//------------------------------// // Epilogue: All Good Things… // Story: Flight of the Valkyrie // by Underwood //------------------------------// Shooting Star beat her wings surely, Valkyrie armour and gifted helmet gleaming in the distant sky as she continued to climb, using the landscape to align herself just as she and the Princess had discussed prior. “You can do this,” Twilight thought, every muscle in her body tensing as she watched helplessly from the tower balcony. With one final beat of her wings, Star hung in the air for a moment before turning back and into a dive, using gravity to propel her faster than her wings alone could. Passing the tips of the lesser mountains, she banked up hard, fighting against the intense air-pressure as a deafeningly-loud sound like tearing paper began to shake the castle’s windows. The gathered audience attempted to cover their ears from this thunderous noise, prompting Twilight to cast a sound-muffling barrier around them, just as soft, white halos began to pass over the speeding pegasus, creating even louder pops. Discord swallowed as he held the Mirror of Harmony to his chest like an archery target, wincing as an almighty BOOM shook the very mountains, marking the final moments of Shooting Star’s approach. A colourful, jagged shockwave erupted behind the pegasus as she streaked toward him, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake. “No. Way,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed under her breath, hovering just above the crowd. “It’s a sonic rainboom!” Fluttershy screamed at an uncharacteristic volume, along with assorted cheers from the audience. “Nuh-uh!” the Wonderbolt desperately refuted. “She’s- She’s going really fast,” Twilight fretted, the lone point of concern within a crowd of awe. The audience watched Shooting Star like a firework delivering its beautiful payload; a streak of light hurtling towards the draconequus at terminal speed, faster than any eye could trace. She was almost home. Just a little—bit—more—and— She was gone. The kinetic energy in Star’s wake hit Discord and the Mirror like a bubble, wrapping around them before a bright flash of light expelled it back; a visual suggesting that the pegasus had been successfully slingshot back in time as intended. As the loud rumbles and rainbow shockwave dissipated, Discord and the audience were left alone in silence. This was how it was meant to be, of course, but Twilight couldn’t help but feel a small sense of loss at the departure. She really was gone. Twilight Sparkle’s journey from friendless filly to Princess of Equestria had seen its fair share of goodbyes, but none had ever truly been final… Not until recently. Perhaps this was simply part of growing up and leaving foalhood behind; proof that those innocent days of being a carefree unicorn bookworm were long gone. It was a hard truth to accept, but this was the best outcome for everycreature involved. Time marches forward, lives are finite, and all good things come to an end. “Woah. Is this what it’s like to watch me?” Rainbow Dash whispered, the first to break the awestruck silence. “I’m awesome!” Applejack couldn’t help but chuckle at the distinctly Rainbow Dash statement. “So, she’s really gone?” Pinkie Pie asked, sounding as melancholic as Twilight felt over the loss of a friend, however short-lived their encounter may have been. “She’s really gone,” the Princess repeated, needing to hear it aloud herself, too. “How do we know she got home safely?” “The only way we’d know for sure is if nothing changes in our timeline; though there’s no way to know if we would even notice a difference.” A thousand simulations ran through the alicorn’s mind, questioning discrepancies across every moment of her life; though as her eyes settled on the nearby rainbow-maned pegasus, she knew with a small smile that everything had turned out as intended. “Best case scenario, it should be like she was never here.” “‘Never here’?” Pinkie parroted, far from consoled. “Come now, darling, you know this is how it has to be,” Rarity reassured her friend, resting a hoof on her pink shoulder. “She was never supposed to be here in the first place. Of course we’re sad to see her go, but she had to go home.” “Eeyup,” Big Mac added in solidarity. “Yeah, I know…” As Pinkie Pie sighed, Little Cheese slid down her neck for a hug, and Cheese Sandwich put his foreleg around her. “But there’s no way she was as fast as I am, right?” Rainbow Dash asked her partner, oblivious to other conversations. “Is it really so hard for you to accept that ya might have an equal?” Applejack answered, shaking her head wearily. “Yes!” “Quit yer belly-aching, or Ah won’t make yer favourite apple cider fritters later.” “What?! No way!” “Oo, those sound delicious,” Sugar Belle beamed, following the couple inside. “Speaking of baked goods, I can’t wait for you to try my latest batch of secret-recipe cinnamon muffins!” She leaned in, whispering loudly from behind her hoof. “The secret is apples.” Big Mac chuckled, “Eeyup!” “It was a pretty impressive show, I must say,” Trixie commented to Starlight as they returned to the tower’s interior; one of many spare bedrooms. “Though the ending was a little anticlimactic. Any showcreature worth their salt knows to keep the loudest bang for last!” “This wasn’t a show, Trixie; I don’t think they had the spectacle in mind. Theatrics aside, I hope she got home safe.” “I’m sure she did. Headstrong ponies like her don’t just disappear.” “I guess not.” “I hope I didn’t upset her before such an important event,” Gabby lamented to Spike as they flew off the balcony, a regular day of activities ahead of them. “Hey, don’t be like that, you did a nice thing saying goodbye to her. We don’t know what’s going on in the mind of a pony from two-thousand moons ago. She seemed to make it okay, so don’t worry about it.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Spike gave the griffon a hug, bringing a smile back to her face before the pair took off toward Canterlot. “Gosh, that was exciting,” Thorax exclaimed to himself with a grin, looking around at the slowly dispersing crowd. “All right, well… Back to the hive, I guess.” “I’ll fly you back,” Dragon Lord Ember offered with a smirk, returning to the balcony after dodging the crowd. “She’s my WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash screeched from within the tower as the main group descended the stairwell. “I said she’s your great-ancestor,” Twilight repeated calmly as she continued walking. “I had my suspicions from the beginning, of course, but when a loose strand of her mane presented itself to me, I couldn’t help but take the opportunity to run a DNA test in my lab. A morally questionable choice, perhaps, but it’s not like I could tell her the results anyway.” “Ya think?” Applejack snapped, looking very unimpressed. “I couldn’t have told you sooner, or the knowledge of your shared lineage might have altered your interactions with her,” she continued, glossing