The Ninth Enchantment of Mage Meadowbrook

by Thornwing

Epilogue

Starlight sat on the edge of her bed, gazing out the window. The moon hung directly above with a million stars dotting the Equestrian night sky. The door to her room was open just a crack when her guest knocked.

“Come in,” Starlight said.

Princess Luna pushed open the door with her magic and crossed the threshold somewhat out of breath.

“Busy night?”

Luna nodded her head. “A little more aggressive than usual, but I wanted to make sure I paid you a visit regardless. I trust all went well with your quest?”

“Yeah, thanks to you.” Starlight motioned to the spot on the bed next to her. “I saved you a spot if you want to have a seat. Take a load off your hooves.”

“I have my rounds to keep, so I can’t stay long.” Luna glanced over at the comfy pillowed comforter and sighed. “Maybe just a few minutes.”

She crossed the floor and lifted herself up onto the bed next to Starlight making sure her mane and tail were properly situated along with tucking in her wings extra tight so as not to interfere with their conversation.

Starlight smiled, glancing over at all the extra work it took to keep everything in check. “I’m not sure I could ever get used to having wings.”

“After the first few decades, you’d wonder how you ever got along without them. Although, they do make for an extra encumbrance when it’s time to sleep.” Luna gave her left wing a little stretch and flap before tucking it back in place.

“So it took some time getting used to the change?”

“I can’t really say for sure. So many things changed all at once in my early years that it’s hard to know the difference. Time is the great equalizer and they quickly became part of who I am.”

“I guess it was pretty much the same for Twilight.” Starlight closed her eyes and propped herself up on her hind quarters with her forelegs outstretched. “Practice makes perfect,” she said, mimicking a pegasus crash landing with her forelegs tilting and waving before dropping down onto the mattress, ending in a little implosion effect.

Luna giggled. “Yes. Yes it was.”

Starlight added a little chuckle before raising her head and turning back to face her mirror on the far wall. The pictures of her friends dotted the edge of the frame — Twilight, and Trixie, Discord, Thorax, and even Sunburst.

“Luna, can I ask you a question?” Starlight said.

“Of course you may, Starlight. That is why I am here.” Luna smiled, resting comfortably for the first time in a few hours since her dreamwalking shift for the night began.

“Do you think I made the right call? Should I have accepted the gift to become an Alicorn?”

Luna took a moment to answer. She raised her right wing and placed it over Starlight’s back. “This world needs good ponies just as much as it needs good princesses. Only you can decide for yourself where you fit into that. Wings or not, you’ve outgrown your past and I see a bright future ahead.”

“A shooting star, with unlimited potential?”

“That’s what I see,” Luna said drawing back her wing. “I think you see it now, too.”

“There’s a long road ahead, but I think I’m starting to.”

Luna nodded her head. “Then I must take my leave. There are plenty of others out there that cannot see the forest for the trees, and I must tend to them.” Luna rose from the bed and steadily walked toward the door.

“Thank you, Princess Luna,” Starlight said. “Thank you for everything.”

“Thank you, Princess Starlight Glimmer.” Luna turned back and winked before walking out and closing the door behind her.

Starlight watched as she left, a feeling of accomplishment and pride washing over her as she caught out of the corner of her eye a shooting star pass over the castle.

Comments

[howard035]

Great little adventure with some cool world-building.

[titanhades70]

So Starlight will be a princess/alicorn some day, when she thinks she's ready. That's nice to see.

[Thornwing]

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It kind of goes without saying that Twilight got her wings without really seeking them. She didn't have it in mind that she wanted to be a princess when she set out to solve the magical mix up mess, but that's how things panned out.

I would also assume that there are plenty of ponies that would love the spotlight and bonus powers that come with the whole alicorn gig. What is often overlooked is that those same characters all too often don't understand what they are getting into and the power and responsibility would quickly become stressful and overwhelming.

The main point of my story is that we all have a choice. We can choose to exercise that choice, but we always have to live with the consequences regardless of how we chose. We don't have much control or choice when it comes to dealing with the consequences of our choices/non-choices. Act, or be acted upon - it's up to you.

In the story, Starlight finally came into her power when she started making her own choices rather than letting others decide the consequences for her through her inaction and lack of trust in herself. Also, she applied the trust she had in her friends to see her through situations where she recognized the lack of her own ability to overcome an obstacle. That too is a choice, and something that goes a long way in terms of friendship.

The rest of the characters and plot progression points serve to illustrate the point, I hope, in a way that adds to and complements the already abundant lore and environments of the MLP world. I hope that attentive readers caught the several allusions to adjacent properties and themes from outside the MLP world as well.

Most of all, thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.

[titanhades70]

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I like this idea that Starlight has one thing going for her that Twilight didn't when she changed. Starlight has Twilight.

[EchoWing]

Not a bad story in the slightest. Well done.

[Striving for Harmony]

This story is now among my recommended reads. Good work, author. Bravo.