As Twilight walked into the next room she was still going over the wrongs she did in her past. As a way to figure out what she needed to fix once she had left this place. Being so lost in thought she didn’t notice the room change to a replica of the Golden Oak Library. That is until she ran into a book shelf and books rained down upon her.

As she used her magic to lift the books off her and place them in their proper spots with a book arranging spell she saw what she thought was Nightmare Spark looking at her. Growling as she stomped her hooves she let loose a scream before addressing her otherself. “I thought I cleansed you? Why are you here?”

“Simple, you’ve already seen Luna’s Moon Form. There is little physical difference between a power form and a nightmare form physically. The change is one on a psychological and mental level. In that I am your more purer half, and you know what is going to happen in this stage of things.”

“True ... so what are you going to do? I know that you’re to prepare me for seeing my core. But other than that I don’t know what that entails entirely.”

“The answer is simple Twilight. I’m going to show you the best of yourself. You came here to find your roots, and this is the prefect place to show them to you.”

*************************

Filly Twilight had been the Princess’s protege’ for the last month. To say that it was the best experience of her life would be an understatement. Princess Celestia gave something to Twilight that her family never gave her. Praise. It was funny how something so simple was yet so profound to Twilight, and it only spurred her to work more harder to prove herself to her mentor.

They had just finished a game of tug of war with a training ball and Twilight was tuckered out. Yawning she tried to hide the fact that she was tired and failed horribly. Celesita seeing this laid beside her and took her under her wing, “Why don’t we take a little break for now Twilight?”

As Twilight snuggled next to her, she wiggled herself closer to Celestia, “Princess?”

“Hmmm?”

“Will you stay with me forever and ever?” She asked innocently.

She felt Celestia’s wing fidget a little bit before she answered. “I’ll be with you for as long as you live. How does that sound?”

“Really?” She squeed into Celestia’s coat.

“Of course. Now get some sleep, and I’ll be here when you wake up.”

****************

****************

Twilight had her first nightmare that she remembered in ages. Celestia having checked up on her to make sure that she wasn’t ignoring sleep like she had the habit of doing. Saw her crying softly into her sheets. Gliding into the room she wrapped Twilight into a wing hug.

“What’s the matter my little pony?”

“I had a bad dream that I failed my test and you were angry with me and kicked me out for being a bad student. I promise I’ll study harder, please don’t kick me out?” Twilight cried into Celestia.

“Oh is that all?” Celestia chuckled softly giving Twilight a comforting squeeze. “I won’t kick you out for failing a test. Yes I might be disappointed, but all that means is that we need to work harder where you are weak so that you can grow stronger. Although I haven’t seen a pony study as hard as you, nor have as much raw talent than you in a long, long time. OK?”

“Ok!”

Twilight nuzzled Celestia and fell asleep shortly after. While she was still worried about failing Celestia, that fear was drilled into her head from foalhood. It wasn’t until this day that, that particular memory resurfaced.

*********************

“Oh! I can’t believe I forgot about that. I was so used to being told that I was worthless if I wasn’t perfect, and being trained to look for faults in myself. That I forgot that the Princess never would have banished me or abandoned me for making a mistake on a test. I’ve been such a twit.” Twilight said to herself.

**********************

Twilight was a foal when her brother and her were on a camping trip. It was written off as a training exercise for him preparing for guard training. In reality it was his way of getting Twilight out of the home situation that they were in as well as get some rare bonding time with his little sister. The sun had set and they were camping under the stars. Twilight hidden in her black sleeping bag embroidered with constellations of the night sky. With only the tip of her head poking out as she looked at her brother who was poking the fire that was starting to die down.

“Shinny! Why’s it cold?”

“Because the suns down twily. It gets cold at night.”

“Oh! why?”

“Because the sun makes things warmer. When it goes down it can’t warm anything now can it?”

Twilight looked at him with a thoughtful expression on her face. Even as a four year old she was extremely intelligent for her age. But it also made her very inquisitive. “No it can’t. Brother? Do you love me?”

“Of course I do Twily. You’re my little sister. Why do you ask?”

“Well you almost never talk to me at home. I love you too big brother. You’re my bestest friend.”

“You’re my best friend to. And that’s me. Your big brother best friend forever. Your BBBFF.”

Twilight did little stilted hops in her sleeping bags squeeing with joy. She had been worried lately that her brothers distance to her meant that he didn’t like her, and she loved her big brother. So hearing that he was her best friend forever was good news to her.

***********************************

Twilight fell onto her other form laughing her flank off. As she clutched her she tried speaking between inhales. “That. Was. So. Funny. Oh Faust, I can’t believe that you’d bring that up. But I’m so glad that my BBBFF married Cadence. Although the embarrassing stories they tell when I’m around are endless.”

“Well you make it so easy for them.” Her other form chided.

*******************************

Twilight sat next to Mr. Smartypants while her brother watched. He had to leave for his first deployment for the royal guard. But before he left he wanted to make sure that he said a proper good bye to his sister. Knowing that he was leaving her behind with their parents, and that she was going to go into testing for the CSFGU.

“Now Twily you need to focus on the area right behind your horn. That’s where your main energy node that unicorns use. If you focus there you’ll be able to move your magical energy to where you want it to go.” Shining Armor lectured in a friendly manner. Rather than the cold manner Twilight was used to from her parents.

