With a heavy sigh, Princess Celestia trotted into her Private Chambers, not even bothering to acknowledge the two guard ponies standing on either side of the door.

Neither of the two mares commented on the sight. Being a part of the Corona Guard, Celestia's elite Inner Circle of the Royal Guard, they saw more of her than most ponies did, and were used to the sight by now.

Even if they seemed to be more frequent than usual recently. But it was not their place to ask or question their princess, even if in private they did wonder about some of the recent swings in their princess' mood.

Inside the room, Princess Celestia visibly relaxed as she slumped down onto her bed in a very un-princess like fashion. Not that she cared what others would think if they saw her like this. Only one ever did.

"You really must work on your manners princess. What would others think if they saw you like this? Think of the scandal."

Celestia rolled her eyes at the mare who had just entered the room from a side chamber. Venerable would not do the unicorn justice for how old she looked. Her blue coat and blond mane had faded much, but her horn still glowed strongly as she lit a fire.

Celestia stuck her tongue out at the mare. "You're the only one who sees me like this. I'm tired of being Princess Celestia today. They can kiss my sun adorned flank if they don't like it."

The older mare chuckled. "And that is why I chose you, Rose. I was much worse when I was in your shoes. So was the pony before me for that matter."

Celestia sighed as she stood once more and ignited her horn, removing her crown as she did so. As she did, her mane shortened and lost its ethereal qualities and turned blue. Her white coat faded to a toy-store pink, and her sun cutie mark vanished, leaving a red rosebud in its place.

Next came her golden chest piece from around her neck. As it came off, the horn disappeared from her forehead. Now standing where Princess Celestia once stood was an unusually tall Pegasus mare.

Rose sighed as she flexed her wings. It was nice to be able to take those pieces off. She was still getting used to all of this and what it meant for her future. The shoes she kept on for now. She rather liked being this big if she was being honest, as she gave her companion a look. "I don't know how you did this for so long."

The other mare giggled. "Long experience dear. You will get used to it in time. We have all said the same thing at one time or another. I used to say it all the time when I first took on Celestia's role."

Rose snorted. "I can't see you ever saying that. You're always so calm and collected. I'm kind of jealous."

The mare smiled as she placed a hoof on Rose's leg, the best she could do when her companion was this tall. "One day, you'll look back and laugh at how silly you're being at the moment. You're doing fine so far."

Rose did smile at that. It always felt good to hear that. Especially on days like today. "Thanks, Velvet. I needed that."

Velvet nodded. "Any time dear." Her expression soon fell, however. "It does get easier I promise. It took me many years to get used to what I inherited. But I had help then, and I will help you for as long as I can. However long that might be."

Rose nodded. She knew what Velvet meant. "And I'm glad you're staying. I need all the help I can get right now. Now I remember why I hate politics so much. I'd almost say I'd rather face down Nightmare Moon."

Velvet frowned. A part of her hoped that Rose would not be the one to be there when Nightmare Moon returned, and another part of her hoped she would be the one to welcome Luna home again to Equestria.

Too many Celestia's had passed since that night in the Everfree Forest centuries before. Someday, someone would be the one. Who was anypony's guess. The lifespan of the one who worse Celestia's face varied between those who bore the regalia.

Velvet herself was going on three hundred years old right now, and two hundred and eighty of those had been spent as Princess Celestia. The mare before her though had only been Celestia for only a century or so.

But Rose was still young though. Her Pegasus heritage, plus the magic of the regalia itself, would hold off old age for many years yet. And then there was always the chance that Rose would take her relationship with Celestia across the final step and break the cycle, to do what no other pony before he had.

Become Princess Celestia permanently. The option was always there for the mare to permanently bond with the regalia. It would remove the need to find a successor when old age finally caught up with them, as it always did.

Velvet well remembered when the offer had been made to her. And for a time, she had seriously considered doing so. She had enjoyed her time as Princess Celestia and what she had done for Equestria. But in the end, she had said no. It had been at the moment that she had started to look in earnest for the one who would one day take her place.

Assuming Rose did not go crazy from all that rested on her shoulders now, the same offer would be given to her at some point. Velvet had faith Rose would not go off the deep end, but the possibility was always there.

Luna had, of course. But whether it had been Luna herself, or the pony who bore her regalia, nopony knew for sure. One did of course, but he couldn't be asked. Not while on the moon like he was.

Done with Ocalhoun's permission. This is more of a prequel than a sequel to The Clothes Make the Mare though. I liked the story too much to leave it alone.

So here I am. Right now, I'm not sure whether this will 100% follow the original's track, with Rose Petal passing the role of Celestia to Twilight, or not.

But that is for the future. We'll stick to the past for the moment. I have plans to show Velvet's time when she inherited Celestia's role, as well as Rose's. And several other ponies further back.

With an annoyed sigh, Rose slipped her crown off her head and plopped down onto her bed with a huff. It was days like this that she wondered why she had ever agreed to this.

