Sunlight.

Beautiful...

Glorious...

Blasphemous...

Celestia damned--

“Errg...sunlight...Why do you not understand the term 'late riser'?” A very groggy Twilight Sparkle groaned from her bed sheets. It couldn't be morning. It shouldn't be morning. She refused to believe it without convincing proof.

Because merely factual proof wasn't wanted until coffee had been served.

A low purr thrummed from the sleep mangled mare's throat at the thought of the liquid in savior form. She rolled over, glaring at the crack of sunlight that had so valiantly pierced her curtains and assassinated her dreams. Sadly, grumbling wasn't going to fix it, and neither was coffee, but coffee would dull the annoyance at least. Swinging her self out of bed she felt her four hooves hit the living wood floor a lot harder than she had meant to, sending a violent wobble throughout her limbs, before a resounding THUD announced her face to the floor as well.

“I...hate...mornings...” was her only comment. Finding her limbs again, she waddled/crawled/dragged herself into the bathroom and closed the door. Looking into the mirror made her grit her teeth and thrust her magic into a nearby drawer. After withdrawing a large brush from the confines of her drawer, she took a moment to glare at her mane before attacking what Rarity would simply call “a hairstylist's nightmare”.

Once her mane was within recognizable shape she stepped into the shower and closed the curtain. Grasping the knobs in her magic she twisted them sharply in opposite directions. As the pipes churned, she awaited the watery assault, and she was quickly greeted with the second most unpleasant thing about her mornings.

Cold water.

“S-sweet Celestia!” Twilight felt her body go rigid as ice water blasted her back and neck, before trickling wickedly down her sides to collect and drip from her belly fur. As she stood there shivering, she made a mental note to bring her coffee into the bathroom before taking a shower, maybe then she wouldn't die of a heart attack every time she showered.

Or maybe it'd just help that process along faster, she wasn't sure.

As the water slowly changed in temperature from antarctic to equatorial, she sighed, closing her eyes and allowing the stress to ebb away, soon the water was hot and comfortable, and after a thorough scrubbing, mane wash, and tail drench, Twilight stepped out and dried off before actually combing out the few knots that dared remain in her mane and tail. She checked herself over before looking in the mirror, and for once, admired how she actually sparkled in the steamy condensation that floated around the bathroom.

Then she shrugged and left it behind. She had places to be, things to do, and coffee to drink!

As she entered the main living room, She noted how Spike was nowhere to be found. It wasn't overly odd, just not normal for the drake. Usually, Twilight would find him lounging in the windowsill on Saturdays, or perhaps in a comfy chair reading comic books. Today it seemed he wasn't around at all.

She decided to take that as a blessing given the previous day's antics, and headed further downstairs to the actual library. As usual it was in a state of destruction. Partially cleaned near entrances and heavy traffic zones, but for the most part the floor had been swallowed by books. Hopping and grumbling as she did so, Twilight made her way to the kitchen and peered in.

Empty.

Good, the last thing I need is Pinkie Pie jumping out at me from a random direction. Twilight smiled and trotted over to the counter, and started her morning coffee ritual.

Step one: A mug. Deep enough in volume to last through the first hour of work.

Step two: Filtered water. Gotta keep it healthy.

Step three: Brew.

Step four: Agonizing wait mixed with general mutterings.

Step five: Coffee.

As Twilight levitated several spoonfuls of dark coffee grounds into the machine, her ears perked up to the sound of laughter coming from outside her kitchen window. Judging by the pitch, and quantity, it was a group of foals running by on their way to the park. The muttering continued.

Pouring the water and setting the machine to work it's 'magic', Twilight went and sat at the table. Suddenly, a single beam of sunlight touched her back, slowly running along her shoulders and down her side. The mixture of sleepiness, comfort, and warmth that mingled together managed to produce a low mewl from the unicorn as she subconsciously arched her back into the light, letting it caress her more.

The sun was in a constant battle for Twilight's acceptance.

Even though she acted like it was the bane of her existence, she couldn't help but appreciate its beauty in many ways. It was a subtle power, sunlight. Able to reach a person drowned in stress and simply whisk away the negativity for a brief moment or two and let the target of affection simply breathe.

