Are you sure about this, Twilight?
Come on, Sunset, I’ve told you Princess Celestia really wants to see you again. She’s right next to me right now, waiting. We’re just on the other side.
I... I’m scared. I know that sounds silly, but I haven’t seen her in so long.
It’s not silly at all. But think of it like ripping off a bandage: you do it quick and get it over with. Come on, I’ll be there with you.
Okay. I’m coming.
Sunset tumbled out of the mirror, taking a moment to get used to her old body again. She was almost afraid to look up, to see the mentor she had scorned in her own childish tantrum.
Gulping, she looked, her eyes seeing first her hooves, then traveling up her legs, her barrel, her torc, then her face. Her mentor’s face. Staring at her with wide eyes.
“P-Princess,” she stuttered.
Celestia just stared.
“Um... I-I’m sorry!” she started crying. “I was an idiot! You were wonderful to me and I threw everything away because I had to throw a temper tantrum. I was horrible!”
Celestia just stared.
“I know we can’t pretend nothing happened, but... I really missed you!”
Celestia just stared.
Sunset realized that Celestia hadn’t said a thing. She just kept looking at her with wide eyes and a shocked look.
“Wh-what’s wrong?”
Celestia just stared.
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
Celestia just stared.
Sunset unfurled her wings in anger. “So after all this time you’re just going to sit there, you...”
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...Wait, what?
Slowly Sunset flapped her wing.
Sunset flapped her wings.
Her wings.
She dared to look. Jutting out of both sides were a pair of feathery Pegasus wings. Wings with feathers that matched her coat.
She placed a hoof to her forehead. She still had a horn.
A horn and wings.
“...Well... this is unexpected,” she said at last.
Before she could do anything else, Celestia’s magic engulfed her and she was pulled toward her mentor. Her face was buried into her barrel as the Princess of the Sun squeezed her tighter than she ever had before. Not to the point of choking her, but still so tight that Sunset couldn’t escape. Not that she wanted to.
“Oh Sunset!” Celestia cried. Even without seeing her face, Sunset knew she was crying. “Sunset... my little Sunshine... you’re back! You’re back! And you ascended, all on your own! Oh, Sunset!”
And Sunset’s tears started anew.
Twilight watched the scene with a stunned expression. She had a million questions about this. Sunset ascending? How? Did it have something to do with her becoming... Daydream Shimmer, was it?
But, she couldn’t interrupt. Not now. This was their reunion. She wasn’t needed. Celestia was showering Sunset’s cheeks with kisses, and she knew she needed to excuse herself. Trying desperately to ignore the twinge of jealousy that was rising in her heart, she turned around and walked out of the room.
As she walked through the halls, she thought of the two. Sunset had said Celestia raised her herself, she knew. And she had come to love the Princess as a mother. She had asked the Princess soon afterward, and she, in tears, admitted she hadn’t allowed Sunset to act on those feelings. She couldn’t allow anypony that close to her, she felt. She needed to be a Princess first and a friend second already, she wasn’t fit to be a mother.
She had changed her mind as soon as she realized Sunset had left. She had wailed and cried, begging Harmony to return her home.
It had been a repeat of Luna, she had claimed.
Twilight opened the door to her library. Starlight sat amongst some pillows, her muzzle buried in a book.
Don’t be a repeat of my foolishness, Twilight.
“Starlight?”
The filly looked up, brightening. “Hi, Princess!”
Twilight laid down next to her. “What are you reading there?”
“It’s a book on the theories of advanced levitation. Maybe if I get good enough, I’ll be able to lift myself. Then I’d be able to fly, just like you!”
“That sounds great. But how long have you been at it?”
“Only...” Starlight looked at the clock. “...Oh. I guess it has been a while.”
As if on cue, a rumble came out of Starlight’s stomach.
Twilight looked at the filly as she blushed. “You skipped lunch, didn’t you?”
“I-I’m sorry Princess. I was just so caught up in everything and...”
Twilight draped a wing over the little filly to silence her. “It’s okay.” She smiled. “It happened to me plenty of times back when I studied under Celestia.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “I can understand your hunger for knowledge, but don’t let it consume you. It’s not healthy.” Twilight rose to her hooves, and levitated Starlight onto her back. “Why don’t we get a little bite while we wait for Celestia and Sunset? Not too much, though, dinner is soon.”
