A Private Talk:

Celestia asked to speak to Twilight alone, to which everyone agreed. After the other ponies left the room Celestia spoke up.

“As I said we have much to discuss.” Celestia began, her tone shifting from her regular regal tone to a more casual one now that her personal student was the only other pony in the vicinity. “To start off I wanted to ask you more about the linking of your magic with my sister’s and any consequences you have noticed thus far. This is the first time that such a thing has been documented and if we could learn more about it, it would certainly be beneficial.” She finished.

Twilight explained the process to Princess Celestia once again but in more detail than she had originally done with her friends present. The feeling of her magic source closing and then the huge surge as her magic source slammed into Luna’s and combined fully. Celestia nodded, following along with the complex magical theory and explanations with little difficulty.

“In terms of Side effects and consequences, you saw one of them and I explained the other in my story, talking through thoughts and entering dreams. I think they arose because of the strong link between magic and the mind of the caster.” Twilight finished her summarization.

“I see, I want you to send me a letter if you notice anything else that seems to arise from this joining of magic.” Princess Celestia told Twilight, who nodded in return, The Princess then rose to her hooves and gestured for Twilight to follow suit. “Now onto the topic of Luna.” Princess Celestia said exiting the throne room and walking toward, Twilight assumed, the younger princess’s room

“As I told you, my sister used almost all of her magic to create the barrier and fight Nightmare Moon in her own mind, and how this has caused a physical change that will be easier to recuperate in. But the process will likely take years, and in that time I want her to live in Ponyville with you.” Princess Celestia said, shocking Twilight.

“Why would she need to live with me? Wouldn’t it make more sense to stay here and do the duties that she can in her current state?” Twilight asked, not because she did not like the younger alicorn, but because she was genuinely confused at Princess Celestia’s solution to this problem.

“To know that her greatest duty was the one she could not fulfill while staying here would likely crush her spirits. That and if what you say about your link is true then you could actually help speed her recovery along, but she would need to stay close to you, and I can not separated you from your friends in Ponyville on an assumption I have.” Princess Celestia explained, but Twilight still looked slightly confused.

“How would being close to me help speed up the recovery process? Would proximity to my magic help in some way?” Twilight asked. Celestia looked to be trying to find a way to explain but was having trouble.

“The easiest, most accurate explanation that I can give is this. Alicorns like Luna and myself are only able to manifest our power if the magic within us is in balance. Alicorns share the magic of the three pony races and can apply it accordingly.” Celestia started explaining, by now the two ponies were now standing outside of Luna’s room. Celestia opened the door and ushered her student inside.

“Everyday activities like levitation magic or flying are not enough to throw this balance off. But Luna’s actions were far removed from that. She used up nearly all of the unicorn magic at her disposal, which is far more than any normal unicorn’s, and is left without the ability to manifest her full power.” Princess Celestia finished now standing over her sister’s sleeping form. She turned to look at her Student again. “You are an extremely magically gifted unicorn, if you focus a bit of your magic into Luna’s essence everyday then she might be able to use it to help restore the balance faster.” Princess Celestia finally finished.

Twilight thought about the princess’s words to her. She wanted to help Luna if she could, but if she just brought a princess to Ponyville, ponies would freak out. They would need to find some way to disguise her or something. Maybe they could cover her wings?

Suddenly Twilight imagined Luna as a filly wearing a purple vest with a blue headband and glasses. The image made Twilight smile slightly but she quickly shook her head and came back to the present.

“If you think it will help Luna then I would be willing to have her stay with me, but I’m worried that everypony will freak out if they suddenly have a princess next door.” Twilight voiced her concerns. Celestia nodded in understanding.

“Your concerns are well founded if either of our previous visits to the town are anything to go by.” The Princess said thinking of what could be done. “I don’t personally know of any spells that could disguise her, and clothing looks suspicious when everypony else hardly wears them.” Twilight felt a slight quick flash of sadness at that, but it passed just as quick. Princess Celestia spent a bit more time thinking before she made some decision.

“Our best bet would be to wait for Luna to awaken and ask her. She was always the more magically gifted than I, she would be more likely to know of something to help.” Princess Celestia said finally, “And as much as I have been dreading this topic my previous confession serves as a good bridge to this one.” Celestia seemed to deflate slightly before speaking again.

“Twilight Sparkle I am… graduating you from your studies under me.” Celestia said to Twilight. Twilight suddenly felt as if the world dropped out from under her. Celestia noticed this and hurried to the next part of her statement. “Instead, you will be learning further from Luna. I asked her a few weeks ago and we were planning on telling you at the end of the month, but this has pushed things forward.” Princess Celestia finished, Twilight looked slightly less shell shocked after hearing what her, now former, teacher said. But she was still visibly shaken.

“So does this mean that I won’t be able to see you anymore?” Twilight asked, a slight tremor in her voice. Celestia had been like a second mother to her, and this was a lot for her to take in. Celestia just smiled and got up.

Walking over to where Twilight was sitting, Celestia gave her a hug and wrapped her wings around her former student. She held her for a few seconds, allowing Twilight time to calm down slightly.

“Twilight, you know I could never cut you from my life. Even if you will no longer be my student, we will still be friends.” Celestia let go of Twilight and looked at her face before continuing. “You will always be welcome in the castle, and we can still talk through letters, alright?” Celestia said to Twilight who was now feeling a little better. Twilight nodded, and moved away from the Princess.

“Do you think I could stay in here Luna’s room for the night? If being close to me has a chance to help then I would like to stay as close as I can.” Twilight asked looking off to the side and away from Celestia. Celestia said nothing and just used her magic to teleport a bed from one of the diplomatic suites and into Luna’s room. She then bid Twilight a good rest of her day and left to return to her royal duties.

Twilight still had hours of daylight left but she was still tired and wanted to be alone for a while. She went over to the bed and thought of her journal. With a small pulse of energy she teleported her saddlebags with her journal to her. Taking out the small book and a quill, Twilight started writing. The familiarity of this made her feel slightly better and when she finished she was able to go to sleep with a smile on her face.

Author's Notes:

I have been pretty busy with the fourth of July and family visiting, just a bunch of stuff that has distracted me from writing. Also this chapter was written in one long take at midnight where I am and without editing beside a few glaring errors I saw, sorry. For anyone who doesn't know, the "filly Luna" that Twilight imagined was Nyx from Pen Stroke's story Past Sins and is not my own character. I simply really like that story and it is one that sparked my interest in trying to write so I wanted to make an homage to it.