"Ugh, my head," Twilight moaned as she finally woke up. She found herself lying on a bench in a small hut, which was odd since the last thing she remembered was being outside, with two hind legs stretching out to-

"Ouch!" Twilight grimaced as she started feeling the various scrapes and bruises that came with being bucked and rolling down a rocky incline.

"My little pony, you're awake!" a voice almost sang from kitchen. A large white unicorn pony with a sun as her cutie mark seemed to glide into to room to stand beside Twilight as the latter started to get up. "Rest easy, dear. You've had quite the adventure this morning, haven't you."

"Cel-?" The voice had snapped Twilight awake, "Celly? Am I glad to see you!"

"As am I," Celly replied, "I am also glad you're uninjured; It's a foalish pony who tempts the hospitality of sandponies. But I am curious as to what brings you this far out into nowhere."

Twilight's eyes slowly swept around the room until they settled on the still unconscious form of Fluttershy and the very conscious Angel Bunny. "That rabbit," she eventually said, "that crazy bunny managed to trick me into leaving a window open, drag me all the way to the middle of nowhere, and nearly got me killed by sandponies just so he could find you." Twilight had finally had enough of Angel's mischief, but before she could continue to vent Celly moved over to Fluttershy's couch.

"She'll be alright," Celly comforted the rabbit as she smoothly trotted to the yellow pegasus, "She just fainted from surprise, but I think I can help with that." With that she bent down by the sleeping mare's ear and whispered something.

"EEP!" Fluttershy leapt off the couch she was on and crashed into the wall behind her. Twilight gasped at how Celly was able to just wake somepony up like that. Her mind tried to begin figuring out how the event could've happened, but an aching in her head reminded her that it would be best not to try.

"Gotcha!" Celly laughed, before turning back to inspect Angel. "So, why were you trying to meet me here in my humble abode?"

"He claims to have a message for a 'Celestia'," Twilight spoke up, "but I've never heard of such a pony. Is it a relative of yours?"

A smile crept across Celly's snout as she stared wistfully off into space. "Celestia," she recited, "Now that's a name I haven't heard in a very long time."

"Celestia isn't dead, is she?" Twilight noted that Celly seemed to be walking down the paths of memories long gone.

"Oh no Twilight," Celly corrected easily, "She's not dead, not yet."

"So, you do know her, or you don't?" Twilight asked.

"Of course I know her: she's me", Celly answered spreading her wings, which Twilight realized she had never noticed before. "I haven't gone by the name Celestia for a long time. Since before you were born, in fact."

"So we did find you? YES!" Twilight jumped up and started bouncing around a table in the center of the room. "Yes yes yes yes yes yeeesssss!"

"Calm down Twilight," chuckled Celestia, "You're scaring your friend here."

"Um, it's okay," Fluttershy finally spoke for the first time since being woken up, "If, you know, she really wants to do that, I mean." Twilight calmed down regardless.

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly, "but now we can figure out what that message is that Angel's been carrying this whole time."

"Well, let's have a look then, shall we?" Celestia motioned towards the table that Angel was already setting up the projection disk. Twilight eagerly sat on the vacant couch and scooted over to allow Celestia to sit with her. Celestia accepted the invitation gracefully and watched as the recording finally started.

"Dearest Celestia," the snow mare's projection had started again, "I am Rarity, princess of the planet Aldermare. Years ago, you fought with my father in the last Great Equestrian War. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire.

"I regret that I was unable to present his request in person. Alas, my ship has fallen under attack, and I will be unable to bring you to Aldermare personally. In lieu of this, I have given information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the…erm, paws, of the rabbit before you. You must see him safely to Aldermare, you must, you must, you MUST!" The message abruptly paused, startling Twilight until an automated message emminated from the disk.

"To view the rest of this message, please flip the disk over to side B." Twilight's jaw dropped at the absurdity as Angel scrambled over and turned the holo-projector over.

"Help me Celestia!" Rarity's image flickered back into view, right where she left off, "Please, please please please!" Once again she looked over to the side as the message ended. Silence lingered in the room afterwards.