Even with her earth pony stamina, she was exhausted. Igniting her horn, Rose started a fire in the fireplace. The warmth helped her to some degree, but not as much as it usually did.

"Why did I ever agree to be Celestia?" She grumbled to nopony in particular. There was no answer, and it made her heart clench with the silence.

There hadn't been an answer for five years.

Velvet had finally succumbed to her age not long after she had passed the role of Celestia to Rose. While the magic she had once held had kept her alive and spry for longer than either had expected, the time had finally caught up with the unicorn.

And it was days like this that Rose missed her more than ever. Not just as a friend, but for her counsel as well. Who better to advise the new Celestia than the old one?

Her other advisors were competent in their own way, but none had known this burden, as well as Velvet, had. Now Rose was all on her own when it came to things like this.

Her efforts to get Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns changed to a school for all ponies were being denied at every turn. The E.E.A. did not seem to have a problem with the idea.

But the Canterlot Elite was being particularly obstinate, saying that it was a tradition that the school only be a unicorn only school and that she was spitting on its role.

Rose rolled her eyes at that. She didn't have a problem with what the school was. But it was out of date now as it stood. Finding the next Element of Magic was one thing. But it stunk of tribalism for her.

And if there was one thing Rose hated more than anything, it was something from the Three Tribes Era. She had gotten quite a bit of it when she had first come to Canterlot. A Pegasus in a unicorn city tended to stand out.

It hadn't helped that the last three to bear Celestia's name and all she was, had been unicorns. The memories hoofed down to their successors didn't really reveal why that was. But Rose had been glad to break that cycle.

At times like this, Rose wished she could go to her family or friends for help. But she couldn't. For all intents and purposes, Rose Petal had vanished from Equestria five years ago, tasked with something from Princess Celestia herself, that nopony could ever know of.

To her family, she might as well have been dead. And Rose hated every second of it. She longed to tell them, to share her secret with them, and quit hiding behind this mask.

But even she knew what that could unleash. If word got out of who and what Princess Celestia really was, Equestria would be thrown into chaos, and who knew what could happen then.

Rose sometimes wondered if whoever had created the regalia she wore, had known of what it would do to the pony who wore it. She couldn't get an answer from the regalia itself that was for sure.

Nothing in it had ever said of where it came from, who made it, or even if Celestia had ever been a real pony herself. If she had been, had she ever known what would happen to those who bore her name and powers?

Had she even had a choice in the matter? Rose hoped she'd had. She couldn't bring herself to think of Celestia ever being that cruel. But she had been wrong before.

And that brought her mind back to another thing she had begun to notice, as she pulled herself onto her bed and looked down at the collar and shoes she wore.

Maybe it was a side effect of having worn them for so long now, but the regalia had begun to feel more and more like a natural part of her body. Rose didn't know what that could mean, or even if that was normal. She had never thought to ask Velvet about it.

Oh sure, she could take the regalia off fine, and nothing bad had ever happened because of it. But every time she did, it felt like removing a piece of herself. She felt naked without the full ensemble. Even raising and lowering the sun had become more and more natural for Rose.

"Is this normal?" She asked out loud. "Am I supposed to feel like this? It feels right all the same. Did the others ever feel like I do?"

No answer came, but her regalia seemed to glow a bit brighter for a moment, as if in confirmation. Rose rolled her eyes at the thought. It was probably just a trick of the light.

Igniting her horn, she slipped the collar off from around her neck before settling it down on her nightstand, allowing her to be her Pegasus self once more. The shoes she kept on for the moment. Rose liked the sense of height and majesty it gave her.

With a sigh, she stood up once more. Sleep would not come easily to her tonight it seemed. She had too many things on her mind, and her patience was beginning to wear thin on it.

Rose hated having to do it, but if the Canterlot Elite kept up their whining and complaining, then Princess Celestia would put her hoof down, and remind the lot of them who the ruler of Equestria was, and why she allowed them to exist at all.

She giggled at the thought. It almost made her wish they would continue to do so. She hadn't exercised her full powers and put ponies in their proper places yet. Maybe it was time Rose Petal stopped playing nice, and become Princess Celestia more and more.

If she was going to be in this role for a long time, then Cosmos dammit, she would not let her first few years in the role be known as the time she rolled over and listened to a bunch of backward idiots. The thought alone made her giggle like a school filly.

Maybe it was time to set aside Rose Petal and be Princess Celestia.

So I have come to a decision. This will not at all follow what the prequel story did for many things. Twilight Sparkle will eventually learn the truth of course.

But the leadup, and the outcome, will not be the same. This is now an Alternate Universe take on the original story.

"... Therefore, let it be known and proclaimed that the School for Gifted Unicorns is now and forevermore, Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Ponies. Signed by Celestia Sol Invicta herself on the twenty-third day of the Eighth Month in the year of our Lady, 720," the Royal Herald finished.

