LOVE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME

Chapter 2: Simply Irresistible

Traveling down the opulent corridors of the palace saw Trixie and Cheerilee gawking at all the richness around them. The rest of the party would give the occasional nod to any pony happening to share the space with them as they passed, but the rubbernecking pair amused the rest. “You two are going to get whiplash if you don't slow down,” Spitfire joked.

The rest chuckled at the mares' embarrassment. They rounded a corner and saw Celestia sedately walking towards them. “Princess!” Squealed Twilight, and run up to the diarch. As the Princess laid her neck over Twilight's, Cheerilee noticed a strange look pass over her mother's face, but it was so fast, she wasn't sure she had seen anything at all. Twilight stepped back and beamed up at her. “We were just on our way to your parlor.”

Celestia nodded and smiled. “I know. My lunch meeting ended early and I couldn't wait to see you all again.” She turned and gestured further down the hall. “Shall we?” The ponies fell in behind her, but Twilight kept pace with her, making small talk.

Cheerilee sped up until she was even with Velvet and ducked down to get a good look at her face. “Everything okay?” She asked quietly.

The question actually appeared to have caught her off guard, and she looked at the teacher in surprise. “Hm? Oh, everything's fine. Why do you ask?”

Cheerilee chewed her lip for a moment, wondering whether or not to answer her. Finally, she said, “You looked a little... funny when the Princess showed up. Is something wrong?”

Velvet smiled (Just a little too much, noted Cheerilee) and waved her question off (just a little too easily, the teacher thought). “Oh, it's nothing. Just trying to remember if I turned the stove off before leaving the house.”

Nodding, Cheerilee said, “Well, if something's wrong, or you just want to talk, I'm available.” She thought for a moment before adding, “Though, some travel may be necessary.”

The older mare smiled- more genuinely this time- and nodded. “Thank you. It's good to know that there's another ear out there for me should I need one.” Cheerilee smiled in return.

They arrived at the parlor, and Celestia made sure they were comfortably seated before starting in on the business. “What was it you wanted to discuss with me, Twilight?”

Twilight blushed fiercely as she tried to find the courage to ask for this particular bit of advice. “Um, well. I wanted to tell you that my fillyfriends and I want to form a herd, so we came to you for advice, and to see if the Royal Library had any books on the matter.”

Celestia put a hoof to her mouth in surprise. “A herd? Now that is a surprise. Why, a herd hasn't formed in Equestria in-”

“Almost six hundred fifty years,” Twilight finished. “I know. We checked, but the history book in the library in Ponyville didn't mention much more than that. I- that is, we were hoping that you'd be able to shed some light on the subject or allow us access into the Royal Archives.”

Bringing her hoof down to her chin, Celestia ruminated to herself out loud. “Now where might we find some old law book on herds and marriage, I wonder?” Her eyes fell onto a small bookcase nearby and lit up. “Ah! Perhaps these might be of some assistance,” she said as she walked over to the case and pulled three large, dusty tomes, and floated them over to her pupil.

Twilight gently took the books into her own telekinetic field and examined the spines. “Equestrian Law 280PT, Herds; A Historical Account, and So You want to Shatter Societal Norms for Fun and Profit?” She looked to her mentor in confusion. “Princess, the first two I could understand, but this?” She held up the last book of considerably newer vintage. “I would hardly classify what we want to do as shattering anything, much less for fun or profit. And where did these come from, anyway?”

Celestia gave her a look that she knew meant that she was in the middle of a lesson. “Twilight, as you, yourself stated, there hasn't been a herd formed in quite some time. What is a pony's instinctual reaction to something unexpected, or goes against what is considered to be 'normal'?” No reply was forthcoming, but all could see Twilight's analytical mind working over the words in her mind, and the eventual slump in her posture.

Brushing a hoof across Twilight's cheek, Celestia smiled sadly at her. “No need to lose heart, my Faithful Student. The last book will show you what to expect, and how to deal with it.”

Sadness on Twilight's face changed to determination and acceptance, before turning into confusion. “Wait. Why would you need to have this book, Princess? You set society's norms.” She looked up at her mentor quizzically. “Don't you?”

“Oh, Twilight,” she replied. “Of course I don't set the norms; ponies do. True, some do it by imitating me, but others go their own way. So long as no laws are broken, and everything is consensual, no harm is done, really.”