For Twilight, the feelings went quite a bit farther. The sun's touch was like an ethereal hug given from afar, and yet always feeling so close. As if given from Celestia herself, it gave Twilight a moment of security, in both herself and her situation. It was a sign to her, that her teacher was always there, watching, and protecting her and her subjects. Twilight's mewl turned into a loud purr as a cloud moved out of the light's path, fully bathing her in it's warmth. Shivers ran down her spine and she almost moaned, her hooves titled almost to the point of her tipping over. if not for the beeping of the coffee maker, she might have kissed the floor.

Again.

Pulling the mug out from its container she poured a generous helping of coffee into her mug, labeled 'best student' and then added creamer and other preferred condiments. She then walked back into the main lobby where her eyes fell on the closed door, and the window next to it. It was not uncommon to get early customers to the library, but Twilight didn't expect to have anyone today. The weekends usually weren't very busy until later in the day, as most people usually chose to sleep in during their days off.

Setting her mug down on the main dais that complimented the room, she slid the most recent newspaper over with her hoof, noting that Spike had taken the courtesy to remove the comics section before she even got to see it. He always did that.

Scanning over the newspaper she read a few snippets of information, but sighed. Without the usual hype surrounding her friends, the newspaper felt rather bland. Flipping over a few pages she soon found an article that piqued her interests. It appeared to be an article on Celestia and Luna. As she read, she sipped her coffee and flicked an ear every so often. Whenever an interesting word found its way to her eyes she would slightly tilt her head to the side. Celestia has said it was an adorable habit of hers. The article in question was what had made her head tilt.

Apparently, every twenty or so years, the royal medical corps would do checkups on the celestial sisters. Twilight vaguely remembered Celestia commenting on a doctor's appointment in her recent letters. She nodded to herself, reading on and finding that the records were to be withheld from the public for legal purposes, making the mare frown. What use were records of immortal beings if they were locked away in some dusty vault?

She went to sip her coffee again but blinked when her eyes rolled across the dates that the appointments were to happen.

“T-they're taking place today!” She jumped to her feet and shot upstairs, diving into her room to grab a nearby scarf before teleporting back down next to her coffee. In a single sweep of magic she pulled a thermos from the kitchen, poured the remaining coffee into it, sealed the lid, and with another magical pop found herself at the train station.

“This sort of thing hasn't happened in my lifetime! Maybe if I'm lucky Celestia will let me see them before locking them away!” she spoke while prancing in place as the train station headmaster came into the desk window, and sat down. He smiled up at her,

“Let me guess—“

“OnetickettoCanterlotplease!”

He smirked and nodded, handing it to her. She snapped it up in her teeth, threw a pile of bits at him, and bolted onto the nearby train.

He chuckled.

The library would be closed for the next week.

As the train came to a stop, Twilight felt her heartbeat speed up.

“Twenty three-minutes and eighteen seconds left, twenty-three minutes and eighteen seconds left!”

she had been repeating the sentence ever since the city had come into view, and a few of the patrons inside the car had relocated to others almost immediately. As she waited for the train to halt, her mind was dancing around her head in an attempt to get her thoughts in place.

She was curious, frantically curious. Would a celestial being's blood have any difference to it? Would it be a different color? Was there any way to prove it made one immortal if a pony drank it?

Twilight froze instantly and promptly stuck her tongue out at the morbid idea.

EW.

That was not where she would go with this research. The moment the train door was open enough for her to exit, she was literally gone in the blink of an eye; coupled with a loud zapping noise.

The Castle Gate guards were very surprised to say the least, when Twilight Sparkle appeared roughly ten feet from them with a dizzy stance, twirling eyes, and a singed mane and tail. She sat down on her rump for a moment and groaned.

“U-um...Miss Sparkle? Are you alright?” One of the guards approached her, he looked no different than his partner.

Both were surprised.

Twilight, after getting her bearings straight blearily looked at him and then her world righted itself and she grabbed him by his chest plate, pulling him a few inches from her face.

“PRINCESS CELESTIA! WHERE IS SHE!?” Both Guards jumped to attention at her volume change and the one she was currently gripping felt his grip on his spear tighten a bit.

“D-Duh- she's in the infirmary m-miss Sparkle—WAA!” Without waiting for any more information, the unicorn mare teleported away, leaving the poor gate guard to fall flat on his face in the dirt. His guard partner waited a few seconds, and then chuckled.

“And that, Midnight star, is why I don't go near Princess Celestia's personal protégé.”

“S-shut up Jeraal.”

Leaving the two guards behind, Twilight reappeared in the one place she could legally teleport within the castle walls, the main court.

With a full house.

And Princess Luna on the dais.