Focusing on the area behind her horn she felt the small pressure inside her skull, pushing towards Mr. Smartpants enveloping him in a lavender aura. She remembered what she read in a book about reaching the pressure through the push. Grabbing Mr. Smartypants she tried lifting him and was only able to make him raise an inch before he fell down.

“I did it! I did it! I did it! I did it!” She sang while bouncing around the room out of adorakable filly hood excitement.

“Good job Twily! That’s really good for your first time. But you need to remember to not tense up so much. When you do that your body diverts power to the tensed body parts and lessens what you can do. But as I said that was a good job. I’m proud of you Twily.” He said as he wrapped her in a hug before ruffling her mane.

“BBBFF! Stop messing up my mane.” She laughed.

“Not the mane?”

“No!”

“Well how about a ... TICKLE ATTACK!!!” He gave a playful war cry while tickling her ribs causing her to fall over laughing while trying to push away his hooves.

“Stop! Stop! I give! You win!”

“Whose the best BBBFF in all of Equestria?”

“You are!”

“Ok then. I’m going to start my training tomorrow. I may not see you in awhile so don’t let mom and dad get you too down ok? And no matter what happens I’ll never abandon or disown you ok?” He said after withdrawing his hooves from a giggling Twilight Sparkle.

“Ok. BBBFF?” She asked after she caught her breath. Her ears wilting slightly.

“What’s the matter?”

“Why did you want to become a guard? Your going to be gone for a long while and I’ll miss you. So why go?” She said a few tears building up in her eyes as she looked at her brother.

“This is a secret between us ok? I have an image to uphold.”

“Ok. I promise not to tell anypony.”

“I’m going to be a guard because they protect Equestria and make the world a better place. I’m joining so that I can protect all the ponies I care about and make sure they live in a world that I and even you can be proud of. The best way to do that is by joining the guard, and some day becoming one of the Royal Guards. After all if Celestia is safe than all of Equestria and everypony I love with in it will be safe.”

“That makes sense. I bet you’ll be the best guard ever. You will be right?”

“For you Twily, of course I’ll be the best.” Giving her a hug and a light kiss on the forehead he felt bad for leaving, but he knew that he needed to do it to make a safer and better Equestria for both his sister, and every other pony that he cared about.

*****************

“You were his drive to get as high as he did you know?” Her double said.

“I didn’t know that. How do you know that?”

“Simple all Alicorns have the ability to tap into the Planar records of all living beings. It’s the essence behind Luna’s dream providence, and Mort uses to judge souls of the dead. Through it I can see the memories, emotions, and lives of every entity in your universe should I wish it.”

“Wow! I didn’t know that. Well I didn’t really think of pursuing it. I’ve been busy with other matters of business but it’s something that I need to look into.”

“I know. Now on to other memories.”

****************************

It was the night after the disaster at the Grand Galloping Gala, Twilight reflected on the moments leading up to that night. When she received two tickets to the Gala and all of her friends hounded her for tickets. She thought she would go crazy, but in the end everything worked out for the best. Although she was caught in one of Celestia’s lesson / pranks. She learned that she should ask for things rather than keep silent about her needs.

Than all of them had the dresses made by Rarity. She remembered how they had what they wanted in their heads and how they not only ran her ragged, but almost ruined one of the most important things to her. Her reputation as a designer. It was only when they saw what they were doing to her, and how beautiful her work truly was. Learning that one shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. A left over saying from when nobility owned and traded slaves.

Now at the time of the Gala things couldn’t have been more chaotic. At first things were going bad for all of them. Only for things to take a turn for the worse when Apple Jack went to sell her food in the dance hall. Then it devolved into a domino effect with the other Element Bearers. It was another plan of Celestia’s to liven up an event that had went from a way for her to mingle with the populace to another event that bound her down with nobles wanting to seem more important than themselves.

When they left, as bad as things seemed. They got better once they left. They didn’t do all the things they set out to do, but wondering around the city they had more fun. Seeing the sights, and taking time to talk with one another. The bonding with one another was more satisfying than trying everything separately. It was the greatest bonding of their friendship up to that point. The culmination of preparations, planning, and expectations. Only to learn that they had more fun together than they did apart. That their friendship made the night the greatest night ever.

**********************

“Oh! That was a wonderful time. That was what really sky rocket our friendship. Although what really started it was when they followed me after Nightmare Moon.” She said as her body returned to normal.

“Yes it was. Do you see the paths your life took to get where you are now?”

“I think so. My parents scared me for life drilling in the need to be perfect. But my BBBFF, and my now marefriend taught me to be happy with who I am. That I need to be proud with what I do not worried and hate what I can’t. My friends taught me so many things that I would have never learned about if I never met them. When I became a Princess it was because of their friendship and the reality changing powers of the Elements of Harmony. I literally accidentally stumbled on a spell that was never meant to be. That gave me the power to control destiny.”

“Yes. So what do you plan on now? Do you give up the gift of Princesshood that they helped you tap into? Or do you keep it and work on becoming better?”

“I’ll figure it out later. Right now, all I know is that they will stand beside me no matter what I choose. And no matter what I’ll love them with all my heart and I know that they’ll do the same. I found my roots, and I did what I came here for almost. Now to see it out to the end.”

“Then all you need to do is go through that door.” She said pointing to the Library’s front door. As Twilight walked through it she was washed in a golden light. Feeling a sense of tranquility as she passed to the next stage of this journey.