over her severe breach of privacy. “Learning things about a far-distant future is one thing, but personal details—like whether or not you have a family—could have altered our timeline catastrophically. The last thing I want is for you to fade out of existence because you put her off having children!” “Or ya could’ve, Ah dunno, not done that,” Applejack replied. “She’s my WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash repeated, stunned to deafness. “Settle down, sugarcube,” AJ sighed, shaking her head. “Well, to be fair, how many other ponies have you seen with a rainbow mane like yours?” “It would almost be strange if she wasn’t related to you,” Rarity added. “Now that you mention it, there was a certain resemblance,” Fluttershy mused aloud. “The zap-apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I suppose,” Discord added, having caught up to the group after a moment alone to collect his wits. “By the way, you might want to have your royal glazier take a look at this.” He presented the Mirror of Harmony to Twilight, pinched between two fingers as though it were particularly malodorous to only his nostrils. While the intricate frame remained intact, its crystal pane hung loosely from the edges in jagged spikes, utterly shattered by the powerful exchange earlier. “Oh no, the Mirror of Harmony!” Twilight wailed, taking its broken form with her magic and vainly attempting to slot the remaining loose shards back together. “I don’t suppose it’s still within warranty?” he asked glibly. “What are we going to do?! Do we return it to the Treehouse without telling the kids and hope the magic restores it, or should I confront them about it directly? Should I have asked them before using it? It’s not like it was entrusted to us. But it’s not like they’ll know what to do either! Ohhh!” “They’re not children any more, Twilight, I’m sure they won’t blame you,” Fluttershy consoled her much larger friend. “You sure you didn’t see to this little ‘accident’ happenin’ while you were alone out there?” Applejack asked the draconequus with a suspicious eyebrow. “We all know you hate that thing like timberwolves hate orange jam.” “I think you’ll find it’s called marmalade; and I don’t much care for your insinuation. Do you think it’s an easy task to ‘reverse’ chaos magic and send a creature back in time? It’s a wonder it didn’t break from trying to wrangle my incalculable power alone, let alone being rammed into by a pegasus travelling at mach two!” “Now don’t you be sayin’ Ah don’t know the difference between marmalade and jam!” AJ snapped, stopping to point at Discord angrily. No sooner had the main group reached the bottom of the tower’s spiral staircase, the ‘Student Six’—now adult teachers—charged into its lobby, accompanied by the founding Cutie Mark Crusaders, tumbling into a pile at the Princess’ hooves. “Are we late?” Sandbar asked, squeezing his head out from the bottom. “Of course we’re late,” Gallus answered, casually flying in beside the mound of creatures. “They wouldn’t be here if we weren’t!” “Yona can’t be late. Yaks never late!” the largest of the group insisted. “I think it’s pretty clear we missed it,” Scootaloo confirmed, rolling onto her back from the side of the pile. “Aww man!” Sweetie Belle moaned. “Uh, hey AJ,” Apple Bloom blushed, half-buried in yak fur as her elder sister joined the confused group. “Hey Big Mac. Hey Sugar Belle.” Applejack sighed, covering her face with her hat as their brother edged his way past, avoiding eye-contact. Ocellus shape-shifted into a potted flower as the remaining audience members filtered around the two groups, all silently acknowledging the embarrassing situation. “Oh, Sandbar, I’ve got those reports you wanted. I’ll leave them on your desk,” Starlight stated blankly as she passed. “Oh, thanks.” “So we missed it, huh?” Silverstream asked from the top of the pile, looking quite comfortable. “Bummer.” “Yeah. You missed it,” Rainbow Dash answered curtly, irritated by how obvious that was at this point. “Oh hey, what are you doing with the Mirror of Harmony?” Gallus pointed out, his judgemental tone pre-empting the reveal. “Oh, right, uh-,” Twilight fumbled. “So here’s the thing-” “We broke your precious mirror, all right? Is it really that big of a deal?” Discord snapped, folding his arms as he hovered behind the group. “These ‘Harmony’ things come and go; get used to it already.” “You broke the Mirror?!” Sandbar exclaimed, pulling himself from the pile as Ocellus returned to her true form. “It wasn’t on purpose, I swear,” the Princess insisted, shooting Discord a withering look. “We needed to use it to get Shooting Star home; to preserve Equestria’s timeline! I had no idea the kinetic energy would push it to its limit. I’m so sorry, everycreature.” “Eh, it’s fine,” Gallus shrugged. “It’s not like it’s had many uses since reforming Chrysalis and Cozy Glow. Equestria has been pretty uneventful, all things considered.” “Did you say ‘timeline’? Like, time-travel?!” Sandbar gushed, his eyes lighting up. “What do you think we came here to see?” Scootaloo asked sarcastically. “The Mirror was more of a shortcut to solving friendship problems anyway,” Silverstream agreed, now standing upright on Yona. “Kinda felt like cheating, to be honest.” “So… you’re not angry?” Twilight asked, feeling relief wash over her. “You’re the Princess of Equestria; it’s not like you need our permission to use it,” Gallus shrugged, landing on the tiled floor. “I know that, but we wouldn’t have received the Mirror of Harmony if you hadn’t built the Treehouse in the first place. And it was thanks to your group learning how to use the Mirror, that we were able to use it to reform three of Equestria’s greatest villains!” “I’m not sure I’d call Cozy Glow one of Equestria’s greatest villains,” Rainbow Dash mumbled. “Quite. I’ve done far worse things than she ever did,” Discord pointed out with misplaced pride. “Be that as it may,” Twilight growled through grit teeth, “the Mirror of Harmony may have fulfilled its purpose; restoring normalcy to Equestria once more, and giving itself to ensure our future. We should all be proud of what it has accomplished. Will you return it to the Treehouse of Harmony for me?” “Sure,” Gallus answered, stepping forward to take the cracked mirror in his claws. As he did this, the rest of the group finally pushed themselves off the ground and gathered around him. With Yona finally moving from the centre of the pile, Smoulder was revealed to have been flattened below her the entire time. “So did that pony get back to the past safe and sound?” Apple Bloom asked. “We think so,” Rarity answered with a smile. “I wish I could have met her; she sounded awesome!” Scootaloo enthused. “She wasn’t that awesome,” Rainbow Dash insisted, before relenting. “She was kinda cool, though.” Applejack huffed with a smile. “So just how distant of an ancestor was she?” the blue pegasus asked Twilight. “Oh, well she was your