Reflection

“All right, Smarty Pants! This is our most important mission yet, are you ready?”

Since the inanimate doll gave no response, Twilight Sparkle shook her head for her. The guards could perfectly watch her hiding behind a corner but since they were instructed by the Princess to ignore the little filly antics they didn't reacted. Twilight licked her lips and concentrated her magic, getting ready to perform the most complex spell she knew. She had just learned the magic of teleportation and wanted to impress the Princess bypassing her magical barriers and jumping right into her personal chambers. Nowadays, Twilight Sparkle will look at those days with regret and disgust but back then, little filly Twilight thought that the way to show her work was breaking some rules; she didn't knew any better. Twilight finally finished focusing and disappeared in a blink of purple. The guard watched her leave and smiled a little, proud of the little filly progress.

Once inside the chambers, Twilight was a bit disappointed. Instead of the royal majestic saloon she expected to find, Celestia´s bedroom resembled her own. Full of books and scientific equipment and one large bed as the only decoration. Nothing too impressive...

“Luna?”

Startled, Twilight turned over, holding Smarty Pants close. Standing over a doorway was a pristine white alicron with a flowing pink mane.

“Oh pardon me. I mistook you with somepony else!”

After taking a second look, Twilight realized the alicorn was standing below a mirror frame. “Who are you?”

“Well, hello to you too. My name is Tia, and yours?”

“I´m Twilight Sparkle.”

“Nice to meet you, Twilight. Are you a princess too?”

“You are a princess?”

“That´s what I have been told!”

“Why are you inside a mirror?”

“I´m not inside a mirror! You are inside a mirror!”

“I´m not inside a mirror!”

“Yes you are!”

“No, I´m not!”

“Yes, you are!”

“I´m not!”

“You are!”

“I´m not!”

“You´re not!”

“I am!”

It took Twilight a split second to realize she had fell for the most ridiculous of jokes. The alicorn laughing out loud didn't help.

After that initial comedic routine, Twilight discovered that “Tia” was a very nice pony. She was smart and loved to read books and study, much like Twilight. She had an odd sense of humour but she wasn't hurtful. Twilight felt like she had met her best friend.

“And what others things do you like, Tia?” Filly Twilight asked.

“I used to enjoy playing with my little sister. We used to race and read stories together. My poor little sister, she was always the serious one, even as a filly. I was always playing pranks and making silly faces behind her, just to see her laugh at least once. I miss her...”

“What happened to her?”

“She lives on the other side of the kingdom, going through a special training. That part of the kingdom is only open at night and I´m not allowed to go out after the sun sets so, we dont´see each other often. Almost never, actually.” Tia lowered her head, the sparkles on her pink mane dulling out.

“I know how you feel. I also miss my big brother. He left to become a Royal Guard and I haven't´seen him in months.” Twilight caressed the head of the distracted Smarty Pants.

“You love your big brother, Twilight?”

“Of course! He´s my B.B.B.F.F!”

“Your what now?”

“My Big Brother Best Friend Forever.”

“Oh...” Twilight couldn't tell if Tia was mocking her. “I guess then that Luna is my L.S.B.F.F! Hahaha!”

“Hahaha! Wait! You said...Lun-”

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!”

Twilight startled again and turned over to find the royal majestic presence of Princess Celestia standing behind her. She had spread her wings full and obscured the room so she was glowing with a threatening aura.

Tia looked confused at the adult alicorn scolding the little filly.

“You have been very disrespectful, Twilight. Go to your bedroom and we will discuss your punishment later.”

Celestia didn't raise her voice at all but that was all she need to get Twilight to grab Smarty pants with her mouth and back down. She muttered a small “bye” at Tia before leaving the room. Without looking at the mirror, Celestia also turned over.

“Wait!”

Celestia stopped, one hoof still on the air.

“You are...she, the little filly Twilight said this was a mirror. Could it be the Starswirl´s mirror? The Mirror of Shattered Memories that our mentor Clover showed us?”

But Celestia didn´t answer.

“That´s all that I am? Just a memory? A reflection of your past self? Then, why? Why do you keep this memory? Why did you choose to remember a time when you were so young? Why do you choose to remember Luna? What happened to her? What happened to MY little sister?”

Celestia turned to face the mirror, her face a mask of royal duty and rectitude.

“You were a memory too painful to preserve.”

And with her magic she lifted a cloth to cover the mirror.

“Wait! Don't do that! Please, answ-”

With no means of connection, the window to the past closed, leaving the tears of the young Celestia where they belonged.

Hidden in the past.