A knock at the door surprised them all, but Celestia called out, “Enter.”

A guardspony walked in and bowed, staying within the doorway. “Your Highness, Duke Golden Bit of Canterlot wishes to-”

He was interrupted as a venerable, golden-yellow unicorn with an impeccably coiffed silver mane rudely pushed past him, and sketched only the briefest of bows, not even waiting for leave to rise. “Princess, I really must protest! Your sister is being impossibly truculent with this important matter! Why, she refuses to even consider hearing a vote and-”

Celestia sent him a withering stare, instantly stilling his tongue. “Your Grace, I know you would never be so rude as to interrupt a private meeting with my student and her family, but...” She waved a hoof to indicate the rest of the room, filled with ponies staring at him with varying ranges of surprise and/or annoyance.

He looked to them, but stopped when he saw Twilight. The old stallion's gaze lingered on her a moment before he gave the barest inclination of his head to the others. “My apologies, but a matter of state has arisen that requires Her Highness's immediate attention.” He said nothing more, waiting for them to leave.

“I'm afraid if a matter of state has arisen, then I'll have to ask your indulgence, everypony,” Celestia said with a sigh.

Twilight and her family bowed and filed out. As they left, Spitfire turned around to ask the Princess if their regular meeting report was still scheduled, and noticed that the Duke's eyes seemed to follow one pony in particular. Following his gaze, landed her own eyes squarely on Twilight. Walking out into the hall, they ran into another noblepony whose face lit up upon sighting Twilight. “Lady Sparkle, what a pleasant surprise!”

Twilight turned and smiled in return. “Prince Blueblood! I haven't seen you since before I left for Ponyville. How have you been?” she asked, trotting up to the stallion.

Her fillyfriends watched in horror as he put the moves on her. At least, that's what he attempted to do. Twilight's obliviousness seemed to still be in full effect, as she didn't react at all to his obvious play for attention. “Oh, just here with father on some unpleasantly boring business. You?” He flashed his pearly whites at her and tilted his head at just the right angle to make them gleam.

“We were here to visit with the Princess and pick up Spike,” she replied. “Unfortunately, business trumps pleasure, but at least we'll see her again tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Blueblood said with interest. “About what time?”

Spitfire took Twilight's place by coming up beside her and gently shoving her away. Luckily, Cheerilee was on the opposite side to catch her and she and Trixie led her away, the showmare saying loudly for everypony's benefit, “Come along, Twilight! Much to do!” Twilight tried to resist, but was moved along by her fillyfriends and family quite efficiently around the corner... leaving Spitfire and Blueblood alone in the hall.

“Who do you think you are, you commoner?” Blueblood sneered.

Spitfire loomed over him, despite actually being the shorter of the two. “Who I am isn't nearly important as what I am; and what I am, is the pony that will beat the Hay out of you if any of us so much as catch you looking at Twilight Sparkle again. I don't care who you are, or what your past relationship with her is, but know this: hit on her again, and I'll return the favor, literally.” To emphasize her point, Spitfire struck out at the empty suit of armor next to him with a flying roundhouse kick, neatly taking the helmet clean off.

The piece of armor rolled on the ground, coming to rest against Blueblood's foreleg. He looked at it in horrid fascination, noting the size of the hoofprint that imprinted on the caved-in, steel armor. He gulped loudly and watched the mare walk away.

The sound of shuffling brought his attention to the guard standing outside the Princess's parlor, trying hard to remain impassive. Suddenly finding his courage, he walked up to the guardspony. “Did you see that? You saw that, didn't you? You saw her threatening me!”

“Don't rightly know what you're talking about, Your Highness,” he replied in a strong Trottingham accent. “Your conversation was too far away for me to hear anything.”

Blueblood was incredulous. “But you saw her assault me! You saw what she did to that armor!”

“What I saw, Your Highness, was the Captain of the Wonderbolts destroying a bit of the Princess's property. Rest assured that such an act won't go by unreported to my superiors when my duty here is done this afternoon.” The noblepony looked at him stricken before he asked, “Was there anything else I can help you with, Your Highness?” Blueblood said nothing and slowly walked away, out of sight. Twat.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Celestia sighed as the door closed behind Spitfire. She had seen that the pegasus had noticed the Duke's look, and smiled inside in approval. “Now then, Duke, what was this about my sister being unreasonable?”

