Royal Resolutions

"Heh. Almost forgot you were a fan of this stuff, little sis."

Twilight Sparkle and Shining Armor rode high amongst the clouds overlooking Canterlot in the former's balloon. The dim lights of an ever-slowing wedding reception could still be seen below; the main festivities were long since over, but some ponies were clearly determined to make the party last until it was time for Celestia to bring the sun up once more.

Upon spying a bright pink dot darting all over the courtyard, Twilight shook her head and smiled. "Well, I have to admit... I arranged this for the nostalgia factor, really. It's been a while since I took my balloon into Canterlot skies... and even longer since you've been up here with me." She looked at her brother, who was clearly doing his best to maintain composure, and giggled. "I'd forgotten how well you do with heights, though..."

Shining Armor took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Yeah, about that. Oh well. Just like the old days, I think I'll be okay so long as I don't look down. Ever."

Twilight giggled again. "Well... are you okay with looking up?"

"Up?"

Twilight teleported her telescope in front of herself, and mounted it to the edge of the basket with a practiced air. "Use this to look up into space. That way the vertigo shouldn't kick in. I hope."

"You got it." Shining Armor placed his face to the eyepiece, and seconds later, those same eyes, and his mouth, were wide as dinner plates. "Wow, Twilie--either you've upgraded this baby like crazy, or this balloon goes a lot higher than I remember!"

Twilight blushed. "Well, I do keep up on the latest models--state of the art lenses, magical-powered zoom, that kind of stuff--gosh, is the difference that huge? I do this stuff all the time, so it's harder for me to notice..."

"Oh, absolutely! The constellations are bigger and brighter than ever... wait a minute." Shining Armor moved back from the telescope, an inquisitive look crossing his face. "If I get these kinds of results looking at constellations..." He quickly scanned the skies, visibly looking for something in particular.

"Already ahead of you." With pride, Twilight twirled the telescope, then pointed it at a precise angle. "Now look again."

Shining Armor did so, and smiled in satisfaction upon being greeted with the image of a tinted light shining brighter than the ones surrounding it. "...there it is. The 'Nighttime Sun'... the North Star," he marveled. "Even after all these years..."

Twilight nodded. "You used to always tell me, if I ever got lost, to just look for your cutie mark up in the sky, and it'd bring me home, safe and sound." She grinned, and placed a hoof on her brother's shoulder. "Then it became our cutie mark."

"Yeah. Yours more so than mine. That was when you started needing me less, I think..."

Twilight gasped. "Shining, do you really think that? Because that's absolutely not-"

Shining Armor waved a hoof. "I'm kidding, Twilie, totally kidding. But facts are facts..." He met his sister's gaze straight on. "...you have grown up. And I should have been around more to see it."

Twilight hesitated... then shook her head. "You had duties to get used to, and then carry out. You had to be on call for even the smallest of royal issues..."

"Don't hold back, Twilight. I've never been to Ponyville since you moved there, and every time you came back here to visit, I was always away on duty. Busy or not, that wasn't right. You were right when you laid into me about that yesterday. And just when we finally get to meet again..." Shining Armor trailed off, then took a deep breath.

"I know what you're going to bring up," Twilight said. "You don't have to. Really."

"Avoiding it would only make it worse, Twilie. The wedding rehearsal... a lot of things were said. A lot of things I regret." Shining stared into space--literally. "This whole week was crazy. A threat called into the capital. None of us ever knowing where or when they might make good on it--not even the Princesses. The safety of Canterlot, my position as captain, everything I ever worked for, everyone I ever loved, completely on the line." He let out a sad chuckle as he remembered. "The wedding was the only good thing I had going for me right then--I didn't want to think the worst about that, too. I needed to let my guard down somewhere. Yet... that line of thinking almost cost me everything." His hoof met Twilight's chin, nudging their faces into alignment. "My greatest treasure included."

"All of that's over, though," Twilight said, pushing back the memories of that moment--the one moment she'd ever been witness to every single one of her friends and loved ones abandoning her at the same time. It was preferable to holding back tears, though no easier. "And I don't blame you... really, I don't! That changeling queen deceived everypony, and did so in the worst way!"

The two unicorns moved back to the edge of the basket, looking out over the horizon again. "That means a lot coming from you, Twilight... though I think we'll both need time to get that out of our heads." Shining Armor let out the longest of sighs. "Yeah, at least Discord and Nightmare Moon were up-front about how crazy they were."