The entire room gasped as she appeared out of nowhere right next to an earth pony stallion who was now sputtering gibberish at her flamboyant arrival. She looked from him, to his pie charts, to Luna, who currently beheld a bemused expression. Before she could speak however Twilight beat her there.

“Uh, can't talk, gotta find Princess Celestia, hi Princess Luna, good weather yes? Earth pony, your pie chart is two years old and not up to date. Look in Horus Ratio's guide to wheat crop percentages, page twenty three for more accurate numbers.” With that she took off around the throne, and through a door hastily opened by a guard pegasus.

She failed to hear Luna's thunderous laughter, or the crowd's reaction to her bombastic entrance. Right now she needed Celestia. Diving through two more rapidly opened doors she found her self before the doors to the infirmary.

Without so much as a knock she swung the doors open and trotted in. The infirmary was larger than most halls, but smaller than the grand throne room. It could easily house and bed four hundred soldiers, civilians, or any other form of creature, assuming they weren't adult dragons.

It could only house two of those.

In a nearby bed Celestia was sitting with her back to the mare. Her wings were relaxed, and her mane was, oddly, pink and unmoving. While Twilight already knew that the celestial colors and movement were caused by the sister's connection to the sun and moon, she was still surprised into silence. Celestia rarely ever showed her true colors...sometimes literally.

Celestia and her doctor hadn't noticed her entrance, and as he was still doing the checkup. She felt it prudent to simply wait quietly.

Currently the doctor, Dr. Whooves, had his stethoscope sliding around Celestia's chest slowly in different directions as the Princess breathed. He frowned.

“Hmm... your heart rate is slightly elevated, breath in slowly please.”

Celestia sucked in her breath, her wingtip tapping the ends of the bed as she counted seconds. her lung capacity being quite larger than most ponies made it take a littler longer to reach her maximum intake.

“And....breath out slowly.” exhaling, Celestia felt her eyes drift over her Doctor's head and to the far wall. Two glass murals depicted two unique pictures.

The first was of a battlefield. In it, a pegasus mare with a red cross and shield was holding a beaten soldier's hoof and looking down at him. His smile said everything. She had saved his life, and countless others.

And she was from then on the first battle medic I had. I miss your gentle touch, Red Cross. Celestia hummed lightly, making Dr. Whooves smile.

“Hold out your dominant hoof please, I need to cleanse it before drawing the blood. Celestia nodded and lifted her left foreleg, allowing him to grasp it and dab it with a sterilized cotton swab.

The second picture was of a zebra standing in a field of flowers, her long spiked mane and golden eyes ever sharp as she looked into a potion she'd crafted by hand. The same potion that had cured Celestia's top soldiers from wormrot fever; a deadly illness that had claimed the lives of countless soldiers and citizens. She'd gone back to her country to become a national hero and revered ally.

I'll never forget your wisdom Imani, you were a great fri—

Celestia winced as the needle pierced her skin. Her thought left to itself, she watched as a vial of her silver blood was drawn out and then capped, and then another, and another.

She frowned.

“I hope you understand that the information gained from these vials is to remain secret yes Doctor?” He smirked, and capped the final tube, before locking eyes with the princess. She shivered for no known reason. For as long as she'd known him, Dr. Whooves always seem to surprise her. His eyes were scary, yet kind. Intimidating, yet overflowing with wisdom.

Like the eyes of an ancient being far older than I.... Celestia found herself thinking that same thing every time she had dealings with the earth pony.

“Yes Celestia, I know, although it's hardly a secret worth keeping under such scrutiny. Honestly, your blood is silver, type A-, has a bit of a magical aura to it, and shows no sign of negative entities in it's flow. You're as healthy as can be.”

He paused, letting his eyes drift past her for a moment, before they rejoined with hers, and she shivered again.

“Or do you mean the other pointlessly 'hidden' secret?” She frowned.

“What are you implying Doctor?” he followed her frown with a scowl of his own.

“That I'm not daft, Celestia. This little secret you've kept, it's only going to bend your mind until you let it out, and when you do...well, it'll be like dropping the crown's weight off your shoulders.” He smirked and set the vials in his bag and removed a clipboard, handing it and a pen out to her.

“If you ask me you're hiding it about as deftly as the court hides it's dark side. You're not. I know at least a hundred ponies out in Equestria that already know, or otherwise assume it to be true. I do believe there's even a cult based around it that worships—“ He was stopped as the pen was ripped out of his hoof and repositioned at his throat. He barely reacted,

Celestia held it at his throat, a dark frown on her face, and a whisper as her voice.

