Book two of "Who We Become".
Being a princess means always worrying what everypony thinks about you. So when Twilight overhears a private conversation, she has to come to terms with how she feels about herself, love, and a certain somepony, all whil...
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As usual, Twilight was early. Raven, Celestia's assistant, had offered to shuffle appointments to accommodate her, but Twilight wouldn't allow it. It was certainly not the agricultural committee's fault that she had decided to show up hours ahead of schedule, and there was no reason they should be made to wait because of it. Besides, she had chosen to leave so early because it would give her time to think. So, she found herself wandering the royal gardens.
The castle always put her in a logical mindset. Her parents' house was one of the most welcoming places to her, especially with how readily everypony had accepted Fluttershy. But she couldn't think like a princess around them – least of all Fluttershy. When she left, her marefriend had been bundled up in their bed, writing to Sunset Shimmer about their adventures in Oubliettes and Ogres. Twilight had long since given up on the game, but she loved seeing Fluttershy so interested in it. The normally shy pony was surprisingly apt at getting into her character's role.
Twilight shook her head. She was supposed to be thinking about her plans for the future, not Fluttershy's roleplaying. She decided the palace gardens just reminded her too much of Fluttershy, and she would be better off with a change in scenery. She walked aimlessly in the general direction of the library, and her mind wandered back to her marefriend.
There was a lot more going on with her dad than Fluttershy would say. That much was obvious; Fluttershy wasn't even trying to deny something bad had happened between them. What she couldn't figure out was what could have possibly happened that Fluttershy, of all ponies, would hold against him years later. In the three and a half years that she'd known Fluttershy, she never so much as mentioned that he was still alive. What prompted the sudden change? Was it something to do with Twilight's family?
She always thought Fluttershy was an orphan, and whenever she did talk about her parents, it was always with love and respect. 'For her mom,' Twilight realized. Fluttershy talked so rarely about her life in Cloudsdale that Twilight had never even noticed that she only ever talked about her mom. Had she ever actually said her dad died, or had Twilight assumed that? She honestly couldn't remember.
"Twilight Sparkle," a voice cut through her thoughts.
"Huh?" Twilight looked around and saw she had wandered into the astronomy wing on her way to the library, and that Luna was right next to her. "Oh, Princess Luna, hi! Is everything okay? It's the middle of the day."
The Princess of the Night smiled the practiced smile of a mare who was tired of constantly answering the same question, but knew she'd be answering it for years to come. "You are aware there are more hours in the day than the night, I am sure? I do not need to sleep for all of them."
"Oh, right, sorry. That was a dumb question."
" 'Tis no matter. You are here to see Tia, correct?"
"Yes, but she's in a meeting, so I was just killing some time"
"Perfect! Come, I am on my way to the kitchens for cake. Join me."