great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great-” “Okay! Forget I asked. While we’re sharing, are there any other secret Valkyrie artefacts you’d like to tell us about?” “Oh, I do hope so,” Rarity chirped. “I would love to study more than just the helmet of that exquisitely practical armour. To think she had a full set with her, and you never even mentioned it to me! I do hope you had the forethought to at least take some photographs.” “It’s funny you should mention the helmet, actually,” Twilight Sparkle began, encouraging the two large groups to exit the tower with her as she talked. “I’ve always felt there was something off about its inclusion in the Royal Archives. Carbon-dating magic confirmed that it was thousands of moons old, yet its construction was so particular, and unlike any of the precious-few records we have from that era. I even showed Starswirl once, and he called it ‘an odd specimen, indeed’. “The Valkyries were a force of necessity, formed to counter the griffon’s aerial attacks just before the moons-long Great Griffon War of the Third Age. That being the case, why would this singular surviving helmet suggest the remains of artistic tableaus and gemstone inlays?” “Because they had a keen eye for the fabulous?” Rarity offered. “Was it for their King?” Sweetie Belle suggested next. “Both possible, but after seeing Rarity’s gift today, I have another—albeit paradoxical—theory,” Twilight continued. “Surely you aren’t suggesting-,” Discord began with a scowl. “That both helmets are the same one?” Fluttershy finished, to most of the group’s surprise. “Exactly!” Twilight confirmed with vigour, once again energised by this perplexing adventure through ancient history. “Those embellishments are something only a creature with an eye for style and ample resources would indulge in, not any-old craftspony from the Pre-Classical Era.” “What exactly are you saying, Twilight?” Rarity asked, deeply confused. “It is my belief that the helmet you studied in the vaults is the same helmet she just left wearing, two-thousand moons older.” “But that’s impossible! How could I base my restoration on something that I hadn’t yet created?” The white unicorn shook her head, unable to process the logic. “There must have been an original I based my design on, or how would I have known what they looked like?” Twilight chuckled nihilistically. “Thus the paradox. This is why you don’t mess around with time-travel. Something felt off the moment you asked if we had any Pre-Classical artefacts you could reference for a gift… Call it predetermination or paranoia, but seeing your flawless recreation of that helmet in its prime just now, somehow I knew a loop had been fulfilled.” “I must say, the more I experience of this time-travel nonsense, the less I like it,” Rarity huffed, frowning at the floor as she walked. “Hey, Dashie,” Pinkie began, sidling up to her pegasus friend as the group slowly made its way down one of Canterlot Castle’s many hallways. “Do you ever feel like you’re a secondary character in somecreature else’s story?” “Huh? No way! I’m the main character of my own story; it’s kind of my thing.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s just, some days I feel like I have fewer scenes than other days, you know what I mean?” “‘Scenes’?” Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, having never learned to simply accept Pinkie’s eccentricities. “Just ‘cuz you’re not the centre of attention, doesn’t mean you’re not important. AJ helped me realise that.” “Oh, I know that.” The pink earth pony turned to Cheese Sandwich and Lil’ Cheese on his back beside her, sharing a wide grin. “I’m up there with the luckiest mares around.” She turned back, a bittersweet smile lingering on her lips. “It’s just, sometimes I worry if other creatures don’t see me happy, they won’t know I am happy, and worry about me when I’m not around.” “Like who? We see you all the time.” Dash tried to console her friend with a smile, though if this whole episode had taught her anything, it was that she still had a lot to learn when it came to interacting with others. “Maybe not as much as we used to, but we know you’re happy, Pinkie Pie.” “I know you guys do; it’s other creatures—the ones that only get to see us now and then.” “You’re losing me again,” she confessed. “It’s okay, they know who they are. But if somecreature can’t see us for a really long time, how can we let them know we’re okay?” “I dunno. Write them a letter?” “Words aren’t the same as seeing somecreature with your own two eyes—or however many eyes you have, I don’t judge. What if it’s the last time you ever see them, and you have no way of contacting them directly?” Captain Dash frowned, starting to piece together the cause of Pinkie’s concern. This had to be about Shooting Star, right? Who else would she never see again or have any way of contacting? The pair had only spent an hour or two together, so it was understandable why she might have felt a little left out following the grand farewell. “Well, if somecreature knows you well enough, I’m sure in their heart they know you’re doing fine,” she offered, trying not to wince under her own kitsch. “Same goes for you; do you think they’re doing okay?” “Maybe. I really hope so.” Pinkie looked down, a look of sincere concern on her face that she hadn’t expressed in many moons. “Everycreature deserves friendship and happiness, even if they don’t think they do.” Rainbow Dash sighed, still left uncomfortable by emotional topics. This was something better suited for Applejack’s down-to-earth advice, or Big Mac’s listening skills. She was a mare of action, not words. Still, she wasn’t the Element of Loyalty for nothing, and would never leave a friend hanging. “Happiness is just a friend away, right? I’m sure she—uh—‘they’ are doing just fine, and knowing that you care is enough to cheer anycreature up when they’re down. If them being happy makes you happy, you being happy should make them happy too, right?” “Yeah, you’re right, Dashie.” The parental-party-pony looked back up at her friend with a smile, though her eyes remained slightly reddened. “You always know the right things to say!” “I don’t know about that.” She looked away in embarrassment and caught the eye of AJ, who smiled back warmly, apparently having heard the entire conversation. The pegasus turned back, now blushing boldly. “I-I’m sure any of the others could have said it better.” “Nah, I like your advice the best. It always comes from the heart”, Pinkie beamed, before naturally gravitating back to her partner and son. Likewise, Applejack drew closer to the blushing mare. “Mighty fancy words, you said there, Dash,” she teased with a smug smile. “Shut up! I-I just said whatever came to mind.” “You said what needed to be said, and that’s the most anycreature could hope for,” the earth pony reassured her, teasing aside. She proved her sincerity by sidling closer and nuzzling into her a little. “H-Hey! Not in public!” the pegasus pleaded in a hushed voice, her