Her words seemed to break through the stallion's antagonism, and he had the good sense to look chastened. “My apologies for my hasty words earlier, Your Highness, but Princess Luna seems to think that she's back in the bad old days of the Diarchy where the two of you ruled with an iron hoof.”

“In point of fact, Your Grace, Luna and I never 'ruled with an iron hoof'.” Celestia said with a dangerously impassive voice. “That is simply a rumor perpetrated by our detractors in order to make us appear as unfit rulers. I would thank you to not perpetuate the myth.” The chill in her voice could have instantly frozen water at ten paces.

Golden Bit bowed low, touching his nose to the carpet. “I beg Your Highness's forgiveness. I have let my emotions overrule my good sense.”

Celestia motioned for him to rise. “You are forgiven, Your Grace. Now what has happened to send you into such a state?”

Standing once more, Golden Bit straightened his overcoat and sash of office. “A bill has come before parliament- a very reasonable one, I might add- and Princess Luna has invoked her Right of Refusal of Hearing.” He sighed in exasperation and took a seat on the floor where he stood. “I don't think she has realized that particular law has been amended out of existence.”

Celestia was unable to suppress the urge to arch an eyebrow at him. “She must have found something offensive about it to invoke that Right. She has only done so a hoofful of times in the past. What was this law?”

Waving a hoof as if to declare it a matter of no importance, he replied, “Just a piddling little matter. It would only affect the nobles in any case.”

The sound of a great metallic crash outside captured both their attentions, and the two waited a few moments to see if anything would come of it. When nothing else was heard, Celestia waved the matter off. “If it requires my attention, the guard will let me know. Now, what is this-”

The door boomed open, and a fuming Luna stalked in. “Sister, We are most vexed indeed! Dost thou know- You!” Luna finally noticed the Duke and stopped mid-tirade.

“Luna, what excellent timing!” Celestia said with an evil smile. “His Grace was just about to tell me all about this proposed law that had your royal hackles up.” She turned to him and let her smile return to it's normal sweet passivity. “If you would please, Duke?”

Golden Bit coughed behind his hoof. “Ahem. Yes, it's simply a law that states that one must be of noble birth or ennobled to be advanced to the rank of Captain or higher in the military.”

Luna glared at him, but Celestia just tsked. “Your Grace. I had thought our country had evolved beyond such petty controls over the lives of its citizenry. We are an enlightened folk now. Some of our best commanding officers come from common stock. One would think that in an organization that so highly esteems meritocracy, that it would actually be a meritocracy.”

“Your Highnesses, it's simply a measure to make sure that the ponies best able to think of the common good are the ones actually in the positions which require such thinking,” Golden Bit replied. “Surely, you remember the fiasco with General Mayhem, and the war he almost started with the zebra nation.”

“He cannot be of serious mein?” Luna said to her sister telepathically.

“No Your Highness,” Golden Bit continued, “we need to take action to preserve the military's ability to function away from your command, not to mention its reputation..”

Celestia shook her head sadly. “Surely there is another way to do this other than noblesse requise, Your Grace? Why don't we set this matter aside for later, private consideration, when everypony has had time to cool their tempers?”

“I'm afraid not, Your Highness,” the stallion said sadly. “Time is of the essence. As we speak, Equestria stands on the brink of extinction due to bumbling officers who wouldn't know their duty from a hole in the ground. Neigh, I feel I must push this bill forward most stringently; and I cannot let a matter as minor as Your Highness Princess Luna not realizing that she no longer wields the power she once did, deter me.” He bowed to the alicorns respectfully low. “If you'll excuse me, I must go. I am already late for another appointment.” Without waiting for their permission, he turned and strode out the room.

The two of them stood there in shock until Luna broke the silence. “Why that dissembling, tickle-brained, rump-fed flax-wench! How dare he go without our leave, let alone speak to us thusly! We shall-”

Celestia laid a calming hoof on her shoulder to restrain her. “Easy, sister. Don't let him get to you. Your anger is exactly what he wants. Act rashly now, and we may lose Twilight to his machinations.”

“Twilight?” Luna asked. “What has Twilight to do with this?”

Turning away sadly, Celestia replied, “Everything. And I'm afraid it's my fault.”

“'Tia?”

