Twilight went to the Cake’s store where the Princesses were waiting for her. She was always surprised at how nervously the Cake family acted around Celestia, but with Luna there they were practically in over drive to ensure that nothing was out of place. They looked like they were going to have an aneurism trying to ensure that their tea and variety of treats were full at all times. Seeing this and the uncomfortable look on Celestia’s face, something that living with her most of her life gave her insight into noticing the difference between her various expressions decided to that it was a good a time as any to take their leave.

“Mr. and Mrs. Cake, thank you for being such wonderful hosts. But we better get going, the Princesses have a lot to talk to me about. I’ll try and stop by sometime later before I go.” Twilight said with a smile.

“Oh of course dear. Sorry I mean Princess, you’re always welcome here.” Mrs. Cake stammered nervously.

“Thanks, but you can just call me Twilight. After all I’m still me.” Twilight said with a look of concern on her face hidden behind a smile.

“But that wouldn’t be proper. After all your royalty now. Well good night Princess and we can’t wait to see you later.”

After leaving Twilight looked at Celestia, “What was that about? I swear when I asked them to just address me as Twilight they looked like they were going to die of shock.”

“Twilight, it’s something that you’ll notice more frequently know. I know it will be hard at first, but it is what it is. Those around you other than your closest friends, and since you are a rare case probably your family. People will see you as a Princess first, and yourself second. You might notice those around you act differently than when you were just a Unicorn. While it takes some time to get used to, it’s how its always been with us Alicorn. Especially after me and my sister overthrew Discord three thousand years ago, when Luna and I had rulership over Equestria thrust upon our shoulders. We must have been about as old as the Cutie Mark Crusaders are now, well Luna was, I was in my adolescence at the time.

What we wanted to discuss with you were somethings that you’ll need to know now that your an Alicorn. Somethings that the History books don’t have, and some stories that are our cultural heritage. But it’s not all bad. After all you and your friends are the only Mortals to have used the Elements of Harmony, so their is a chance that our tales might not be your own.”

They had arrived at the chariot at this time and Celestia told her to think about what was said while they went to a more private place. The place in question was a small hill between the outskirts of Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. During this short flight Twilight was lost in thought. This was a wonderful day, and she loved learning new things. But she didn’t expect for the Cake’s, a family who had known her for three years as Twilight, to act so strangely around her.

She also wasn’t prepared for this talk. To think that as little fillies younger than herself they had the weight of an entire nation thrown upon their shoulders. She had a feeling that having a conversation this far from the outskirts of town wasn’t going to be a good thing.

“Now there is a lot to say Twilight, and most of it will have to wait until after the coronation so that we don’t weight you down with to much information at once. But there is a little we can tell you. First we will tell you how to use your Alicorn powers, and some talents that are inherent to our race. I’ll be showing you how to look at foreground and background magic. While Luna will teach you how to see energy networks and auras. Now my lesson I need you to clear your mind and touch your magic. Don’t use it, just connect with it.”

Sitting down Twilight allowed herself to drift into her mind. The place where her magical energies was located that she and all Unicorns use when channeling magic through their horn. It took several minutes but she was eventually able to clear her mind of everything but her magical center. Giving a slight nod she opened her eyes ready for her lesson.

“Good, now Twilight I want you to feel your magic softly expand from yourself and fill gently touch the area around you.”

Doing this was simple, but not wanting to distract herself from the lesson allowed her mind to flow gently around her. She felt the bodies of the Princesses, their individual strands of fur, the wind blowing on them, the individual blades of grass and the insects crawling around them. While it was simple, she never really appreciated how wonderful it could be to expand her senses to everything around her.

“Don’t let yourself get distracted Twilight, simply expand yourself. Let me know when your ready to continue.” Celestia said warmly.

After having expanded herself through the hill she gave a nod to Celestia while still maintaining her connection to the world around her.

“Good now this is a simple showing of foreground magic. Effecting and connecting to the physical world around you. It’s what most magical beings use. A simple twist of magical energy to make a change to the world around you. It’s what’s responsible for all magic that you witness on a day to day basis. Now this is the hard part, now that your connected allow your mind flow into it and shift behind the physical world. This isn’t easy at first and takes some training, but I want to see what you can do.”

Twilight still connected to the physical tried to push her mind past the physical but met resistance. As if a barrier stood between her and her goal. Pushing more magic at the barrier she felt a warble, but couldn’t push past it. Withdrawing the excess force she tried analyzing the barrier, but she couldn’t feel any magic in it. Only a resistance to her magic. Thinking back on her lesson and knowing she couldn’t fail her mentor tried infusing her magic into the barrier and reaching past it.

It was at this that she met a small success, seeing what looked like three dimensional contour map connecting everything around her. Various bends and swirls that connected everything, but superimposed on everything with wisps of swirling energy flowing around the bends and curves.
“I see something, but it’s odd and not that strong. I’m still feeling alot of resistance.”