"Wait," Twilight finally broke the silence, "you managed to trick me into telling you where to find Celly just by playing the second side of the tape?" Angel just gave a nod which was equal parts sheepish and smug. Twilight just stared stupidly at him; how did this creature foal her with such an obvious trick? It was obvious wasn't it?

"Twilight, please pick your jaw up off my table." Celestia said after a few more seconds. Twilight immediately clammed up, but then a new thought came to her.

"She said you fought in the last Great Equestrian War?" Twilight asked, gesturing at the now inactive holo-disk.

"Yes, she did," Celestia responded, "It was a long time ago. I was a Knight of Harmony once, same as your mother."

"Mom never fought in any wars," Twilight countered, "she was a simple navigator on a hay freighter." Celestia laughed lightly at Twilight's confusion before continuing.

"That's what your uncle told you? He never did agree with your mother. Neither really got along. He believed that your mother should've stayed on Tolfetooine and not gotten involved…" Her voice trailed off in rememberance. Neither Twilight nor Fluttershy said anything. Angel couldn't say anything if he wanted to.

"Oaten was always afraid your mother's adventurous life might influence you into leaving as well," Celestia shook her head, "There wasn't much of a farmer in your mother."

"I wish I knew her," was all Twilight said. She suddenly felt Fluttershy's comforting hoof on her shoulder.

"She was the best pilot I'd ever known," Celestia continued, "and a smart fighter. The ma…the instinct was strong with her." Celestia looked older now than Twilight had ever seen her before. "She was a also good friend."

"How," Twilight looked down, hesitant to ask, "How did my mom die?" She stole a look at Fluttershy, whose eyes were wider than she'd ever seen them, before looking straight back at Celestia.

Celestia looked like she didn't want to talk about the subject. After a while though she answered heavily, "She was betrayed and murdered, by Nightmare Moon, my brightest pupil, and my greatest failure."

She continued slowly, "Nightmare Moon used the training I gave her and the magic within her for Discord, and to help the corrupt the empress. Sometimes, I wonder what she was planning. Perhaps we may never know. Such may be the destiny of one who masters the Magic of Friendship and turns to its dark side."

Twilight's face twisted in confusion. "The Magic of Friendship? I've never read anything about that."

Celestia smiled and nodded. "I sometimes forget in whose presence I babble. The Magic of Friendship is what gives a Knight of Harmony her power. Usually, it gives a boost to the natural magic that all ponies possess."

Celestia looked straight at Twilight, making her fidget uncomfortably before saying, "You must learn the Magic of Friendship also, if you are to come with me to Aldermare."

"What?" Twilight jumped up, "Nonono, I can't go to Aldermare. I need to go home. It's late, and I'm likely in more trouble now then I was this morning!"

"I need your help Twilight," Celestia explained, her voice barely kept back from rising, "I'm getting too old for this. I can't trust myself to finish it on my own. This is far too important for one pony, even one such as myself."

"But I have stuff to do. I can't get involved with anything like that." Twilight was now hurriedly pacing around the hut. "I've got work to do. I mean even if Uncle Oaten broke down a little and hired some extra help. I mean one, I guess. But there's still nothing I can do about it now. Besides, it's such a long way from here. Frankly, I think this whole thing is really none of my business."

"That's your uncle talking." Celestia observed.

"My uncle…how am I going to explain all of this to him? 'Hi uncle! Just stopped by to tell you that I'm leaving to fight the Empire! Bye!'" Twilight stopped to catch her breath.

Celestia started quietly, "Twilight, the suffering of one pony is the suffering of all. Distance is irrelevant to injustice. Discord and evil will eventually reach out to engulf all life if not stopped soon enough. Please?" Celestia wasn't used to asking for help like this, but she hoped it would be enough to convince Twilight.

"I guess I can take you to Stableage," Twilight confessed, "You can get a transport there to wherever you're going."

"All right," agreed Celestia, "That's a start. But then you must do what you feel is right."

"Right," Twilight turned away, "Right now, I feel sick…" She then ran off to find the bathroom.

---

Author's Notes:

All characters from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic are all owned by Hasbro, Inc.

Original story Star Wars: A New Hope by George Lucas

Labor Day Update! Also, unlike Fluttershy and Twilight, Rarity and Celestia are hard to write for me, so I apologize if I didn't get their characterizations accurate.