilight, I will not… I can’t blame you for the actions of these two. Spitfire is th-“

      “She’s my friend who’s lying to help me. If you say that blame is to fall on the one responsible, then it falls on me. I made her go, with the full intent of her doing harm to my parents. Arrest me!”

      “No… I…” Celestia floundered once more, desperately seeking away to save Twilight from herself. “No… Spitfire, she’s… she’s…”

      “Don’t hurt yourself princess,” Spitfire spat, “Why don’t you sit down and take a moment to think about it. I’m sure you’ll find a way to blame me for all your problems.” An anger filled glare took up residence on her face. “Again.”

      Celestia looked back at Spitfire, this time there wasn’t cold indifference in her eyes. Now there was hate. Wrathful, unabated, and unbridled hate that coursed through her body and manifested itself with drawn back lips, clenched teeth and flared nostrils that shot hot angry breath.

      “This is your friend!?” Twilight Velvet yelled out. “This insolent pony who so openly defies and angers our beloved princess? Twilight open your eyes! These ponies aren’t your friends, they only act like they are to take advantage of you. None of them care about you the way your father and I do. None of them look out for you the way we do. Twilight, we’re your parents…” Twilight Velvet softened her voice as she looked directly at her daughter, “We’re your true friends.”

     Something clicked.

     Something deep inside Twilight Sparkle clicked at her mother’s words and now she had a splitting headache. But what was more, she had clarity. An irrefutable clarity that she didn’t possess a moment ago until her mother’s words reached her ears.

    “You,” Twilight seethed, “You are NOT my friends!”

     “Sister?” Luna whispered to Celestia, an odd feeling had overcome the cobalt Alicorn, something that promptly began to gnaw at the back of her mind. As if something deep inside was resurfacing. A feeling that she couldn’t quite place, but at the same time understood entirely. “Sister, do you feel that?”            

     “It would seem,” Celestia began, her anger towards Spitfire instantly replaced with shock and awe as she looked towards Twilight Sparkle, “she was a bit further along in her studies than I had anticipated…”

     “You two,” Twilight Sparkle continued, taking a step forward before planting herself before her parents. Her head now throbbing, but Twilight pushed the pain aside as she now had an unexplainable desire to continue. “Since I was old enough to walk, have schemed and connived just about every way imaginable to use me to better yourselves. Your whole lives you have skated off our grandfathers’ prestige, and after he passed away you rode Shining Armor’s coattails once he became Captain of the Royal Guard. The moment you two first laid eyes on Cadence, you did everything in your power to make sure she he married her. Using your favor with the princess as well as any influence as you could to make her my foal sitter. That’s all you talked about after his wedding, ‘My son is a prince!’ and ‘Our daughter in law rules the Crystal Empire!’ But that wasn’t enough for you was it!? No, you forced me study, day in-day out, kept me from playing with all the other fillies, convinced me that I didn’t need to be friends with any of them. You did such a good job that I believed you and grew up not knowing what true friendship was. You used your purse strings and connections to get me accepted into Celestia’s school for gifted unicorns and didn’t even think twice about sending your daughter away to be her apprentice! The only time you came to visit was if you could get to rub shoulders with the princess herself!”

     “Twilight! That’s not true! That is simply no-”

     “NO!” Twilight roared cutting off her mother. “I’m done listening to you! Now you listen to me! When the princess sent me to Ponyville, and I met these wonderful mares who have stood by me through thick and thin, put their lives on the line for me, were there when I needed them most, I learned what true friendship is and what a true friend is! So don’t you dare try and tell me you’re my friends and how dare you try and tell me that these aren’t my friends! I would know mother! I would know a true friend, perhaps better than anyone! These ponies have taught me kindness, loyalty, generosity, honesty, and how to laugh. And more than that, they taught me how live. They accept me for me, and more importantly they support me. When I told them I liked Foxtrot, they stood by me and supported me. Which is more than I can say for you! Even now, you’re trying to tell me that Spitfire isn’t my friend? Why? Because she yelled at the princess. She’s not respectful enough for you or doesn’t have the proper breeding? Like some shmuck you tried to fix me up with?!”

     “Schmuck?” Flash questioned, “I wouldn’t say I was a schmu-“ Flash Sentry quickly closed his mouth at a fury filled glare that came from Twilight. “Shuttin’ up.”

     Twilight felt a searing pain on the sides of her back that sent such a violent convulsion through her body, that her forelegs buckled and she collapsed. Her friends might have moved to help her if it were not for that iridescent glow that now surrounded her. Twilight was oblivious to the light, but not the pain. She gritted her teeth and forced herself to look past it. She was far too angry to let it stop her and she need to get this final piece off her chest as she rose back to her hooves. “Well guess what? That mare right there was willing to serve a double sentence to see me happy. To see Foxtrot happy. Why? Because she cares about us. Because she can put the needs of others before herself, because she is a true, true friend! She has done more for me today than you ever have, because you, mother and father, are truly, truly not my friends! And I can say that with absolute certainty, because I. KNOW. FRIENDSHIP!”

     Twilight collapsed on the ground, the pain on her backside unbearable as it felt as if the very muscles underneath her skin were contorting. Her whole body hurt as it felt as if she was being pulled apart and she was forced to shut her eyes in the face of such blinding pain. Everyone around her took several paces backwards as she had begun to scare them.

      All save Celestia who took several confident paces forward and set her horn aglow with magic.

     Twilight felt the pain lesson as she was able to open her eyes once more. The world had grown bright and was growing brighter by the moment, she was only able to make out the form of her mentor.

     “W-w-what’s happening?!” Twilight cried in fear and anguish.

     Celestia smiled.

     “Something beautiful.”