“Do not speak further. I knew you were among those that had figured it out... Even so...I've known for a long time that you're different than our little ponies. I don't understand you, nor how, or where you get your information so simply, but I do know this... You're more like Luna and I... Also I find that my agencies are unable to get any useful information on you. Either way, watch what you say around me.” He smirked again and to her surprise, he leaned into the pen, letting it jab at his throat firmly.

“And you might want to watch what you say to me, you may startle somepony, Princess.” She went to retort but noted how he was looking past her. Whipping her head around she felt her heart plummet into her stomach.

“T-Twilight Sparkle!?”

Her voice was so shrill that Dr. Whooves winced. Twilight had seen the whole situation and was now more confused than anypony there. She'd certainly seen Celestia when she was mad, but this had been different; She'd turned on her own citizen and brandished a pen like a knife just because he knew something about the princess. While Twilight wasn't dumb, and knew that certain secrets were best kept as secrets, she couldn't help but hear the Doctor's words ringing in her ears.

the other pointlessly 'hidden' secret.

A hundred ponies that already know...

It was several awkward moments of silence as he packed up his things and exited. At first he paused next to Twilight, and he felt like explaining more to the now confused mare next to him, but why spoil the fun when one know everything right?

He simply left, closing the door behind him.

Silence reigned supreme as the doors closed, and it was uninterrupted, until Celestia spoke,

“..W-what are you doing here, Twilight?” Her voice was a hushed whisper, but it still held a hint of the furious anger boiling within. Twilight was sitting in the same spot since she'd entered, never actually believing there WAS anything secret about the royal sisters bloodline, but now she knew.

And Celestia was mad.

“I...I just wanted to know..” her voice quivered, and her eyes dropping away from Celestia's hard gaze to fall on the floor tiles beneath her hooves.

Celestia sighed, her frown lifting slowly. Twilight sparkle was always on the hunt for new knowledge, she knew this and didn't even think to post guards at the front doors to the infirmary.

Like they could have stopped her, You're digging a hole you cannot hope to climb out of Celestia... Brushing the thought aside she stood,

“I'm sure anything you wanted to know could have waited until after my examination Twilight. It's very rude to barge in on somepony's visit with their doctor. Nevertheless...what did you hear?” Celestia knew her tone was scaring Twilight but she had to know how much the mare had been privy to.

“N-not much, something about a secret with your blood, but that's it...” The unicorn's voice was almost a whisper, and her shoulders trembled slightly as she got up to leave.
“I should go...um...I need to get home a-and—“

“Twilight Sparkle, stop.” The room gained a new level of awkwardness. Twilight Sparkle stopped moving and simply stood there, trembling like a leave in the wind. Celestia bit her lip, she hadn't meant to sound so sharp with the mare, but she was almost literally standing on pins and needles.

Assuming Dr. Whooves was blowing smoke about knowing so many ponies with this information, I should be able to curve this into my advantage again.

Celestia maneuvered around the white hospice beds and approached her student, noting how with each footstep, the mare seemed to get smaller and smaller, until she was literally laying down on her belly before the princess. laying down next to her Protégé , she draped a wing over Twilight's back, and immediately felt a pang of guilt as the unicorn flinched.

“I...I am really sorry P-princess....I didn't mean to in-inter—“ she was silenced by a gentle hug and a nuzzle into her neck.

“Hush twilight...it's, its alright, I'm sorry I scared you like that.”

While Twilight was used to letting Celestia nuzzle her before, right now it felt wrong. Now, she felt like Celestia was getting ready to strangle her. That was it, Twilight sparkle had heard too much and would die via bone crushing wing cuddles....she lowered her head into the princess' chest fur and accepted her fate.

And then the nibbling started.

At first it was gentle, applied to the back of her nape, then her mane, and then it went farther down, between her shoulders into that sweet spot. She frowned, twitching. This was very odd torture. Then she couldn't frown anymore, as a tingling sensation wracked her body, she smirked, then giggled, and then tried to roll away, only to find Celestia's wing block her path. Instead she accidentally bared her belly to Celestia who grinned viciously,

In a playfully triumphant voice she spoke,

“Twilight Sparkle you hath heard too much, and now we must exact punishment!” Sucking in her breath she descended upon the unicorn's belly button, blowing a loud raspberry that echoed around the infirmary. Twilight's eyes widened and her mouth contorted into a gasp and she flailed helplessly.