“Okay,” Starlight said happily, sitting on her back.
“And how about tomorrow we head over to Sweet Apple Acres? The Apple Family is planning a little get-together for ponies around town, and they invited us to attend.”
“What about my studying?”
“Starlight, if there was one thing I missed in my studies, it’s that being with friends is just as important as being with books. Probably even more so. I want you to spend some time with Apple Bloom and her friends tomorrow. And... I’m going to head to Canterlot in a week to visit my parents. I want you to come and meet them.”
Sunset had cried hard when Celestia had hugged her, but it was nothing compared to when the Princess of the Sun had carried her into the bedroom she was staying in and laid her down, wrapping wings and forelegs around her in a tight but loving embrace. She wailed like a newborn, barely managing to get out apologies in between her sobs. And it only got worse every time the Princess assured her it was okay and that she loved her.
After nearly thirty minutes the crying subsided, and the two just laid there. Sunset, her mind now cleared, realized that she felt better than she had felt since the infamous Fall Formal, maybe even long before then. She realized that, despite all she had done and what she had accomplished, she had still been carrying a weight in her heart, that one last piece of guilt. Now, cradled in the embrace of the pony who had loved her like a mother, that weight had dissolved.
“I forgot how nice this feels,” she said, nuzzling closer to Celestia.
“I didn’t. I never did. I always hoped you’d come back, Sunset. I missed you.”
“I... I missed you. Even before the Formal, I always thought about going back. Every single one of my scouting trips, I wanted to stay.”
That actually got Celestia to pull away a bit, just to look her student in the eye. “Scouting trips?”
“Didn’t you think it was odd that I seemed to know exactly where the Element of Magic was when I came though? Every time the portal opened I snuck through to gather information. I always timed it so I’d know when you’d be in Day Court.”
“...I used to wait by that mirror, sometimes through the night, waiting for you to come back. Turns out you were sneaking in the whole time.”
Sunset looked down in guilt. Celestia reaffirmed her hug.
“I really wanted this. When everyone in school hated me, I just wanted to crawl back here. I wanted you so bad... I thought Twilight had been letting me off easy when she just banished me for a few years, but when it happened...”
Celestia kissed her softly. “I think she made the right choice. It was hard, but it made you stronger. I knew, when she told me, that you’d make it through. I knew you had it in you.”
Sunset just buried herself deeper.
“You will start your lessons again, won’t you? There’s still so much about magic I wanted to teach you, even if you are a Princess now.”
Sunset looked up at Celestia in shock. “What?”
“If Harmony has decided that you’re worthy of being an Alicorn, you’re worthy of being a Princess. That’s how we’ve always done it. Oh, I’m sure Rarity can design something appropriate for your coronation.”
“I... Princess, I can’t. Not until I fix things on Terra...”
“Your first official assignment will be to do just that. You’ll live forever and I’m a patient mare.”
“I... I...”
Celestia kissed her on the side of the head. “Don’t you dare say you’re not worthy, my little Sunshine. You’ve made mistakes, but you’ve found your way.”
“I’m not even sure how I ascended. Maybe...”
Celestia tightened her hug. “We can figure out why later. Right now, I just want you here, with me.”
“...Thank you, Princess.”
“And no more calling me that... at least not when we’re on official royal business. You call me Mom. It’s... it’s what we’ve both wanted.”
And Sunset cried again. At least she tried to. Her tears were gone, and it all came out in dry gasps.
“I love you, Sunset. I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough to give you the guidance you needed.”
The younger Alicorn cried a while longer. Then, slowly, she lifted her head and kissed Celestia on the cheek. “I... I love you, Mom.”
Celestia kissed her. “I love you too, my little pony.”
Dinner was a happy affair. Three Alicorns certainly shocked Twilight’s kitchen staff, but they all were under magical oath not to share unannounced developments. Starlight at with them, but Spike, who had eaten at Rarity’s after a day of helping her with a big order, wasn’t present.
Talks came of matters trivial to Equestria, but precious to the three of them. Slumber parties and school dances for Sunset, time with friends for Twilight, and simple memories with Luna for Celestia. There was no discussion of what was coming. Plenty of time for that later.
It was when the initial meal was finished, and the dessert was brought out, that Starlight spoke.