Celestia heaved a great sigh and pulled a bottle of wine from a nearby rack and poured them each a measure of the crimson liquid. “When I took Twilight in as my student, I placed upon her a target symbol for every social-climbing noble in court. Imagine the coup of claiming the Princess's personal student as a wife or daughter-in-law? The pressure they could exert on me through her? The pain inflicted by turning her away from me and towards their cause?” She sipped from her glass, then swirled it around.

“But surely, they could not turn sweet Twilight against thee?” Luna asked. “Yon filly would sooner teareth out her own heart than spurn thee so.”

“I would certainly hope so, Luna, but I would still rather spare her from having to deal with that nest of vipers before she is ready.” Celestia stood and slowly walked over to the window overlooking her private garden where she and Twilight had spent many hours in lessons. She saw the mare in question, walking with her family, Spike astride her back despite him getting to be too large for it. She watched as Spitfire slyly intertwined tails with her lover and smirk at the glares coming from the other two mares.

Luna joined her at the window and smiled down at the scene. They came upon Celestia's table in the garden and sat at it; the servants there having standing orders to treat Twilight as if the Princess were there at all times. “We still fail to see what this fie bill hath to do with Twilight Sparkle. Not only is not an officer, she's not even a noblepony.”

“That's where you're wrong on both counts, Lulu.” Celestia frowned, watching the happy family below sip lemonade as they enjoyed what promised to be one of the last pleasantly warm days of the year before winter set in. “He's not after her for himself. His son is Prince Blueblood, an arrogant, but mostly harmless stallion that's known her since they were foals. I'm not sure how this ties into ensnaring her for him, but...”

She downed the rest of her glass in one gulp and set it on the table. “Twilight's brother married a Princess, making her a noble, as well.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Twilight was trying hard to keep the lemonade she was drinking from spilling out of her nose. “We got into so much trouble! The Princess forbade us from having any more cake for a month! I'd never seen Bluey look so crushed before that.”

“I'd always heard different stories of Prince Blueblood, myself,” Spitfire said. “Never treated me that well, either.”

Twilight laid a hoof on the Wonderbolt's shoulder and smiled. “To be fair, you only met him after his governess got a hold of him. Before she was hired, he was quite fun for a colt. By the time you became a Wonderbolt and began showing up at the castle, she had been drilling into him about his entitlements for almost a year.” She took a long draught from her glass and set the empty vessel on the table. “I often wonder what would have happened if she hadn't been hired. But, he's always treated me the same, despite being... less than pleasant to others. I keep telling him you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, but he always replies that he's after bookworms, not flies. Ah, well.” She smiled as she shrugged.

Shining and Cadance shared an eyeroll, while Trixie, Spitfire, and Cheerilee frowned. Twilight's parent's didn't appear too pleased either, but hid it better.

“Enjoying the day, my Faithful Student?” Celestia and Luna walked around a corner, causing the ponies to rise from their seats.

Luna waved them back into their chairs. “Pray, remain seated. This garden hath but one rule t'which must be observed; there is no ceremony here.”

The two alicorns sat in chairs that were brought out for them by servants which disappeared into the background again. Twilight dug around in her saddlebag for a moment, bringing up two small, unmarked boxes and gave them to each of the Princesses. “Oh! What have we here?” Celestia asked.

“Just some souvenirs I picked up at the museum in Manehatten,” she replied. With a huge grin, she said, “Go on, open them.”

Using her telekinesis, Celestia opened the box and pulled aside some tissue paper. She gasped as she pulled out three tiny glass figurines; one of herself, one of Luna, and one of Twilight. “Oh, Twilight, they're beautiful!” She set them on the table and let the sunlight catch within the semitransparent colored glass, brilliantly gleaming like three diamonds. The craftsponyship was such that not a single drop of paint was applied. All the color was somehow inside the glass, including the meticulously crafted cutie marks.

Luna opened her own box to reveal a similar set, and leaned over to nuzzle the smaller unicorn. “Sooth, We have ne'er beheld such loveliness. Thank you, Twilight.”

Celestia wrapped her wing around both Luna and Twilight, giving them a brief hug. “Thank you. I'll treasure them.”

The tinkling of ice in an empty glass drew everypony's attention to Twilight Velvet as she rose. “Well, it's getting late, and we still have some shopping to do,” she said with careful politeness. “We have a new foal to equip.”

“You sound like we're sending her out on an expedition, Mom,” Twilight said, smiling at her.