“GAH! Daahahah! N-nono-no s-stop it that tickles! I b-beg—DAHAHA—!” I- we c-command you t-to st-stop it!”

Celestia paused and looked at Twilight with mock surprise,

“You command us? High treason!”

Twilight squeaked.

Another loud raspberry, nibbling, and a cacophony of high pitched giggles, and Twilight's stress had vanished completely, replaced by a wall of giggling, crying for mercy, flailing and tickle torture.

By the end of it, both Celestia and Twilight were reduced to a pile of limbs, feathers and hooves askew in random directions. After a bout of embarrassment on both their parts, Celestia helped untangle herself from the smaller mare. Intent to stay there, she noted how Twilight had rolled over and was now attempting to rise.

A single slip of the wing and the mare found her self on the floor again, laying upside down against the princess's side. She was so surprised she merely blinked up at the alabaster mare,

“W-what?”

Celestia chuckled and nuzzled Twilight, draping her wing over the mare and whispering in her ear.

“Wait a moment Twilight, I want to apologize for my actions.” Twilight craned her head back to lock gazes with the princess, a look of confusion and worry etched into her face.

“But you didn't do anything wrong prin—“ she was halted by a gently hoof to her lips.

“No, I was rude, I spoke in anger and should have calmed down, you didn't deserve that and I suppose an explanation is in order, yes?” Meekly the purple mare nodded.

“That would be nice, I seriously thought I'd walked in on military secrets between you and your Doctor.” Celestia kept her smile and lay her head down atop twilight's.

“I suppose I should start back at the beginning. A few months ago I got a report that I'd been waiting for to come back in. The information I'd received from it was very helpful. The problem, was that if it got out to the general public, well, my life would probably become far more hectic, as well as yours, Cadance's and Luna's.

“The information was about something that came up concerning our bloodline. I had a special agent do some reconnaissance on how far the information had spread and my suspicions were confirmed. The information has been leaked and other ponies, perhaps other countries, now know more than they should.”

Twilight, who had felt rather content with the arrangement they were currently in, decided to flip over, dislodging Celestia's head from her chest, She then leaned back into the princess' side, her head cocked at an odd angle as she spoke,

“So...this information concerning you two, its bad that others know...because it puts you in harms way? Or is it because they can use it against you politically?” Celestia snorted.

“They could try to hurt us physically, but they'd be hard pressed to succeed. As for the latter, yes they could use it like a weapon in a sense, it would shut down several plans I currently have going and would put others I have hidden right in the sunlight at risk.” She smirked and nuzzled Twilight just above her horn. It elicited a purr from the mare, making Celestia smile warmly.

“You have your mother's eyes, Twilight.” Twilight gave her a flat look.

“No offense Princess Celestia, but you are terrible at compliments, my mother's eyes were light blue.” Celestia merely hummed and then sighed

“Either way, this information will eventually reach your ears, no doubt from Rarity and your friends, but when you find out...I merely ask one thing from you Twilight. Can you promise me something?” The tone that Celestia was now using was strained, like she was forcing the words out. Twilight nodded and put a hoof over her left eye.

“I cross my heart, and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Celestia blinked and raised a brow, questioningly.

“I...I'm not quite familiar with the legalities of that particular oath...does it even have any?” Twilight laughed.

“Ask Pinkie Pie about it sometime, trust me, you should start making criminals say it, no one breaks a pinkie promise...cause Pinkie Pie is just...”

there was a pause where Celestia watched Twilight's face scrunch up in concentration, and then deflate.

“Nope, I still got nothing to explain it, she's just Pinkie. Either way I promise...to...um...what am I promising to do or not do again?” She looked at Celestia to find her staring at the floor with a melancholic expression.

“...I ask that you promise me, no matter what it is you hear, please... Please don't assume the worst, don't hate me.”

As Celestia said it, Twilight noted how the princess' voice pitched into a whisper, her eyes shimmered, before she leaned forward and gently kissed Twilight right above the horn.

Celestia then stood and folded her wing, walking to the door like a mare heading to the gallows.

“If there is one thing in this world I think could kill me Twilight, it would be that.”

And with that, she opened the doors and left Twilight Sparkle sitting there;

Completely and utterly... dumbfounded.

Author's Notes:

If there are any errors please point them out to me, I'm terrible at grammar. O>o but I love to write.

Much appreciated.