wings unfurling in her bluster—a goal of AJ’s in her more playful moods—causing a few in the group to titter amongst themselves. “How ‘bout we take this back to the farm?” she whispered into her ear. Dash’s eyes darted about, unsure how to react to this proposal in a group setting. “So let me get this straight,” Rarity began again for the umpteenth time. “You’re saying that the helmet that I crafted, based on the helmet you still have in your archives, which I just gave to Shooting Star, and she left with, are one and the same?” “Really, Rarity, it’s not that hard to understand,” Fluttershy scolded her, finding her patience rapidly waning—a bad sign for any creature. “Didn’t you put yer signature on it or somethin’?” Applebloom asked in an attempt to help. “Somethin’ that would still be on the one in the archives?” “Please, darling. To sign one’s work is to admit a lack of uniqueness in one’s own style. My couture speaks for itself, armour or not,” Rarity replied with no small measure of pride. “Besides, I studied that piece with a fine-tooth comb. You don’t think I would recognise one of my own pieces, even after two-thousand moons?” “When you made those changes to it, like the gems and stuff, were they based on anything?” Sweetie Belle posed to her older sister. “I- Well, I- I suppose I noticed certain hints of missing fixtures, but the patterns on the cheek-plates were so worn, I designed my own from historical iconography.” “Designs that could have worn down over two-thousand moons?” Scootaloo proposed. “I- I mean- That- I don’t-” “Ah think you’ve broken Rarity, Scoots,” Applebloom teased. “All right, all right, leave my sister alone now,” Sweetie Belle warned her friends. “I’m sure she’ll get it in time.” “Time is exactly the problem, Sweetie Belle,” her sister growled, feeling the butt of everycreature’s joke at the moment. The large group arrived at the mezzanine of the castle’s main lobby, with Princess Twilight Sparkle stopping in front of the giant double-doors to her throne room; a common spot for greetings and farewells within the castle’s walls. She had already spent many moons welcoming dignitaries and throwing galas from this very location, just as Celestia had before her. She could almost see her smaller-self standing next to her mentor on these very stairs, starry-eyed by her mere presence and relishing in the formality. Now it had become a solemn spot for her, bathed in history, duty, and the future expectations of Equestria. Just as she had many times before, this was where she and her friends would part ways, though not for the last time. Not yet. The group of teacher-friends passed by on their way back to the Treehouse of Harmony, accompanied by smaller pairings and lone members of the audience, all slowly making their way out of the castle without fanfare. Twilight looked to the far main doors, spotting Starlight and Trixie, Big Mac and Sugar Belle, and even Maud Pie and Mudbriar—who had apparently been there too, unnoticed by her—all filtering out into the greater Equestria. They all had their own lives, their own schedules, their own jobs, their own families to get back to… Time never stopped here, of course. No matter what happened, no matter who was there to see it, life continued on. The dwindling group of friends lingered, making small talk and enjoying their increasingly rare opportunity to all be together at once. “All right, Ah’ll see y’all later,” Applejack announced first, stepping to the side with Rainbow Dash. “Don’t forget you’re all welcome at the farm any time.” “Yeah, we should probably get back to the Castle of Friendship too,” Applebloom added, with the Cutie Mark Crusaders alumni breaking off into their own group. “So many papers to mark,” Scootaloo moaned, deflating at the thought. “Yeah, so much for getting a break from work,” Sweetie Belle added, immediately looking tired. “See ya guys ‘round,” Rainbow Dash saluted, taking to her wings and hovering over the Applejack to pick her up. “Later!” the earth pony waved as she was hoisted up, with the pair zooming out of the open castle doors a second later. “How come you don’t fly me around like that?” Applebloom teased Scootaloo. “You wish,” she shot back as the trio trotted down the plush, carpeted steps; absent-mindedly followed by Rarity, who was still muttering to herself feverishly as they left. “Say hi to Luster Dawn next time you see her!” Sweetie Belle yelled back with a wave. Twilight smiled and nodded in return. Odd she hadn’t turned up for this one-in-a-lifetime event, though she was known for lacking certain time management skills. Come to think of it, Twilight hadn’t seen her student since this all began. Was this the kind of thing that Princess Celestia got up to when she wasn’t around, back in the day? “We should probably be getting back too,” Fluttershy began. “I don’t want to leave the little ones home alone for too long; who knows what mischief they might get up to if they think they’re not getting their dinner.” “I swear those rabbits will be the death of me,” Discord groaned, pulling at his face. “Didn’t you leave—what’s their name—Soft Touch in charge of them while we were here?” “Yes, but you know how they are; leave them alone for much longer than half an hour, and they’re the one being looked after by the bunnies.” Fluttershy gave a delicate smile and wave as Discord raised his claw half-heartedly, walking the both of them through an invisible slice in space and back to the pony’s quaint cottage. “It was a super fun farewell-time-travel party, Twilight,” the pink pony squeaked, before leaning in closer and raising a hoof to her mouth, adding in a half-whisper, “though personally I would have added a few more balloons, confetti, and snacks. Not a bad first try, though!” Twilight giggled. “Thank you, Pinkie.” “Lil’ Cheese and I have the munchies that only bear claws can satisfy, so we’re heading to Sugar Cube Corner,” Cheese Sandwich announced with a smile, as the small yellow foal nodded excitedly. “ Care to join us?” “Thank you, but I have some things I need to sort out after this whole fiasco, and more than a few bookshelves to reorganise.” “Okie-dokie-lokie, Twilight!” Pinkie replied with a smile, bouncing over to her partner with almost as much energy as the old days. The family waved and began their descent before the pink pony stopped and turned back with an unusually serious look on her face. “Take care of yourself, Twily, okay?” ‘Twily’? It had been a long time since anycreature had called her that; even her brother, who coined the nickname. Come to think of it, it had been a while since she’d seen that side of her family, beyond official correspondence with Cadence. Even her niece, Flurry Heart, had become quite busy after taking the mantle of some of the Crystal Empire’s princessly duties. But she could think about that later; Pinkie Pie needed her right now. “Thank you, Pinkie, I wi-” “We might not always be around, but even when we’re not, know that we’re super happy