“Miss Sunset?”
“Yes?”
“Harmony ascends Alicorns when It decides they embody a certain trait, right?”
“That’s right.”
“So... what trait do you embody?”
“I... I’m not sure. I’m not even sure how this happened.”
“It might have been when you became Daydream Shimmer,” Twilight said after swallowing a mouthful of cake.
“That’s what I was thinking,” Sunset said.
“This only opens up a whole new set of questions,” Celestia said. “Will Humans be able to ascend? Will the Human Twilight be able to do the same? Oh, there’s so much to learn.”
“Is there anyway we can find out what she embodies? Or if she has a connection with the Elements of Harmony?” Twilight asked.
“There is, but it’s going to require a small trip. It will have to wait until the human school gets out on summer vacation if we want to keep her cover, which I do.”
“Um, Princess Twilight?”
Twilight perked up, looking at Starlight. “Yes?”
“If Harmony decides that Alicorns are worthy, then why do some go bad?”
Both Twilight and Sunset tensed up, looking at Celestia. The High Princess put on a sad smile. Mouthing “It’s okay” to Twilight, she faced the small filly. “I assume you’re talking about my sister?”
Starlight, apparently just realizing she has broached a sensitive topic to the most powerful pony in existence, nodded.
“Embodying is a bit of a missed word. No matter how pure a pony is, they are still, at the end of the day, ponies. It’s possible for them to suffer from negative feelings like anger, or envy, or greed.” She swallowed. “My sister felt hurt that ponies didn’t appreciate her, and it wasn’t helped by me being so dismissive of her concerns. After decades of it happening, her resentment grew enough that the Nightmare was able to take her.”
“I see,” Starlight said.
“Nopony is perfect. No leader will avoid making mistakes, though we know mistakes might cost us dearly.” She looked at Twilight and Sunset with pained expressions before turning back to Starlight. “It’s the sad fact of any government: no one system runs perfectly.”
“Why can’t we have a system where everypony’s the same?”
All three ponies tensed up. Celestia, trained by years of keeping her regal facade in place, went unnoticed by Starlight, and fortunately the young filly wasn’t looking at the others.
“Because ponies aren’t the same. Everypony has their own strengths and weaknesses. And it’s through those differences that ponies become better. Do you understand?”
“I... think so,” Starlight said.
Twilight spoke up. “Starlight, I think maybe we should increase the amount of history in your lessons. I think there will be information that will help you understand.”
“Really?” Starlight said. “I think I’d like that, Princess.”
Twilight gave her charge a nuzzle before turning back to the other two Alicorns. There was a shared look of concern, and a quiet promise to discuss it at a later time.
“How will we know what Miss Sunset is the Alicorn of?” Starlight asked.
“I take it Twilight hasn’t told you the origins of the Elements of Harmony yet?” When Starlight shook her head, Celestia went on. “After the first Hearth’s Warming, when the Three Tribes came together to form Equestria, the magic energy that burned the Windigos formed themselves into the First three Elements and placed themselves around the necks of the original three: Magic for Clover the Clever, Honesty for Smart Cookie, and Kindness for Private Pansy.
“Not knowing what it entailed, the three went to the priests and were granted a peek into Paradise. Harmony spoke to them and told them the Elements’ names. It also promised more Elements would reveal themselves. And they did: by the end of their lives, Princess Platinum got Generosity, Commander Hurricane Loyalty, and Chancellor Puddinghead Laughter.
“The Elements went without Bearers for generations until the day Discord appeared. During his reign I was an Earth Pony, Luna a Pegasus...”
“Wait,” Twilight said suddenly, “Luna isn’t your sister? I mean, not your blood sister?”
Celestia shook her head. “We were the only family we had for years. We love each other deeply, but there is no blood. Now then, we both tried finding the Elements. We did at the same time, and Harmony spoke to us. Since Discord was a rogue spirit, It deemed it necessary to perform the first Ascension. Not only would it allow us to wield six Elements between the two of us, it would allow us to control the Sun and Moon afterwards, which Discord’s games had rendered unable to move on their own.
“Harmony also told us that there would be more Alicorns eventually, once they came to embody Its traits. And it has happened. Cadance came to be Love, Twilight Friendship, and now Sunset. We only need to see Harmony to find out what Sunset’s role.”
