Selene was following Celestia and Twilight down a snow-white hall. She tried to push the worry in her chest away as she watched Twilight smile. Her worry seemed to melt as Celestia stopped in front of a pair of golden doors with her cutie marked carved into the metal. Twilight walked in first as Celestia held the door open for Selene allowing her to enter into the room. Selene glanced around and noticed the room was decorated in royal purple and blue with a heavy accent of gold. Moving her eye over to Twilight she noticed she curled up quickly on a large pillow bed next to a podium. Turning her head she noticed Celestia shutting the doors before pulling out a tea kettle and some cups.

“I heard the small conversation between you and my student but I want you to tell me what you have been thinking” Celestia place the tea kettle over the fire as Selene looked up towards the elder princess.

“Ever since I learned about this curse I only had one thing on my mind. And that is where am I going to die. My brothers and the nobles have made it clear that I will never rule and they even forced my father to ban me from being buried in the family graveyard. I know my father is planning on making something nice for me but it would work. I thought if I was going to die at least die in a place I know ponies would let me be buried in. The chief of the Soli island knows about my curse and said I could be buried there but things have changed. I want to live. I want to find my aunts and stay on the surface. I want to become a teacher or something. I want to start a family but I can’t get the feeling that this is all too real.” Selene glanced up at Celestia tears in her eyes.

“But this is real Selene” Celestia picked the tea kettle from the fire before placing it on the table nearby.

“This feels like a very cruel and lovely gift from death to me.” Selene glanced down as she felt Twilight pull her into a hug.

“It feels this way, Selene, because you have been around ponies who see you as nothing but a burden. They once saw you as a tool to control your father but when you defied them they saw you as an obstacle. I know that sounds harsh Selene but it is how nobles rule. However, you are away from them and you are around ponies who want to be your friends. You are around ponies who want to know you. You are also doing what you want for the first time and you are thinking about what you want” Celestia placed a cup in front of Selene and Twilight before pouring some tea. Selene closed her eyes and started to sniff the air as she could smell apples and spices.

“This won’t last I know it. I still have the curse and what if it can’t be broken?” Selene glanced up as Twilight moved over and nuzzled her.

“We will break it or at least extend it”

“If the worse case comes to light then you can be buried here in the castle gardens” Celestia looked over to the window.

“Why? I haven’t done anything special”

“Your grandparents are buried there and I think their granddaughter deserves it as well” Selene glanced up as she tilted her head.

“I never meet my grandparents. Mother never talked about her parents and father’s parents are also never talked about” she looked away as Celestia used her wing to lift her head.

“I think they would have loved to meet you, my dear niece”

“Niece?” Selene was shocked as Celestia nodded.

“Your mother was my elder sister. She was a fierce fighter and she had the sharpest tongue. Many were scared to step in front of her. We thought she tossed herself into the sea tired of the ridicule from others. mother took it the hardest. You have an uncle who went mad after using Starswirl the bearded time-traveling spell. You will meet him sometime soon” Celestia smiled as Selene sat down staring at her tea. Her eyes were glancing to the side. Twilight was watching with a bit of worried look to her face. She got up and pulled her teacher to the side causing Celestia to lean down.

“Yes Twilight”

“Why does Selene act this way. She looks like somepony is lying to her” Twilight whispered to her teacher.

“Twilight she has been around nothing but negative influences with very little positive ones. She doesn’t know what is good or bad but from what I have seen she does see you and your friends as something positive.” Celestia sat up as Selene placed her cup in front of her.

“Tea not to your liking?” Celestia giggled as Selene looked up.

“Never had apples as tea. I only ever had apples when the islanders got them from rare cargo drops. Never understood what they were truly made for” Selene shrugged as Twilight snickered.

“Don’t let Applejack hear that” she walked towards Selene with a smile.

“Yeah?”

“Tired? We just woke up” Twilight nuzzled her as Selene shook her head.

“I just would like to relax. I feel like I am crashing” she looked around as Twilight faced hoof herself.

“Pinkie’s welcome party. You had to much sugar! You have been on a sugar high for the last few days your having a sugar crash” Twilight glanced at Selene.

“Oh, but I thought all surface ponies eat sweets. I know that what the islanders talked about a lot.”

“No my dear we also need our daily vitamins” Celestia was chuckling.

“So you eat Nor Brika Tik?” Selene tilted her head.

“Selene, what does that mean?” Twilight giggled as Selene started to blush.

“It means fried fish. It’s the only thing besides a limited number of fruit the ponies can get. Some researchers do bring tofu but it never lasts. Though what I am speaking it’s what the islands ponies speak. I can teach you some words that I remember. Some ponies from the mainland have been over and taught them how to speak like every pony else. I remember the chief NitTa calling them some not so pleasant names” she chuckled as Celestia refilled her cup.