and having a super fun time,” she continued, clearly determined to get her point across, whatever it was. “I’ll be super happy because I know you’re super happy too, so… take care, Twilight.” The Princess smiled warmly. Perhaps her thoughts had been more visible on her face than she had realised. ‘Twily’ might have been an old nickname, but it had been even longer since she’d received a pep-talk from anycreature. Her powerful position and mature features tended to sell an aura of self-assurance that kept warm words at bay, so she hadn’t realised just how much she had needed to hear them. “I will. Thank you, Pinkie Pie.” “Okie-dokie! See ya’ soon, Twi!” the earth pony replied with her signature beaming smile, happily pronking down the stairs after her loved ones; a classic example of her ability to shift tones on a bit. Twilight continued to smile, looking down at her hooves with a gentle nod as she thought on what her friend had said. By the time she raised her head, she realised that all her guests had now left, leaving her alone in the vast castle lobby, besides the two guardsponies flanking the door behind her. She sighed, the smile fading, but not disappearing completely. Pinkie Pie wouldn’t want that. The Princess turned, and the guards instinctively knew to begin opening the large double-doors. She thanked them as she passed, though her voice rang dry. Why had Pinkie Pie said that to her? Why now of all days? Perhaps she was feeling the same sense of loss over Shooting Star, or perhaps it was something else… She wasn’t going away, was she? No, she had only just come back from visiting her family’s farm, so she would probably remain in Ponyville for a while now. Perhaps it was… Twilight sighed again, a little louder now that she was in the more personal space of her equally empty throne room, despite the inner door-guards. She climbed the steps to her plush cushion and turned to sit upon it, her mind still ringing with errant thoughts as she looked upon the hollow hall; as beautiful as it was bleak. Certain thoughts surrounding her potential immortality had been becoming more frequent as of late, increasingly hard to ignore as she watched her best friends of so many moons age before her eyes. The sagging eyes, the grey hairs, their waning energy… For her, the greatest changes she had experienced were a growth spurt, a more defined chin, a longer horn, and a magical mane; but her friends… Life was supposed to be an arc, but for her, her peak had stalled as she watched those she loved arcs’ dip. They had found love, begot families, lived their lives, all while she floundered, losing all sense of time. She felt no pressure to change or enhance her life as she once had, even as a fledgeling alicorn, before the true scope of her role in the world had been impressed upon her. Taking the throne from Celestia and Luna had been more than just a changing of the guard, but an entirely new phase of her life, beyond anything she could have imagined. Twilight looked to her right, to the empty cushion reserved for her Royal Advisor, already gathering dust after its brief use the last few days. Even little Spike had grown into a full adult, yet she remained the same uncertain and oblivious unicorn she had always been, albeit with more governmental duties. Perhaps those very duties that now kept her so occupied were the reason she hadn’t the time to notice the way her life had stagnated. Was Pinkie Pie able to see this deeply into her? To read her very core more clearly than she could herself? She smiled, shaking her head. No, Pinkie Pie was intuitive beyond reason, but she had made a point of never letting these fears of hers show. Immortality was her burden to bear as the principal Princess of Equestria, not something she ever wanted her closest friends to consider. She would be here for her friends, every day of their lives, just as they had been there for her ever since her very first day in Ponyville. She would be happy for them, just as the Element of Laughter had wished, because that happiness would ensure their happiness. Family was never something she had needed, because her friends had become her family, and she would stay by their side until the very end. And when that end came… Equestria would be her family. Every creature, every pony, every student; each a unique life she would cherish and nurture. Perhaps this was how Celestia and Luna had felt of their position; parenthood spanning a thousand moons. It was the most natural conclusion to the seemingly unnatural existence of alicorns, and now the cycle repeated. Once the student, now the teacher. One day, the only creatures that knew her as anything more than the Princess of Equestria would be fellow Princesses, or Discord. A sobering thought. Perhaps this was the same future that lay in store for Luster Dawn… though she doubted it. Who knew how many students Celestia and Luna had mentored over their long reign? Over the span of some two-thousand moons, it seemed unlikely that herself, Sunset Shimmer, and Snowdrop were the only ones of note. No, she would bear this burden for as long as she could, just as the sisters had. Maybe one day, far in the future, there would be a new princess to take her place… but not innocent Luster Dawn. She deserved a future. A life. An arc. Twilight took another deep breath, this time feeling her tensed muscles relax as she settled back into her chair. Now was not the time for self-pity, but the time for action. Envigored by this fresh reflection, she wanted to celebrate everything that Equestria had achieved in the last two-thousand moons, give or take, and she had just the thing in mind. Princess Twilight Sparkle stood from her crystal throne beside Spike’s, one of seven surrounding the defunct Cutie Mark Map in the Castle of Friendship. Just over a month ago she had held a meeting to discuss what to do with the newly arrived Shooting Star, and now she had returned with an equally consequential purpose she wished to showcase to her friends. The purple alicorn beheld the circle of warm faces, allowing herself an extended moment to drink in the nostalgic scene. All seven of her best friends were here this time, as well as Starlight Glimmer, who stood across the table from her. Discord was also present, though now devoid of a spare chair to sit on, was relegated to leaning on the back of Fluttershy’s—head resting lackadaisically on his clawed hand. “Thank you all for coming to this special Friendship Committee, girls,” Twilight began, having relished the comforting atmosphere enough. “I know you have busy schedules.” “Of course, darling, we're always here for you when you need us,” Rarity smiled reassuringly. “What’s on your mind, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked in her naturally soft tone. “Recent events with Shooting Star, and the many hours I spent researching time-travel got me thinking. So much has changed in the two-thousand moons since Shooting Star's time; not only have ponies