"Discord and Nightmare Moon? You were around for those?"

"Royal guard, remember? Of course I was there. Not that we made all that much difference."

"Oh, don't-"

"No, it's really true. Discord..." Shining let out a rueful snicker. "...where do I even start? Let's just say chariots and force fields aren't much use against a guy who can replace all of our horns with flashlights." He shuddered. "I wish I meant that in a figurative sense. Nightmare Moon, though... yeah. That was different."

"Really? How so?"

"Huh? Celestia never told you...?" Shining Armor blinked. "Then again, I guess that does make sense given what happened. Well, it's been long enough since then. While you were looking for the Elements of Harmony..."

---

Summer Sun
(circa two years ago)

"EVERYPONY! PROTECT THE CITIZENRY AT ALL COSTS!"

If Ponyville had been in a state of fear upon Nightmare Moon's return, Canterlot was in an utter state of panic. Unicorns were herded into their houses by the Royal Guard themselves as spontaneous bolts of lightning crashed over the capital town, uncaring of any destruction left in their wake. Nightmare Moon's triumphant laugh echoed over the chaos as she made a beeline for the castle.

"Celestia!" she bellowed, stopping in front of its gate and flying to eye-level with one of its towers. "I know you know what today is! Do you cower at the sight of she who would bring your undeserved reign to its end?"

For a few seconds, there was only silence in response. Then:

"Your thousand-year imprisonment has made you forgetful, Nightmare Moon! Since when have you known me to cower before the likes of you?" Princess Celestia soared from outside the castle's front gate, up to the mare she once knew as her sister.

"Since you ran and hid behind the Elements of Harmony! You couldn't deal with me then--what makes you think you can now?"

"Well, I don't have the Elements with me this time. So as for dealing with you without them..." She beckoned with one hoof. "...please, by all means, make your move. I've had a millennium to prepare for it!"

"As have I, 'dear sister!' I hope your subjects are prepared for eternal darkness henceforth!"

A stray bolt of lightning shot from Nightmare Moon's horn in warning; dissatisfied with the outcome of not seeing Celestia flinch in the slightest, she began a barrage.

"You're no sister of mine!" Celestia dodged the lightning bolts with precision, barreling through the sky and flying circles around the dark and armored winged unicorn. "My sister knew that Equestria flourishes only when the day and night are allowed to coexist!"

"Your sister let me into her heart because she knew you were overrated. And she's been all the better for it! So much happier now that she doesn't have to hide her true feelings--her ongoing resentment of you!"

"NO! I will never believe that!" Celestia's teeth gritted as a light appeared atop Celestia's horn, growing in intensity over time... but before she could let loose, a pitch-black smokescreen engulfed her and the surrounding area. "Wh-what the..."

"Hah! Some sun princess. Can't even handle a little smoke. But I can still see just fine..." True to her word, she located Celestia through the darkness, and sent an extra-powerful electrical charge her way... which exploded, dispersing the mist. "Direct hit! And that, they say, is... what?"

The smoke cleared fully to show Celestia unharmed, with a pink aura surrounding her, and a smug grin on her face. Nightmare Moon looked towards the source of the magic to find a white unicorn covered in the same.

Celestia shook her head. "All this time, and you still haven't realized, lofty ambitions such as yours are never achieved through solitary means! Do you know what I've learned, however?"

Celestia's horn glowed again, its light mixing with Shining Armor's--and Nightmare Moon soon found herself enveloped in a pink force-shield bubble. "Wh... what...?"

"Glad you asked. It's that sometimes even I can use a little help!"

"Why... why you..." Nightmare Moon clawed at the bubble to no effect, until her patience thinned, her anger grew, and electricity arced around herself, stressing against her prison... until, with a roar, the shields were broken, accompanied by a powerful wave which knocked Celestia and Shining Armor back.

Canterlot's two protectors were back on their hooves in seconds, just in time for a staredown to commence between all three. Nightmare Moon was the first to blink--and in that split second, Celestia saw something which made her gasp... with hope?

She didn't have time to act on it, however. "Well, big sister... it appears we are at a stalemate. The same sort of stalemate as a thousand years ago. But we both know what broke that tie, don't we...?"

And in peals of laughter, Nightmare Moon was a cloud of glittering smoke, disappearing into the distance.

The second she was gone, Celestia slumped, and Shining Armor rushed to brace her. "She left? Why would she-"

"It is not an occasion to celebrate," said Celestia through labored breaths. "She's gone to gather the Elements of Harmony--the same items which I used to seal her in the past."