Velvet met her gaze with pity in her eyes. “Oh, Twilight. So much to learn.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Telekinetically throwing a few kernels of popcorn to the pigeons, Shining Armor tried valiantly to not sigh in boredom. Again. “Any sign of them yet, Dad?”

Night Light put down his newspaper as he turned around in the bench to peer at the store behind them. “Nope.” Turning back around, he returned to his paper. “They're mares son. We'll be lucky if they leave the store sometime before dark.”

Spike swiped a pawful for himself and stuffed the whole lot in his mouth.

An old stallion sitting next to them smirked and put a hoof on Shining's shoulder. “Your wife's first foal?”

“Sister's, actually.” Shining turned to look at the store window, and could see them excitedly going through racks and racks of newborn's clothes, all of it designed to make the poor foal look cute and/or silly. “Wouldn't be so bad if my Mother and Wife weren't with her, I think.”

Shaking his head ruefully, the old stallion replied, “Don't count on it. Alone, she'd second guess and third guess all her choices. At least this way, they have somepony who they can ask for an opinion; somepony who isn't you.”

Night Light grunted his agreement and took another sip of his mint clover shake.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Cadance laid the bunny-shaped onesie in the “maybe” cart. “So, have you four started thinking of names yet?”

Moving around the changing station on display, Cheerilee looked at her. “Honestly, no. We've been too busy at home right now to even think about that.”

“Well you'd better start thinking about it,” Velvet replied. “Before you know it, the day will be upon you, and you'll be left looking awfully foalish in front of the doctors while you try to come up with something on the spot.” She smiled wryly as her face took on a far away look. “If Night Light's Uncle Vigil hadn't been there, Shining might have been named something else.” Turning to Cadance, she asked, “Could you see yourself falling in love with a stallion named Green Scrubs or Heart Monitor?”

Cadance grinned evilly as she rubbed her forehooves together. “Ooo... free ammunition; and it's not even my birthday! You're the best Mother-in-Law ever!”

Twilight came around the corner, a mobile with stars and planets held in her magical grasp. “Don't you think it would be better to have a list of names, then pick one that seems appropriate once the baby is born? There's little sense in naming her Blue Skies or something if there isn't a lick of blue on her, is there?”

Trixie put a “Baby's First Magic Set (Filly)” in the “definite” cart. “Trixie supposes that would be the smartest way to go about it. Keep our options open, so to speak.”

“Well, I already have my foal's name picked out,” Spitfire said as she laid a set of “Elements of Harmony” bath toys in the “definite” cart, “and it's all thanks to you.” She kissed Twilight on the nose as she landed.

“No, Spitfire. I already told you that we're not naming any filly of ours Starslayer. That's just...” She looked to Trixie and Cheerilee for help.

“Tacky?” Trixie offered.

“Absurdly difficult to live up to?” Cheerilee supplied.

Twilight gestured to them both. “Thank you.” She shook her head. “I swear, I should never have shown you that rare book of old Purrsian myths. You're worse than Rainbow Dash when I finally got her to read Daring Doo.”

“Psht. You're just mad that I came up with the perfect name before any of you could.” Spitfire shot back, sticking out her tongue.

Velvet put a diaper cover that proclaimed “SPARKLE, SPARKLE, SPARKLE” into the “definite” cart. “You could always follow the family tradition, you know.”

“Mom,” Twilight said with a shake of her head, “don't you think there's enough Twilights in the family? Besides, we've pretty much exhausted all plausible combinations with it. I've always thought that Twilight Sunset was really pushing it.”

“Your cousin will be disappointed to hear that,” Velvet replied. “You know she thinks the world of you.”

Twilight blew a raspberry. “Please. Who do you think is most upset with it?”

Cheerilee and Cadance looked into the “definite” cart with worried expressions. “Perhaps this is enough for today?” Cheerilee ventured. “We still need to lug all this back home, and the baby's not due for quite a while yet.”

“Hmm, perhaps you're right,” Velvet said. “Tomorrow we can go to our house and pick up a few more old things of Twilight's to use. Make sure to ask your parents as well, girls. If they're anything like us, they're likely to have- What's wrong, Trixie?”

The showmare sniffled and tried her best to hide her face as she wiped her nose with a hoof. “N- nothing. Trixie is fine. Just some... dust got in her eyes is all.”

Twilight embraced her and cooed gently in her ear. The others looked at each other confused except for Velvet, who covered her mouth with a hoof.