grown closer, but we’ve learned to welcome everycreature, regardless of origin and free from judgement. Harmony has spread from our hearts, to the nation of Equestria, to the entire world; and that’s something I want to celebrate.” The group nodded along in agreement, with only Discord rolling his eyes at the sentiment. “I’ve known you all for almost forty moons now,” she continued, “and we have achieved so much already, in such a relatively short amount of time. Together, we have literally changed the world around us forever: the enslaved crystal ponies, the jealous changelings, opening the School of Friendship to everycreature, restoring Luna to her old self, and defeating Chrysalis, Sombra, Tirek, and even Discord-” She paused with a slight smile for the rebuttal she knew was coming. “‘Defeat’ is a strong word,” the draconequus countered, right on cue. “I merely conceded to your way of thinking, that’s all.” “More like ‘concreted’,” Rainbow Dash retorted with a smirk, earning a few smiles around the table. “Really, how many moons has it been, and still with the statue jokes?” he scoffed, turning up his muzzle. “But what about the next ten moons? The next fifty? The next hundred?” Twilight resumed, satisfied they’d had their fun. “In a thousand moons, will anycreature remember the lessons we learned and passed on? Who will keep the torch of friendship lit when we are no longer around?” A sombre silence lowered as the heavy topic of this meeting was finally revealed. Potential immortality aside, this proposal concerned the legacy of everycreature here, and insurance that peace remained—as far as Twilight was concerned—forever. Equestria had avoided full-scale war more than once thanks to the direct intervention of these six ponies, but that was not a timeless solution. Just as the Elements of Harmony had returned to the Tree, the Tree of Harmony seeded the Castle of Friendship, the Tree’s remains became the Treehouse, and the Treehouse of Harmony bore the Mirror; the tools we learn and use must be passed to the next generation, refined and concentrated with every telling. Perhaps she alone could be a bastion of peace for thousands of moons, just as Celestia and Luna had been; but not even that was eternal, and alicorns are just as fallible as any other creature. Twilight lowered her head as she sat back down in morose contemplation, her friends looking at one another in confusion. It was a dense question to ask without warning, causing them to not only worry about their own futures, but wonder why she was suddenly asking such a thing. It seemed so… final. “Can’t they just read our book?” Fluttershy suggested, placing her hooves flat on the table. “I wish it were that simple,” the Princess answered with a shake of her head. “But our lessons may not apply in the future the same way they do now. If stories are not constantly reinvented, creatures tend to overlook them in favour of newer ones, regardless of the merit of their content. Only the most dedicated researchers and bibliophiles read books from a hundred moons ago, let alone thousands. Do you have any idea how hard it was to find intact bureaucratic documents from the Pre-Classical Era, let alone a guide on friendship?” She sighed, steepling her hooves together on the inactive map. “Aren’t creatures gonna continue to teach our lessons at the School?” Applejack asked. “Teachers are largely responsible for their own curriculum, as long as it’s within the topic of the class,” Starlight Glimmer answered, pursing her lips. “You should know this, Applejack.” “Oh, uh, yeah. Curriculum. Ah have one of those,” she chuckled unconvincingly. “Totally don’t just say whatever comes to mind. Nope. Got it aaaaall planned out.” “I don’t know why you even bother trying to lie, AJ,” Rainbow Dash teased with a smirk. Starlight groaned, holding her forehead as the blue pegasus turned to Twilight. “Anyway, aren’t you gonna be around to make sure things are okay, even if we’re not?” “Rainbow Dash!” Applejack snapped. The alicorn sighed, pushing herself back up and beginning a lap around the table. It seemed she wasn’t the only one sheltering that thought after all; how could she be? They all knew the previous princesses and their history, so why would her life-span be any different? “What? It’s probably true,” Dash whined in defence. “You can’t just say things like that!” “Immortality is a touchy subject, I’ve found,” Discord offered with a blasé gesture. Though she didn’t say anything, Fluttershy looked down, pained by the memory. “Surely you already have an idea in mind, Twilight?” Rarity asked. “You wouldn’t have called us all here otherwise.” Twilight nodded as she passed behind Starlight. There was no point dwelling on questions with no answers; this had become her destiny from the moment she rewrote Starswirl’s spell… From the moment she read it aloud… No, perhaps the day she arrived in Ponyville, or even as far back as her entrance exam for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. She had come such a long way, and who’s to say that this wasn’t where she was supposed to be right from the moment she was born. She was Twilight Sparkle; Princess, aunt, friend; and this was exactly where she was supposed to be. “It’s only theoretical at this stage, which is why I wanted your feedback first. I want to leave a mark on this world that will never fade; something that can keep the magic of friendship alive longer than any book or memory.” “Ooo! Like a festival, or a national holiday?” Pinkie Pie suggested with a tired excitement that showed her age. She had been unusually quiet until now, but as she pulled out a miniature equestrian flag from her mane and waved it around while confetti rained from… somewhere, she seemed just like her old self. “No,” Twilight answered with a smile. “Sadly, the true meaning of holidays become lost over time, even if they’re actively celebrated. Just look at the Grand Galloping Gala, Nightmare Night, or the reality of Hearth’s Warming’s windigos. Our lessons need to be permanent, like a story etched in stone, without the risk of misinterpretation or reappropriation.” The princess had finished her lap, now turning to the table as her horn began to glow. The ambient light of the room dropped, despite being naturally lit, leaving only the dim glow of the Golden Oak’s roots as three glowing outlines appeared over the table for all to see; a trio of purple geometric shapes in the shape of a horn, a set of wings, and an orb representing the planet. “This was what I had in mind,” she continued, as the others stared in awe. “I want to imbue the lessons we’ve learned and the magic of friendship into three crystals, one for each pony race. With these tools, I believe that future generations shall continue our journey and add to the index of knowledge each stone holds, using it to spread that magic across the world.” As she spoke, the three crystals converged, slotting together to create one unified shape. One might consider this