"The same Elements of Harmony you nudged Twilight in the direction of?" When he saw Celestia nod, he righted her to her hooves, walked in front of her, and knelt. "Then, Princess, by your leave-"

"No."

"-I shall..." he quickly stood back up. "I'm sorry, run that by me again?"

"I will soon be surveying the kingdom, and need you by my side in case she tries anything else."

"Princess Celestia... your Highness... forgive me, but I'm afraid I find that to be too great a request."

Celestia's eyes narrowed. "Do you, now?"

"It took our combined might to barely repel Nightmare Moon's advances! You still have no control over your sun because of her..." His voice began a slow rise that he found himself unable to help, even through his fear of the words he knew he would say next. "...and now all of that power shares the same objective as Twilight Sparkle. They will cross paths, unless somepony gets in their way..."

"Shining Armor..."

"...and I intend for that somepony to be me. Mark me as a traitor if you must, but my little sister is in danger-"

"As is mine!"

That snapped Shining Armor out of it for precious moments. Never before had he seen Celestia so... so exasperated. "Princess...?"

"Did you not hear what I said when Nightmare Moon arrived?" said the white winged unicorn through deep breaths. "I've had a thousand years to prepare for this. A thousand years to mourn my sister's corruption, and a thousand years to figure out how to reverse the process. Frustratingly, every single possible method I came across that had held even the slightest chance of success relied on the Elements of Harmony... and a power to wield them that is utterly beyond even my capabilities. However, I eventually realized who could activate their full potential. Your sister... and mine."

"Celestia..."

The solar princess took slow steps until she was directly before her captain of the guard. "I believe in them, Shining. Luna, who is still trapped inside Nightmare Moon's malevolence, and who I have just found out is still trying to escape it with each passing minute... and Twilight, who is on the cusp of finding the greatest of powers hidden within herself. They are the key to ending Equestria's greatest curse--and trust them I must because if they cannot prevail..."

She wrapped her forelegs around him, her next words subdued, almost grieving.

"...then we are already doomed."

Shining Armor softened as he felt her body shake against his--the first time the two of them had ever been this close--and embraced her in return. "Princess, I... I didn't know. I'm sorry."

"Do not be. I understand your plight, because we share it." She pulled away from him, meeting his gaze with the weakest of hopeful smiles. "However, I know my sister, and I have seen the potential in yours. I have no choice but to trust in them now, and I beseech you to do the same." She looked towards the stars. "Besides, I trained Twilight myself. She just might surprise you."

---

"Princess Celestia..." Twilight whispered, feeling her brother's hoof on her shoulder at that very moment.

"She believed in you, Twilight. Even when you were still unproven. And she was right to. You came through, Princess Luna was returned to us, and... and then you decided to stay in Ponyville. I was a little sad about it at first, but shortly after all that, your letters started pouring in. The ones where you learned all sorts of lessons about friendship."

Twilight gasped. "You read those?"

"Are you kidding? Gosh, the stuff in those letters... you never talked about those kinds of things back home! You didn't really reach out much to anyone who wasn't family, Spike, Celestia, or Cadance."

Twilight looked down. "Didn't have much reason to."

"I know, Twilie. I know. Which was why I knew you finally having some space away from Canterlot was the best thing for you. So I... decided to... well, not get in the way. I know my sister growing up when I see it. Celestia would let me read your letters the day after any given one arrived. It was like Hearth's Warming every week for me... and Cadance."

Twilight perked up again. "Cadance? She-"

"Mm-hmm. Celestia granted her the same courtesy. In time, the two of us started meeting together to discuss your letters, and your progress... and that let us to discussing other things."

"Ahhh, I see." Twilight nodded--then did a double take upon putting two and two together. "Wait a minute! You mean I was the reason you two-"

Shining Armor ruffled his sister's mane. "Well, part of it, I suppose. But come on, there's still something to be said about your big bro's charms, right?"

Twilight giggled and waved Shining Armor away. "Yes, yes, I'm so sure. Well... what you've told me makes perfect logical sense. So I guess I can't stay mad about not hearing from you..."

She placed both of her hooves on his shoulders, meeting his eyes with emphatic ones of her own.