“The fact that you see anything at all on your first time is saying alot. I knew that you were up to the task. Now tell me what you are seeing.”

“Well it looks like a giant contour map, but three dimensional rather than two. And their are weird pulses and swirls of energy flowing throughout the map. What is this?”

“Well that you can at least see that is a good sign as to what you are sensing. That is the network responsible for the mechanics behind physical reality. Everything, from magic to science is controlled by background magic and it connects everything in existence. Those swirls and pulses you see are simply pieces of information being sent and gathered from one part of the system to a different part. As you get better at this, you’ll be able to understand and shape to one degree or another the world around you. Now Luna your up.”

Luna who had been looking up at her night sky with a blissful look in her eyes turned her attention to Twilight. A soft grin spread across her face as she walked towards the new Alicorn. Placing a hoof on Twilights shoulder she said, “ First Twilight, let us welcome you to our kind, we don’t know how you managed it. But we know this is something that my sister and us are most happy for. It’s great that a friend such as yourself will make our lives a little more lively.”

Taking a step back she looked at Twilight, “Now as for our lessons. There is something that all Alicorns learn to do at a young age, but seeing as you are new we shall teach you. Firstly, all beings are interconnected to the world around them. Interacting and partaking with the magical networks in their daily lives. Within the body there is a microcosmic network of magical energy that moves this connection throughout the body and is responsible for the earth magic of Earth ponies, the Flying and Weather magic of Tulpa and Pegasi, and the raw magical abilities of Alicorn and Unicorns.

What I want you to do is to channel a small amount of magic through your eyes, eventually this will be second nature to you, but for now it is a good thing to work on. Next what you need to do is connect your magic to my body.”

Twilight thought this was a strange lesson going against common knowledge, but if it was an Alicorn technique than she was willing to try it. Focusing on pushing out a tiny sliver of magic through her eyes, she felt a slightly uncomfortable electrical breeze blowing through her eyes as she connected her magic to Luna. After awhile she noticed the magic she was sending was running over her body like a bunch of tiny rivers going to different parts of Luna’s body.

“So Luna is everyone’s network going to be the same color as my magic?”

“Ha! No Twilight it only looks like your magic since you are new to this. Once you get some training you will not only see these connections normally, and their energy flow. But the unique color of the individual. Although this will take you some time. Now onto your second lesson, and one that I’m glad can be done at night were it is easier to accomplish. Again push magic through your eyes, but now let your magic surround the outside of my body gently. Try to feel a spiritual force pressing against your magic and then focus on the the space between me and the outside of the force.”

Twilight focused on the pushing a small tendril of energy through her eyes again being greeted by that same uncomfortable electric breeze flowing through her eyes. Thinking about asking about this she asked both Princesses about it. “When I push magic through my eyes I feel what I can best describe as an electric breeze flowing through my eyes and if makes keeping my eyes open a little difficult since it makes my eyes itch, am I doing this wrong?”

They both sat back and thought about it. Finally it was Celestia who answered “ I completely forgot about that. After awhile it ceases to be a problem, and you won’t even need to think about it. You’ll simply be concentrating on someone and you’ll do it without having to push out magic, it will be something that will come naturally. Although, at least for me, it needs me to actually focus on it, rather than keeping it up all the time.”

Nodding that she understood and secretly grateful that she wouldn’t be uncomfortable with these techniques forever. Looked at Luna, the moon shining gracefully upon her indigo coat. As she focused her magic around her and with the magic gently pushing through her eyes she turned her awareness to Luna her self. Allowing her magic to grow bigger and smaller till she found the spiritual pressure around Luna. When she found it she looked at the space between and saw what she could only describe as a glowing yellow light.

“I see a yellow light, but it’s kind of hazy. Am I doing it correctly?”

“You’re doing well for a first time run. Eventually just like with the energy networks you will be able to see individual colors, textures, and flows. Now the thing about these Alicorn techniques is that they are important to a lot of our powers, but just as all ponies are strong in some areas and weaker in others. So to are some Alicorns better at some powers than others, and while there are a lot more powers to learn these two are the most important skills in your arsenal. I think that is enough for now, what do you think sister?”

“I agree, Twilight once again you have made me proud. You are quite the quick learner and I know that you will take well to what we have to teach you.”

And so it went on and off for these last six months. Learning about the great war that ended with all but the Alicorns dieing, how other than a few descendants of theirs being born Alicorns there were none left and most of those being mortal. How Celestia got those who were loyal to her in the Nightmare War between her and Nightmare Moon to stay loyal to her by giving them titles of nobility. How she said that they had a common ancestry to keep them in line. The various tales and stories that were part of Alicorn heritage. It was all in all quite the life changer to have her entire view of the world and history turned upside down. Some of those stories still gave her nightmares to this day.