shape symbolic of alicorns, but to Twilight, it meant a unified Equestria. Watching them come together for the first time in front of an audience, Starswirl’s voice surfaced in her mind, reading that unfinished spell that had caused her so much trouble, so long ago: From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled. It was a powerful memory, almost enough to draw a tear from her now hazy eyes. Perhaps all the troubles and tribulations in their lives had led up to this moment; a destiny they never could have foreseen, long beyond the scope of their own natural lives. The following words slipped from her mouth without thought, as though they were all she could say in this moment. “From all of us together, together we are friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there is magic without end.” The room remained hushed, heavy with meaning. “So… they’re kinda like the Elements of Harmony?” Spike asked, breaking the atmosphere of the room. “You could see it that way,” she answered, separating the holographic crystals once more. “The Elements given to us by Starswirl and the Pillars unlocked our inner potentials, and the same could be said of these crystals. The magic they hold will be purely emotional, and not, as Dragon Lord Ember once called it, ‘weaponised friendship’.” She released the spell, allowing the three objects to dissipate. “My hope is that they will act like beacons in our nation’s capitals, much in the same way the Crystal Empire has the Crystal Heart. Perhaps a select few will be so inspired by the message of these ‘unity crystals’, they will be to their generation as we were to ours, and the Pillars before us.” “What exactly do you mean by the magic bein’ ‘emotional’? How’re ya gonna get our lessons into a bunch of stones without a chisel?” Applejack asked with a hoof raised in confusion. “This is the theoretical part. I intend to use the fullest extent of my magic to enchant the crystals with the purest essence of friendship; that warm feeling you get when you help somecreature or give a gift, and they smile back at you sincerely. Perhaps someday, when the world is full of technology we can’t imagine and creatures have drifted apart, touching the gem in their race’s capital will remind them of what it was we fought to protect. In fact…” Twilight closed her eyes and the Friendship Crystals reappeared, now accompanied by dozens of additional shapes filling the room, each one evoking one of the many races of Equestria and beyond; dragons, changelings, yaks, hippogryphs, griffons, kirin, abyssinians, taurans, buffalo, breezies, zebras, and many more. “These are the symbols I wish to share across the world, each one a powerful reminder of what we gain by staying together. Assuming I can get our crystals to work as intended, I’d like for every nation to have their own Unity Crystal,” she announced with pride, that idealistic twinkle returning to her eye. “Can you imagine? Not just three or six ambassadors of harmony like we were, but tens! Maybe hundreds!” “‘Hundreds’?” Pinkie Pie echoed, her eyes widening. “Just think of all the potential new friends! The parties! The daily—no, hourly—birthdays!” “If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a businessmare,” Rarity began, crossing her forehooves on the table. “It’s to not let your aspirations get the better of you. You must have a solid foundation before you start thinking about expansion.” “I think what Rarity’s trying to say is to get one working before you go into mass production,” Rainbow Dash concluded. “That is exactly what I just said, Rainbow Dash; no interpretation required,” she snapped, huffing in contempt before turning back to Twilight with a flick of her greying mane. “Of course, if your project requires only the finest jewels, you know the mare to come to.” “Thank you, Rarity, I know I can count on you,” the Princess smiled, as the wireframes disappeared once more and light returned to the room. “Together, I know we have what it takes to make this happen. I’ve already done some research into materials, and I believe the hippogryphs may have some rare aquamarine in Seaquestria with high magical potential, but ideally I’d like gemstones attuned to each respective race.” “‘Attuned to each race’? What does that mean?” Spike asked from her side. “Jewels are formed from extreme pressure exerted on unique minerals, which gives them their varying colour and attributes. Diamonds, for example, are highly attuned to earth ponies, due to their purely earth-based origins. Quartz is often used for enchanting and has a high magical potential, though bismuth is the mineral typically associated with unicorns. I could go on, but the point is that certain creatures resonate better with certain minerals, depending on what we can get our hooves—or otherwise—on.” “I can’t really say I understand,” Spike admitted, scratching the back of his head. “But it sounds tasty, that’s for sure.” “Speaking of dragons,” Rarity continued; “I've heard that a certain precious gemstone is sealed away in the Dragon Lord’s personal treasure hoard, because it emitted—and I quote—‘icky pony-feelings’ when touched.” “That sounds like a perfect trial study!” Twilight beamed. “I’m sure they won’t mind trading it for an equally shiny local crystal. Shoot, I should have spoken to Dragon Lord Ember while she was here. Spike, Rarity, would mind acquiring it for me?” “No problem! I've been meaning to go lava surfing with Ember for a while now, so it'll be two birds with one gem,” Spike chuckled, lifting himself off his tiny throne. “I’ll ask Maud if she has something of equal value to trade,” Rarity offered as she stood up. “Speaking of Maud, I’ll ask her if she knows of any weird crystals that give you the warm-fuzzies,” Pinkie announced, pulling an already-inked quill from her mane, ready to write a reminder on the base of her hoof. “Besides, it’s almost time for the Pie Sisters' Surprise Swap Day, and what better gift could I give Maud than a full day of talking about rare rocks? It’ll be fun and constructive. Funstructive!” “Perfect,” Twilight beamed, overjoyed to have such helpful and supportive friends. “Researching these—hm, let’s call them ‘empathy crystals’—will help, though any magically-receptive gemstones will technically do, at least for now. When it comes to crafting the final artefacts, I want the enchantment to last as long as possible, which means using only the rarest and purest of crystals.” As the room began to bustle with various ponies leaving on their new assignments or chatting amongst themselves, Twilight chose to take a moment for herself, looking down at the peytrel hanging around her neck. Reaching under it, she pulled out the chained Alicorn Amulet gifted to her by Celestia and Luna at the beginning of her reign proper. She was finally starting to understand what it meant to be a Princess, not just as a title, but as an obligation. To her, this broken amulet symbolised the transfer of power from the two