"...but I can tell you to never do that again! You're my big brother best friend forever! Sure, I would have dropped everything for you--but what little sister wouldn't? I would have just let everypony know how great you were! We would have found tons of wonderful ways to spend the time!" She let go, and sighed. "As it was... when you sent the wedding invitation, my friends hardly had any clue who you were. It was only then I realized that I'd never really told them about you! Because..." And now it was Twilight's turn to stare into space as she gripped the edge of the balloon's basket. "I... I almost forgot about you. And then when I finally saw you again... a-and I thought I ruined it, I..."

Shining Armor hugged Twilight from behind. "I guess we both make mistakes. Sometimes big ones."

Twilight sniffled. "Y-yeah... I guess we do. I can't believe it took me so long just to tell them how proud I am of you. You protect our home, so many of the ponies I care about, you're marrying the mare I would give a thousand blessings for you to marry..."

"Same to you. The 'rents and I were always a little worried about the whole introvert thing. Guess you just needed time, huh? You've completely turned things around for yourself, and now you never stop talking about the great friends you've made. You're all smiles... and on top of it all, you save the world on a yearly basis. As family I'm proud, but as an officer, I won't lie--I'm totally jealous!"

Twilight laughed. "Hey, you and Cadance beat me to it this time."

"Sure, after you uncovered the whole scheme and found my real wife! I... heh." Shining Armor relaxed. "I owe you a whole lot, don't I?"

"About as much as I owe you."

Shining Armor turned Twilight around and into a full-on hug. "I'll always love you, Twilight Sparkle. Even if you forget me, never forget that."

"I could never," Twilight replied, hugging back and cradling her head on his shoulders. "I love you too. So much."

"You know, I almost didn't come up here, late as it was. Glad you nagged me into it."

"Hee hee! Sorry. Look, just... at least write me a little more often, okay? I was serious about what i said--just because I've finally made friends doesn't at all mean I've forgotten about the ones who got me to this point."

"It's a deal, Twilie."

"Glad to hear it," said a female voice from off to the side.

"Cadance! Hi!" Twilight said, breaking away and following the voice to her hunch--a pink mare in mid-flight. "Oh... you took off your wedding gown?"

Cadance gave an overlong mock-dramatic sigh. "I know, I know, I really didn't want to--but do you know how hard it is to fly with that long tail it's got? Whoever designed the concept of weddings, they certainly weren't a pegasus! Anyway..." Cadance gestured towards Shining Armor. "...is it all right if I get your brother back? Only a couple of hours and I already miss him. Not to mention, we've got a honeymoon to prepare for, after all..."

"I guess that's fair," Twilight said with a sheepish grin. "I'll let the balloon down."

"No offense, but..." Cadance fluttered one of her wings, smiling straight at Shining Armor. "...I can't wait that long."

"...ahhh. Well, duty calls once more, I guess." He gave Twilight a kiss on the forehead. "Let's not be strangers anymore."

Twilight nodded. "Definitely."

With that, Shining Armor teleported out of the balloon, and reappeared mounted atop Cadance, who gave a startled gasp at the sudden weight. "-whoa!... Mmmm... hello there, husband of mine..."

"Heh. Morning, honey. Ready when you are."

"Oh, I'm ready." Cadance looked at Twilight and winked. "He still love heights?"

Twilight nodded boisterously. "Yep."

"Perfect. Good night, Twilight Sparkle. And once again, thank you for everything!"

The next half minute was filled with yelps from Shining Armor as Cadance gave him a roller-coaster ride back towards terra firma.

"Bye, you guys!" Twilight waved between laughs. "Enjoy your honeymoon..."

She froze where she was.

"...the honeymoon between my... brother... and my... foalsitter... who I used to play with as a filly..."

The images hit her mind, full force and all at once--and the second they did...

"...oh, ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!" echoed across the night sky.

---
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
"Royal Resolutions"
by Bookish Delight, 2011-2012
All characters and referred properties belong to Hasbro.
---

The Day of Discord
(circa one year ago)

She'd been in danger before. That was fine with her; she knew it came with the office she held.

She'd been at her wit's end before. Yet she knew: even when you live for millennia, you can always stand to learn new things.

But it was rare that Princess Celestia had been both of the above, yet been so powerless to boot.

That, she hated.

She looked out at her kingdom from her castle's tallest tower, which was literally coming apart at the seams in the night. Buildings turning upside down, water being turned into strawberry jam, unicorn horns being turned into flashlights... she'd laugh if she didn't know that it was all being done in the name of chaos and suffering... and that the cause of all of this would never stop, never end, never be satisfied.