Sunset turned white. “Speak? To Harmony Itself? But...”
“Don’t be afraid,” Celestia assured. “Harmony loves all life, and It’s already decided you’re worthy.”
“Why didn’t I speak to Harmony when I ascended?” Twilight asked.
“You didn't have to. I... might have asked to take over for It during that time. I met you in Paradise in Its place.”
“I... see...”
There was quiet for a moment. Twilight looked over at Sunset, who was still looking nervous at the upcoming meeting, and decided to change the subject. “Well, on to another topic. I’ve started putting together my counterpart’s lesson plan, and I think I can make great strides with...”
“Twilight,” Celestia said gently, causing the Princess of Friendship to stop. “I wanted to talk to you about that.”
Twilight’s ears flattened against her head. There was something in Celestia’s tone she didn’t like. “Yes?”
“Well, you already have a student. One who needs your full attention.” She gave a look that told Twilight everything. If the filly was asking questions like that...
“Then... who will teach the other me?”
Celestia chuckled. “Easy. I will.”
There was a moment of silence.
“What?” Sunset said, at last. “I’m sorry, Mom, but do you have the time? You have a kingdom to run and... my lessons...”
Celestia gave a chuckle as Sunset blushed. “I’ve been looking for an excuse to put Luna in charge for a while. It’ll help her regain more standing and better acquaint her with the modern pony. She’s made great strides, and I think this is the last she needs to make. Besides, Twilight’s been taking on more responsibilities lately, so the workload isn’t as much. And yes, your lessons will resume, but you’re beyond the need for the constant guidance Starlight requires, or the scrutiny this new Twilight will need.” There was silence. “And... I suppose a chance to retrain one of my greatest students appeals to me a bit.”
Twilight’s face burned. “Princess...”
Celestia chuckled. “Besides, I think you need to empty your plate a bit. I don’t want you so busy you would never see your friends.”
Twilight grimaced. She hadn’t seen her friends socially since before her trip. Since coming home, she had only had time to gather them together and tell them what was going on on Terra.
“Well... I suppose. So are you taking her back to Canterlot?”
“Only if you’ll deny me a place to stay here, Twilight.”
Twilight’s face lit up in a way that Celestia had loved seeing on her as a young filly. “You want to stay here? In my castle? For months?”
Celestia giggled. “Yes... and I’m hoping we can use at least some of that time as we used to when you lived in my castle.”
“Princess... I’d be honored.”
After dinner Twilight had tucked Starlight in, reading to her a bit more. Then, after some thought, she went to Spike’s room and tucked him in. He put up a token protest but otherwise let Twilight coddle him.
Twilight left Spike’s room and found Captain Flash waiting for her.
“Your Highness, Princess Celestia requests your presence in her chambers as soon as you’re finished with your children and any other business you have tonight.”
Twilight nodded at her captain’s words and walked toward the room her mentor was staying. As she expected, Sunset was curled up on the bed with her, resting under her wing.
“You wanted to see me, Princess?”
Celestia chuckled. “Yes. I wanted to make up for some lost time.”
Twilight blinked. “Excuse me?”
Celestia gave a warm smile. “I wish you hadn’t gone off earlier. I know you were giving us privacy, but I wanted you there.”
Twilight blushed. “Huh?”
“Do you think Sunset’s the only student I’ve ever had that I’ve come to love as my own?”
There was silence as Twilight stared at her. It lasted until Celestia lifted a wing.
Twilight shot underneath it, pressing against her mentor. The wing wrapped around her, pressing her close. The lavender Alicorn was crying.
“Oh, I can’t tell you how often I dreamed of having you both together.” She kissed Twilight on the forehead. “Oh, I hoped Sunset would come back and be your big sister.”
“I think it ended up the other way around,” Sunset said. She was crying too. “I think Twilight’s the big sister. She’s led me through so much.”
“Either way, I wanted us to be a family,” Celestia said, pulling them close. “For years it was just me and Luna. Then it was just me. And now... I have my sister back, and a niece and two children that I can share Eternity with.” She was crying. “I’ve never been more grateful to have so many to lean on in hard times.”
“Does this mean... does this mean I can call you Mom too?” Twilight asked.
“On one condition.”
Twilight pulled away and looked at Celestia, worry on her face. “Y-yes?”