oldest rulers of Equestria to her, more so than any castle or crown had. It had once aided her control of the sun and moon when she could not do so alone, maintaining the status quo of Equestria; and now she looked to pass that responsibility on to the next generation, and beyond. Perhaps there would be a new alicorn when the time came, perhaps not, but it was up to her to prepare everycreature for that future. She smiled farewell to the warm, old memories as she returned the powerless amulet to its place beside her heart. Keeping it close let her feel as though the sisters were still by her side, gently guiding her towards an even brighter Equestria for all. “You alright there, Sugarcube?” Applejack asked softly, having approached without her noticing. “Oh! Yes, yes, I'm fine, thank you,” she smiled, blinking back the tears in her eyes. “Time has passed so quickly, don’t you think?” The country pony chuckled, tipping the brim of her hat. “When you work the farm every day like Ah do, the days can feel awful long. That said…” She looked back to Rainbow Dash, who was currently trading stories and joking around with Pinkie Pie. “When ya find the right pony—or creature—to spend it with, time sure can fly.” Twilight smiled again, though it was emptier than the last, and luckily unnoticed. “Oh, um, Twilight,” Discord began with an unusual uncertainty to his voice. He approached the alicorn with a sheepish gait before turning back, looking to Fluttershy who silently urged him on. Nodding, he faced the princess once more. “I- uh- just wanted to say; if there is ever a time you wish to talk about—perhaps—headier subjects than these ponies would understand…” As Twilight raised an eyebrow, the draconequus cleared his throat, clearly struggling with this uncharacteristic show of sincerity. He shot a glare at the nearby Applejack, prompting her to roll her eyes and return to the group of chatting ponies. “That is to say,” he continued in a slightly hushed tone. “If you would ever like to discuss your potential immortality, who better to share your thoughts with than a genuine millennial like myself?” he offered with a raised eyebrow. “Without the royal pains here, who else could understand what lies ahead for you?” The alicorn tilted her head quizzically, turning her body to face him directly. “Are you… worried about me?” “Well, I- That is-” He straightened up, looking around to check if anycreature was in earshot. Groaning quietly, he looked back to yellow pegasus again, who enthusiastically nodded him on. Steeling himself, he leaned back in. “I suppose- Perhaps.” “I appreciate the offer, Discord, I do. I think… I may take you up on that soon.” She forced a smile, struggling to be enthusiastic over such a topic, though genuinely appreciating what it meant for him to offer. “O- Oh! Right, well, yes, I suppose it’s a date, then.” Seeming surprised with the positive reception, he straightened up and strutted back towards Fluttershy, who was beaming in pride, before turning back briefly. “What sandwiches do you like?” “Pardon?” “Sandwiches. I need to know what you’d like to go with your tea. You do like sandwiches, don’t you? What civilised creature doesn’t?” “Oh, well, yes, I hadn’t really thought about it. I suppose daisy is fine.” “Daisy? Rather generic, but all right; it should pair well with the ginsing.” “The what?” “You’ll find out soon enough. See you on the flip side, Princess!” He sauntered back to his yellow companion, his confidence renewed from how well the interaction went. Twilight shook her head in disbelief as she turned her attention back to the others, catching Rainbow Dash and Applejack just as they left. With Discord and Fluttershy teleporting away with a snap, the only other pony left in the room was Pinkie Pie, looking down at her hoof in confusion. “Pinkie?” the Princess asked softly as she approached, sensing something was wrong. “Yes, Twilight?” she answered immediately, looking up with her large, blue eyes. “What are you doing?” “Oh, I wrote a note on my hoof, but I can’t read what it says.” Both looked down at Pinkie’s raised hoof and the inky smudge upon it, likely smeared as soon as she stood from the table. “You don’t remember what it says? You only just wrote it.” “Nope-eroni. My brain’s been like hole-y cheese since I had the little one; that’s why I wrote it down!” “Oh… Well, you said you were going to talk to Maud about empathic crystals for the Unity project.” “Ohh, that’s right!” “If you’ve got room in your mane for a quill—and somehow ink, too—perhaps you should carry some paper with you?” “Oh, I have paper,” the pink pony answered matter-of-factly, immediately pulling an A5 notepad from her voluptuous curls. That mane remained one of Equestria’s greatest mysteries. “Wha- Then why did you-?” “I know you like books, Twilight, but blank paper’s so boring and plain. Plus it tickles when I write on my hoof!” she giggled. “But it wouldn’t be blank if-” Just then Rarity peeked her head around the door. “Pinkie, darling, are you coming? I thought we were going to see your sister Maud together?” “That’s my cue! See ya later, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie beamed one of her wide smiles and bounced away, leaving the purple alicorn finally alone in the map room. Twilight smiled, shaking her head at the earth pony’s one-of-a-kind behaviour. She wouldn’t change a thing about her. She sighed, looking back at the empty thrones that were so full of life mere minutes ago. As it often does when one is alone, the Princess’ mind drifted back to darker thoughts, and the cold crystal of the cutie-mark-crested chairs almost began to look like headstones… Come on, Twilight, snap out of it. Lives are only as important as the legacies they leave behind, and that was exactly what the Unity Project aimed to preserve. If everything goes according to plan, they would be together forever—best friends until the end of time—spreading friendship through the hearts of everycreature that touched the empathic crystals. She could bring the world together, and eternal peace would be their legacy. She knew she was incredibly fortunate to have lived the life she had, to have gained the friends she did, and to have been taught the value of living every single day to its fullest. It was tragic to her to think that somewhere out there, even now, there were lonely and scared creatures who lacked that spark of magic in their hearts, unsure of how to face tomorrow. There were only so many lives her friends and she could personally touch, but these Unity Crystals could change all that. Friendship for the friendless; hope for the dejected; understanding for the prejudiced; love for the broken-hearted. Greater than any weapon or defence, beyond any spell or book, more life-changing than money or power: friends are the only way to truly change the world for the better. If she could pass on only a single sentiment to future generations, she knew without a doubt it would be that Friendship is Magic.