She hated only being able to watch--but watch she had to. The Nightmare Moon affair had brutally taught her the value of patience; patience that was being stressed even now, as a solitary glow could still be felt within her heart. A single glow that she placed her full faith in. If the kingdom at large ever knew that even she looked up to one other... well, they would never know.

And as long as that one light was never snuffed, she would hold her own ground.

---

Princess Luna walked into the tower's room with a yawn, mercifully distracting Celestia from her worries. "Sister... what is my moon doing up so early? I did not raise it."

Celestia replied with exactly one word. "Discord."

"What?" That one word caused Luna to step back. "Well... that was quicker than expected."

"'Expected?'"

"All sealed evil eventually returns, Celestia. I have learned as much up close." She moved closer and hugged her sister, looking out to the moon as she did so. "Not a lesson I am exceedingly proud of, but knowledge is knowledge. So what is your plan?"

"Not so elaborate as the one I had for you, I'm afraid. Twilight and the other wielders of the Elements of Harmony have already been charged to quell the threat. Unfortunately I gave them their mission hours ago, yet..."

"I'm sensing bad news."

"Our usage of the Elements long ago links us to those who would wield them now--but only one of those links still persists at present."

Luna didn't even have to think about it. "Twilight Sparkle?"

"Twilight Sparkle."

"She does tend to come through in the tightest of situations, does she not?"

Celestia closed her eyes. "I'm counting on that now more than ever."

---

"Your Majesties," said a guard at the door, "You have a visitor."

"Somepony made it here in all this chaos?" said Celestia. "Let them in."

"As you command." The guard made way for a pink winged unicorn. "Presenting... the Princess Cadance."

"Cadance!" With a gasp, Celestia jumped to her hooves and ran to embrace her. "Cadance, my trusted companion! I thought you and Shining Armor were..."

"We were," Cadance replied. "I attempted to assist the royal guard as much as I could... but I'm afraid there's not very much that powers over the heart can do in the face of all this insanity. Shining Armor and I thought it best if I fell back to the castle for now. He also told me of your strategy--how are Twilight and the others doing?"

"Not well. In fact, Twilight is the only one le-" Celestia's head jerked up at that moment. "Oh... oh no!" She rushed to the tower's window, calling out in despair. "Twilight! Twilight Sparkle! You can't have... no..." Her face fell in an instant.

The other two rushed to Celestia's side. "Sister! What has happened-" Luna began, until she stopped short too. "...never mind. I felt it too."

Cadance looked between the two now-sullen sisters. "Somepony fill me in?"

"Twilight has failed," said Luna curtly.

"Indeed. That was it, Cadance. One by one, we felt their lights fade... ending with Twilight not ten seconds ago," Celestia shuddered. "They have fallen to Discord's powers of chaos; they have lost all hope. The Elements of Harmony can no longer help us."

"Then we win this day without them."

Celestia turned to Luna."Are you suggesting..."

"Really, Celestia. I know what it took to beat him all those years ago, but if we freeze in fear now, then he has already won!" She gestured to herself, her sister, and Cadance. "Are we not Princesses of Equestria? This kingdom is not Discord's to claim! Should we face him, then with our combined might, we may well have a-"

"If I may interrupt, Luna..." Cadance held up one hoof. "Before we rush in head-first? I have an idea."

"By all means. But please, make it good."

"You say Twilight Sparkle leads your task force, Celestia? Then I think we're still in this."

"How?" asked Celestia, almost too quickly. "Why?"

Cadance walked to a nearby shelf and opened its casing, revealing dozens of scrolls. "Because if there's one thing that's ever empowered her--before friendship, and beyond the Elements--it's the written word."

"Come again?" Luna walked to the shelf. "Wait, are those not-"

"-Twilight's letters," Celestia finished. "All of the lessons she learned personally, on the magic of friendship..."

Cadance nodded. "You were responsible for cultivating Twilight's magical powers, Celestia--but at the same time, I was often responsible for nurturing her as a pony. You know as well as I that sometimes she gets so lost in her personal quests for knowledge and order... that sometimes she forgets what she's already learned. I think a reminder is in order."

She levitated a scroll before Celestia, who hastily applied her teleportation magic to it.

Several more followed, and several minutes passed... until Celestia went rigid again... and then relaxed with a relieved smile.

"To think, Cadance, you underestimated your power," she said. "Heart may well win this yet."