“Why is that? And what does his name mean?” She looked towards Selene.

“Well, Nit means night and Ta means flower so his name is Night Flower. He called them some names because a few of the historical ponies as they were called laughed at the idea of me and my family. Merponies are a myth to some schools” She noticed Celestia had pulled out a piece of parchment and started writing ideas down.

“Selene you think you will be up to teaching some classes if I can set them up” She looked down to the merpony who was nodding her head.

“where would you like me to teach?”

“Maybe Ponyvile I will half to work the details out” she was giggling as Selene looked towards her.

“Well while you and Twilight talk that out I will go and find my parents” Selene smiled. Celestia looked towards her as she placed the parchment on a nearby table.

“Your parents left early this morning. A letter came in from one of your brothers saying they needed your father. He did say he would send Ra and Za when they were ready to host us. He was asking for a year since he wanted to make a treaty for both Equestria and the Crystal Empire”

“A year!” Selene sat there shocked as Twilight leaned over and nuzzled her.

“Well, that is what he has asked for. Hopefully, your father won’t take long” she smiled as Selene nodded.

“Well, should we go find your friends?” Selene glanced towards Twilight.

“You sure you don’t want to rest another night?” Twilight placed her hoof on Selene’s shoulder.

“No. I would like to get back and start making more friends” she smiled before she looked up to Celestia “Princess I have one more question. Why did you tell me you were my aunt? This means my journey is over”

“No your journey is still going. Everypony thinks that a journey is just one goal that they set for themselves. In reality, everypony is on multiple journeys that determines where their life is going and how it will turn out. You are on another one right now and that is to find a way to break this curse is it not?” Celestia had a small smirk on her muzzle as Selene glance down nodding. She got up to her hooves and bowed a bit before the solar princess.

“Well thank you for your time princess” her hooves were shaking badly as she walked out of the room. Celestia leaned over towards Twilight “Twilight keep an eye on her” she whispered into the purple ponies ear causing her to nod. Selene took her time and walked along the halls her hooves shaking under her. Twilight walked up towards her as she pressed her body up against her.

“What have you eaten in the past few days?” Twilight kept her eye on Selene.

“Well, when the party was thrown I had some cookies and squares that one pony called brownie. I think Ra had shown me a bag Pinkie had made up for us. It had a pastry called pop tart though it doesn’t pop when you bite into it. I think she added some non-melt able items with something cold in a large bin.” Selene glanced over as Twilight stopped dead in her tracks.

“That pony” she shook her head as she continued to walk side, Selene.

“What?”

“Not everypony is like Pinkie. We don’t all run on sugar Selene. This means you are going to continue crashing and you will crash hard” Twilight stared at Selene with a bit of worry in her eyes. Selene sighed as she kept moving forward till her magic broke and her front hooves give out on her.

“Okay keep me away from the pink pony for a while” Selene forced herself up as Twilight picked her up from the floor.

“I will try but you're still new to Ponyvile. I’m shocked she hasn’t paraded you through town yet” Twilight chuckled as Pinkie popped out of a nearby plant.

“Oh, I am not done yet. You are the very first pony I’ve meet that is half fish! I told so many about you! I know Cheerilee wants to meet you and the mayor of Ponyvile. Oh, the end of the summer festival is going to happen soon!” Pinkie was bouncing around causing Selene to hold her head a bit.

“Pinkie not right now. She coming down from a sugar high” Twilight sighed as Pinkie looked towards Selene.

“Doesn’t merponies eat nothing but sweets?” Pinkie scratched her head.

“Both of you need some education” Twilight spoke up.

“Well then teach me. If we can’t do magic yet then teach me some surface pony things. You said you wanted to teach me right?” Selene smiled a bit as the light in Twilight’s eyes sparkled.

“Your right we will get back to the treehouse and I will come up with a lesson plan” Twilight puffed her chest out as she carried Selene in her magic. Rarity and the others watched as Twilight picked up her and Selene’s bags as she carried the merpony in her magic.

“Twilight what is going on?” Rainbow Dash spoke up as she looked towards Selene.

“Some pony is having a sugar crash” she looked up at the floating merpony “She is going to need a good meal and some lessons on what surface ponies do” Twilight paid for the train tickets before boarding the train for Ponyvile. Looking up at the merpony she noticed Selene had fallen asleep her spell slipping from her. laying her out on a bench Twilight sat across from her as her friends gathered around.

“How in the world did she get on a sugar high sug?” Applejack spoke up as Twilight looked towards her.