“So Twilight what are you thinking about?” Celestia asked her face filled with concern at how distant Twilight was looking at the moment.

“Oh I’m just remembering what happened during and after the Alicorn Party when I first became a Princess. I still can’t believe how much I learned in these last few months.”

“I agree, it has been quite the experience for all of us. Well I’m going off to sleep. Twilight sleep well and I hope your journey yields what you are looking for, and if you see what the Watcher was talking about. Let us know immediately so we can be there to help you.” With that Celestia rose and left leaving Twilight and Luna together.

“Well Luna before I go to sleep would you mind if we look at your night sky together before like old times?”

“We would enjoy that greatly.”

As they left to the balcony to look at the glittering, nighttime sky. The stars shining brightly like diamonds in a velvety sea of darkness, her moon glowing brightly upon them Twilight looked at Luna as she looked with mixed feelings upon her moon.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something. Whenever I see you look at the moon you seem sad, why is that?”

“We are just remembering our time on the moon. We’ve never told you about that before have we?”

“No, I know it’s a touchy subject so I never asked about you as Nightmare Moon or about your banishment. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Thank you Twilight, you’re kindness is truly great and you’re correct it is painful to speak about it. But we think since we are friends we can talk, although there are a few things that even our sister doesn’t know about so we will refrain from certain subjects.

When we were always the more artistic and spiritual between us two. Tia was always the more logical and reserved of us. Well when we first gained my connection to the moon in ways that we never dreamed of the moon cursed us with a secondary form. What you see as Nightmare Moon is also the form seen when I go into dreams or do dream magics. When Tia saw this form it scared her and she called us a monster out of fear.

We think she regrets it but it’s something we refrain from asking. She ran from us and we wept that night as what was supposed to be a night of joy was a night of sorrow. After that neither of us talked about what happened and we suppressed that side of ourselves so our sister would love us. At first we spent a lot of time together, but eventually our time together grew shorter and shorter as our duties grew more and more strenuous. Well her duties, noone cared about me or so we believed, eventually we barely saw one another. We secretly resented everyone at that time for ignoring me, not having anywhere we felt we belonged, not being loved. We tried to tell my sister of this, but there was nothing she could do. She then as she is now to a much less degree is bound by her obligations, sacrificing her own emotions for those of the nation.

After our fight with Sombra, my protégé and the only one we had a connection with, we snapped. All that darkness needed an outlet and it chose the form that we kept hidden as that outlet. Yes there was some magic that fueled it, but it only fed what was already there. So it was then that we decided that we would not bow down to the Sun, but would make everyone see how beautiful and marvelous my night was. We would make them love me. Well you know the story of the Nightmare War.

But when she banished me at first Nightmare Moon stayed with me seething in rage training for her inevitable revenge. Then she left me, no one talked to her anymore, the castle in the moon was her last monument. Then it was simply a longing emptiness. We was alone all over again, but this time we truly had no one. Just the unforgiving cold of space, watching at a planet that was moving on without me. We pleaded and begged for mercy at first. Then we went to being angry at everyone especially myself. Then there was just a depressed sadness.

When we look at the moon now, all we feel is that emptiness and a longing to love my moon as we once did. But we digress, one day we’ll find my special somepony and we’ll be able to truly touch my moon again.” Sighing she looked at Twilight with tears running down her face at the reopened wounds, “we would love to show Tia how to touch her Sun as we once did my moon, but if she thought we was a monster when we were but a foal. We fear what she would say now with the memories fresh in her mind of what we had become.”

Twilight wiped the tears from Luna’s eyes as well as the ones running down her face as she imagined what it must have been like for her. Giving Luna a strong hug she looked her in the eyes and told her, “Listen I know personally that for all that time you’ve been gone she’s regretted every moment of it. I remember looking and Celestia at night and see a look of pure heartache written on her face when she looked at the full moon. She’s grown alot, I’m sure she’ll be more understanding now than she was back then. But if you’d like I’ll speak to her when I get back and we can work on making things better, and don’t forget we’re going to be getting you a special somepony soon ... I hope. Well I have to go to sleep I have a busy who knows how long ahead of me. Take care and I really do hope that I can help you soon. I don’t like seeing you sad like this and if you ever need me I’m your friend. And friends help friends when they are feeling down.”

With that Twilight went to her room to get ready for the upcoming day. She was greeted by a fully packed saddle bag and several suitcases. As she looked for Spike she saw him in his normal basket. He had grown recently, not quite a baby, not quite an adolescent. But she was glad that this growth spurt was a natural one rather than one fueled by greed. Walking over to him she gave him a gentle kiss on his forehead causing him to shift in his sleep slightly, “I love you my number one assistant I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She said as she laid herself down in her cloud bed before drifting off to sleep.