Silence reigned throughout the Throne Room, all the ponies of the Canterlot Elite that had been invited to hear the announcement staring in open mouth shocked at what they had just heard.

Princess Celestia herself had a rather smug grin on her face at the reaction, a sight few had ever seen her with. Even the few who had seen it before found it odd to see it now.

The dam finally burst as everypony in the crowd spoke up, all trying to be heard over the others. "This is an outrage!" One mare said as she turned to look at the unicorn at Celestia's side. "Chancellor, surely this is against the law?"

Ivory Fire, Chancellor of the Equestrian Education Association, shook her head. "While it is unusual for this to happen, there is in fact no law or regulation that forbids it. I, for one, am glad of the change."

That caused another stir in the crowd. "But it has been a tradition since the founding of the city-" One stallion tried to interject.

Celestia shook her head. "A tradition that has served its purpose. Unicorns will not be excluded from the school, and all current students will continue their studies. But the time has come for a change."

One mare, who had remained mostly calm during all of this, finally spoke up. "But why now? If I may ask?"

Celestia smiled at her. The Sparkle Family was one of the few she considered true friends of the crown. "Tradition is only good when it serves a purpose when it helps move things forward. But when it becomes a lock on advancement, when it promotes stagnation instead of progress, then it is no longer worth keeping around. I have seen that recently with the School."

That seemed to bring the mare around, but most ponies were still angered by the proclamation. "This is an outrage! Parents will here of this, and they-"

Before the stallion could finish though, Celestia teleported so that she was now standing in front of the crowd. Her expression had turned dark. "And what, by the Destroyer, are you going to do about it? Or would you like me to bring Her into this? I'm sure Cosmos would just love to know why I would bring something so small like this to her attention."

That shut everypony up, as the room around them darkened at the mere mention of the Unmaker. A being that all knew wasn't known for her mercy or restraint. A being that stood so far above even Princess Celestia herself, as Celestia did to most ponies.

It wasn't called the Scar of the Destroyer for nothing, though some had tried to call it Ghastly Gorge to try and not think about what might have really created it.

Celestia leaned down until she was nose to nose with most ponies. "And if none of you still don't like the change, then you should remember whose name is on the School. So I am officially exercising my royal prerogative to not give a flip if you don't like it. Am I making myself clear?"

Everypony nodded, doing their best to not gulp in fear at seeing Princess Celestia so upset. One by one, they began to file out of the room, muttering and arguing among themselves, until only Celestia, Ivory, and two members of the Corona Guard remained.

Ivory nodded as Celestia returned to her throne. "I must say you handled that pretty well, Rose."

Celestia smiled as she ignited her horn and removed her crown, transforming back into Rose Petal. Ivory Fire was one of only a very few, outside the Corona Guard itself, that knew the full truth of Princess Celestia. A secret that they have sworn the most binding oaths to never reveal to others.

Rose stretched her wings for all they were worth. "Oh man, that felt better than I thought it would. It was nice to put those brown nosers in their place."

Gleaming Shield chuckled. "I was hoping mom would say that. She has never been a fan of how the School was unicorn only."

Rose giggled. Gleaming Shield was the First Born daughter of the Sparkle Family. Unlike others in the family though, she had never entered the School when given the chance, instead, joining the Royal Guard, eventually rising through the ranks to join the Corona Guard.

"I'm glad someponies were happy with the idea," Rose said, as she picked up her schedule for the rest of the day. "And yes, I did mean it when I said I'd take this all the way up to Cosmos."

Ivory and Gleaming shuddered. Just hearing that name was enough to make them feel queasy. Nopony knew why it had that effect. But it was the same for all that heard it. Except for Rose Petal, it seemed, and the same might have been saying for those that came before her.

Pearl Rose, the other member of the Corona Guard in the Throne Room, still had one question though. "And what of only mares in the Royal Guard?" She asked. "That has been a thing from the very beginning. Do you plan to change that as well."

Rose shook her head, as she levitated her crown back onto her head and became Princess Celestia once more. It was at this moment that Ivory took her leave, for she still had much to do to prepare the School for the changes that were soon to come. "I don't have plans to change that at the moment. Boys have an annoying habit of letting any power you give them go straight to their heads. I will not risk that here. Not yet."

Pearl and Gleaming shared a look. "Does that mean you might change something about it sometime in the future?" Pearl asked, her wings rustling at the thought.

Princess Celestia shrugged. "Maybe at some future time I will change something about the guard. But that day is still a long way off. I will concentrate on the here and now before I worry about the future."

So. Just to clear one thing up about Equestria's geography in this universe. Ghastly Gorge isn't like we saw in Season 2. It is more like an actual scar on the land itself, and not a feature that formed normally.

Nothing lives in the gorge. Heck. Very few even go near it. Not even dragons will fly near it, hence why the Dragon Migration flies over Equestria as it does.