“She thought all surface ponies ate sweets all the time” Twilight leaned into her seat as she moved her eyes back to Selene.

“So how did last night go?” Rainbow Dash leaned in as Twilight started to turn red. The Pegasus had a smirk across her lips as she leaned in while Rarity started to giggle. Twilight looked away as she was moving her hooves a bit.

“Twilight” Applejack leaned in as Twilight had a goofy smile across her face.

“Did you two just skip the gala?” Pinkie spoke up as Twilight nodded.

“What happened?” Fluttershy spoke up before hiding her face behind Rarity.

“We learned biology” Twilight looked away as Rarity dropped her jaw.

“Wait you two study?” Pinkie tilted her head as Rarity shook her head.

“Twilight you two haven’t even had one date!” Rarity shrieked as she glared towards her friend. Twilight flinched a bit as Applejack and Rainbow Dash both dropped their jaws as they turned towards Twilight.

“Damn Twilight” Rainbow Dash chuckled.

“I bet it was her first time”

“And mind” Twilight hid her face as Rainbow Dash’s wings flared out.

“Double Damn Twilight” Rainbow Dash whistled. Rarity shook her head as she fixed her mane.

“Twilight dear why did you”

“I’m tired of getting overlooked. Every pony doesn’t want to look at me like I’m cute. They look at me and see nothing but a mare who likes to study. Selene, she saw me as something other than a book worm. She was looking at me like that” She had tears in her eyes as Rarity walked over and pulled her friend into a hug.

“You should have said something Twilight!” Rarity placed her hooves on either side of her friends face “We would have helped you. I would have taken you out. I know Applejack would have set you up with one of the stallions in her family. Heck, I know Rainbow Dash knows some awesome bars in Cloudsdale. We could have gotten Discord if we wanted spice in our life” Rarity kept her friend’s face still. Selene sat up as she rubbed the back of her neck.

“Why are you holding Twilight’s face?” Star spoke up as she stretched her hooved. Twilight looked over and noticed even when Star was using Selene’s body her colors were still the same. Rarity turned around and released Twilight as she glared up at her.

“I telling my friend she should have come to us when she was feeling down. Now, why are you out and worrying?” Rarity huffed as Star leaned down.

“I could feel the sea’s heart dropping” she sat up straight as Rarity glared at her.

“That is the second time I heard that phrase what does it mean?” Rarity crossed her hooves as she kept her eyes on Star.

“Part of the curse I think I only know parts. Queens of the sea shall never have a heart of their own. For they will never need it for the sea must love all and will be loved by all. Its something that echoes through my head and when I look at Twilight I want to call her the sea’s heart.” Star looked out the window as Twilight looked over to her.

“How is Selene feeling?”

“She is slowly waking up, which means I should go” Star smiled as she receded allowing Selene to hold her head.

“Please tell me she was decent this time” she groaned.

“Yes, she was just talking to us” Rarity spoke up as Selene looked up.

“I was waking up when she quickly took over. Are we back in Ponyvile yet?” She looked around as Rainbow moved towards her.

“Are you going to take Sparkle away from us!” she stood on the bench looking at Selene in the eyes.

“Why would I do that?”

“You’re a merpony you need to be in the sea!” Rainbow Dash tapped her on the head. Selene looked over at Twilight as she shook her head.

“I would never do that. As much as I need the sea I do not need it. I have been enjoying the little time here on the surface and if this does work out I would never ask her to leave her home. I would never ask you to commute I would have us stay here with your friends. I can visit my parents anytime and it would be a special moment for me. I would rather stay here and be happy for the last part of my lives then go somewhere and be miserable. I want to stay here and get to know your friends. I may not know fashion, animals, or how to work outside. I don’t even know how to fly or to bake. I only know how to transcribed books from the surface to the water allowing merponies to read. I know how to read old merpony, I know the old history of Maremuda. I know all the spells under the ocean. I know the words the islanders speak and a few recipes from them. I know how to dance a silly little dance. But I am not good with making friends or “ she trailed off as she felt the train come to a stop sending her into the floor of the train car “Ow” she rubbed her head as Twilight giggled a bit. Twilight got off of the bench as she helped Selene up from the floor.

“You can make friends. If I can do it so can you” Twilight smiled as she picked up the bags waiting in line to get off. Selene was the second in line as the others stayed back. Rainbow moved behind Selene waiting for Twilight to be fully off the train before grabbing the merpony back from the doors.

“Sorry Twi but were borrowing her” she smiled as she pulled Selene to the back of the train. Twilight tried to get on the train but the whistle blew and the train started to take off. She was in shocked at what her friends did she wasn’t thinking clearly. Snapping back to reality she watched as the train disappeared hoping Selene would be okay.