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Trixie snuggled into the large, yet crowded bed in between Twilight on one side, and Cheerilee and Spitfire on the other. “Tr- I'm sorry about earlier. I... I'm over it, but there are still times when it just... blindsides me, you know?”

Cheerilee nuzzled and kissed her cheek. “It's alright, sweetie. Whatever it is, it's alright.”

Twilight kissed her other cheek and grabbed Trixie's foreleg, pulling it close to her. “You've nothing to apologize for, Trixie. It's only equine to feel like this.”

Spitfire leaned over and kissed her horn before settling back into her spot. “You should know by now that we're not that easy to get rid of, Hon.”

The showmare kissed Twilight on the lips and only reluctantly parted from her to move on to Cheerilee and then Spitfire. She moaned into the kiss as Twilight rolled up behind her and rubbed her cutie mark roughly.

Caught between the unicorn in front of her and the pegasus behind her, Cheerilee licked and nibbled at Trixie's neck and collarbone, earning a throaty growl from her. Spitfire was really starting to get into the moment and threw one leg over Cheerilee's hip and began rubbing back and forth; and it wasn't long before she was leaving a trail of moisture behind. She grabbed Cheerilee's tail and pulled it up between her legs, roughly tugging it around.

Kisses and moans filled the room, accented by the squeaking of the bed springs as the four mares moved against each other. A gentle knocking at the door halted all action, and Cadance's muffled voice came through. “I know it's a little late to be surprised this sort of thing is going on with you Twily, but do you think you could hold off on the noisy parts for now? We haven't had time to restore the noise dampening enchantments on the walls lately.”

Twilight facehoofed and turned red in embarrassment. “S- sorry, Cady. Just... got a little carried away,” she called out.

“No problem, Ladybug. G'night.”

(\ /)
( . .)
*(“)(“)

Limnear sat down on the bench overlooking the plains far below Canterlot and sighed. Far below, she could see the lights of the tiny village of Ponyville, and carefully noted the tree that served as the town's library. Why her, Plain? she thought with a sigh.

“You got a permit for that sigh, Ma'am?”

Despite the false baritone, the griffoness was easily able to tell who it was. “You still got it, Plain. You're the only pony I know who can sneak up on me, despite those noisemakers you call hooves.” She turned to see the gray mare with a dappled rump step into the light of the streetlamp next to the bench.

Sitting down next to her, they watched the lights of the distant village flicker off one by one as households went to bed, though a few remained going strong. “Is this where we reminisce about our youth and lament our bad choices, hoping for better ones in future?” Limnear asked.

“We can if you want,” Plain Sight replied, “but it'll be a short conversation. We're still fairly young, you and I.”

“But not getting younger.”

“True.” A long silence passes between them before the mare said, “I... I want to apologize for earlier today. You didn't deserve that.”

Limnear drew lazy circles in the dirt path with a claw, not daring to look at her friend. “No. But neither did you. I do sometimes wish we could go back to those carefree days of youth, though.”

Taking off her flatcap, Plain Sight turned it over again and again in her hooves. “Me too. So many things I'd do differently. Actions taken... things said... especially the things said.”

“We could always try the 'do over' option,” Limnear offered.

Plain Sight chuckled. “You and I both know that only works in stories.” She sighed and replaced her hat on her head. “We have too much history to 'do over'. Remember Las Pegasus?”

“Ah, now that was fun,” Limnear agreed. “Taking down the underground fighting ring, and looking good doing it.”

“If only that had been our assignment,” Plain Sight said with a grin. “We make a good pair.”

Limnear frowned suddenly. “Don't say that unless you mean to make something of it.”

The mare winced and apologized. “Sorry, slip of the tongue. Do...” she asked after a moment, “do you think we could at least be friends again? I miss my old training partner.”

“You know I could never be satisfied with just that,” the griffoness replied. “Eventually, I would want more. Do you think you could put me before your job? Before... her?” Silence met her question. With a sigh, she rose and left the gray mare sitting alone on the bench, looking over Ponyville.

Author's Notes:

So, how 'bout it? Starslayer? Sure it's a lot to live up to, bit we're talking about the daughter of Twilight Sparkle and Spitfire, here! She could manage it.

I own the arrangement of the words, Plain Sight, and Limnear. All else is owned by Hasbro and Lauren Faust. I'm just borrowing their sandbox.