“You will still love your birth mother. There will always be a place for her in your heart, even thousands of years from now when she’s in Paradise and you’re still here. That you’ll greet her in the other world when our duties are finally finished and we can move on. You’re a wonderful child, Twilight, and denying anypony the privilege of being your mother is a cruelty I am not capable of.”
“I will. I still love my mother, but I love you just as much. You helped raise me...”
“Then yes. You call me Mom when in private.” She leaned over and kissed her again. Then she pulled both of the smaller Alicorns together, hugging them tightly. “I love you both so much, my little Sunshine, my brilliant star.”
There was silence for a moment as the small surrogate family basked in each other’s presence.
Then Sunset spoke.
“Does this mean Spike and Starlight can call you Grandma?”
Celestia’s eyes shot open, her pupils dilating. And her daughters giggled.
I should have seen this coming. I did not, especially this suddenly. I don't care, seeing all the bonding made my day.
...But meanwhile Celestia is taking a vacation from Canterlot for months and Luna's fully in charge. That alone promises shenanigans.
Welp...
I think the best part of this chapter is imagining Celestia's face at the end of the chapter.
The rest of it is warm, dramatic, sweet, heartstring-tugging, and all those good things...but that last bit is hilarious!
Seriously, at this point why doesn't the story have a comedy tag?
Oooh, the burn is strong with that sentence.
A nice bit of happy there. I really rather liked it. Especially the last line.
Though I myself do prefer Celestia and Luna as actual sisters myself its your 'verse.
6953756
Uh, wow, little late to comment on this plot point, and a little rude besides. Can you be less condescending if you disagree with someone?
I guess I haven't explained this well enough, but Twilight did try to reach out to Starlight and she refused. Even after seeing what her actions would do, she went into complete denial. Yes, the second attempt worked, but Twilight had no reason to think it work. I plan on actually showing the process, and it happened a bit differently. And I fail to see how this breaks the story's message, since Sunset flat out says in the first story that you can't help anyone that doesn't want to be helped.
Care to explain how Twilight damaged the time stream worse? I'm not following your logic.
Nice! This makes wonder if in canon sunset will become an alicorn or not?
6953814 Yeah I get the feeling Celestia didn't quite think that one all the way through.
I get the impression if they do break out and call her Grandma in front of Luna, then Luna will be rolling on the ground laughing her head off for several hours at least.
6953903 Right up until they call her grandma as well.
6953875 While I don't agree with Jarkes, this will have some repercussions on the timeline, especially to the ponies in Town (no other name given, as far as I know). I would call that 'altered', not damaged...
Also: So. Much. Sap... And not a single crusader in the chapter...
That opening came as a complete shock. This is definitely an interesting development. I think its cute that Celestia got her wish (at least from the Nuptialverse point of view) and now she's has both Sunset and Twilight as her honorary daughters. This chapter was nothing but heartwarming from start to finish and I loved it!
I love Mother Celestia!!! Awesome and heartwarming chapter!
Like and track from me! Keep it up!
I wonder if Twilight ever told Sunset about how the pony counterparts Sugarcoat, Sunny Flare, Lemon Zest, Indigo Zap, and Sour Sweet are part of her guard.
lol. The mental image of adult Spike calling Celestia "Grandma".
I remember reading this in a another story where Sunset ascends when entering the mirror back.
I think that story was written by KnightyMysterio
Hey there. Thanks greatly for getting the next chapter up. I really appreciate you going to the effort. As usual, great job on the exchanges, emotional content, humor and future chapter set-up in all the right places. And I also liked your explanation for this universe concerning how Sunset knew as much as she did for considering how long it has been since the last time she and Princess Celestia saw each other. And, all things considered, I know I haven't mentioned this sooner, but considering Applejack and Pinkie's human counterparts both ALREADY have all the abilities of their equine counterparts, it makes me curious as to what changes WILL eventually surface. I'll definitely be look forward to more of this as soon as time and inspiration will allow.
Aw, really sweet chapter, I love it! Although ever since the Friendship Games movie, I've been seeing that scene pop up in stories here and there- Sunset returns through the mirror, has wings, epic surprise, etc. Sorry, no offense, I don't mean you're being unoriginal, just that ever since that awesome Daydream Shimmer moment, at least some of us are hoping that was Sunset's ascension moment. Still, I never get tired of that, I just hope someday the show will have Sunset reunite with Celestia, and if Sunset has wings by then, even better.
Heh, Celestia is somewhat ready to see Sunset in person (in pony?) again, then seeing her wings throws them all off. And Twilight joins in on the family hug, aw. With how family is a big theme in this fic (with Twilight and Starlight of course), really happy to see you handle Sunset and Celestia's reunion. And nice that Celestia reminds Twilight not to forget her birth mother (compared to Sunset, who often has an orphan background in fics, I think), I sometimes feel bad for Velvet being forgotten so much compared to Celestia as a mother figure for Twilight.
Though this might make things a bit more complicated- on top of having to teach Sci-Twi magic before she loses control, they probably have to give Sunset flying lessons too. Not to mention figure out what she represents. Still, the idea of all of them in the same castle sounds like it'll be a lot of fun.
The feels!
But in all seriousness, great chapter and I can't wait to see more.
If Sunset were to recieve an Element of Harmony, I've always thought of her Element being Peace. It seems rather fitting for someone who started of completely lost in her anger and resentment and was shown a better way to basically have found Peace within herself, and now strides to keep it wherever she goes.
Possible?
6953976
Not yet, but I have jokes planned.
6954050
Applejack and Pinkie don't have an Earth Pony's strength or connection with life.
6954102
Well, put that on the list of "ideas I thought were original but aren't"
6954140
Starlight did it for a petty revenge scheme because Twilight and her friends refused to be kidnapped and brainwashed. Twilight did it as a desperate last ditch effort to save Equestria from total annihilation. Compare it to someone shooting a guy just because he called him a name to a cop shooting someone who was killing someone else.
Ha ha someone stole your thunder.
6954179
So did you miss Starlight still having her "equalist" thoughts? Or Twilight actually wondering if she did the right thing in the third chapter? Like you said, the story isn't over yet.
6953756
Dude, if you want your opinions about Darthlink22's ending of The Cutie Remark, you can say it was horrible if you thought so. But to me, it makes a lot more sense than that whole quickly-easily-forgive-saccharine-ending that they pulled in canon, and here's why I think that.
First of all, Twilight had to make a fast decision to stop the time loop. She couldn't keep fighting Starlight forever, and there was no way she was letting Equestria fall to the forces of evil. She probably considered killing adult Starlight, but Twi knew that it probably would distract the flyers from the race (not to mention all the horror they would experience by seeing an adult killed in front of them at their summer camp) meaning the Rainboom wouldn't happen.
Also, even when Starlight saw that making sure that the Mane Six would never meet will doom Equestria, apparently she still didn't care and wouldn't back down in this continuity. It forced Twilight to go with what she saw as the best and ONLY option to defeat Starlight for good; Sucker punch Starlight by trapping her in a crystal, then convince her younger self to become her personal student and come with her to the future.
Secondly, according to the MLP wikia, the aesop of the episode was:
Friendship connects all of Equestria, and undoing one group of friends made its magic less powerful.
While you could argue that the accidental aesop "Time shouldn't be messed with" was broken, that wasn't what the show was aiming for.
Tying into the actual aesop, Starlight came from a neglectful orphanage, where nobody cared about her other than making sure she was fed and had a roof over her head. The only friend she had abandoned her without a second thought to go study in Canterlot. With no friends, she wasn't connected to the Magic of Friendship. So that's why Filly Starlight running away with Twilight to the future had no big impacts on the timeline, except with the Our Town Society and the events of "The Cutie Map" being wiped out of existence. And Starlight's much better being raised under the care of Twilight, the Mane 6, and Ponyville. Even though they all have their jerkass moments, they're a lot nicer and more caring than whoever the orphanage patrons were.
This is simply my interpretation, and you and anybody else can disagree with it if you want. That's what interpretations are for.
A sweet chapter, this. Also, I vote Empathy for Sunset's title.
...oh, and I'm guessing you don't acknowledge "The Journal of the Two Sisters" for this? No objection if you don't, to each their own in regards to supporting media, I'm just asking.
Hopefully Twilight finds a way to channel Starlight's equalist side into something constructive after all equality is a good thing the problem with the adult Starlight is that she took it way to far, maybe Twilight could emphasize the duel importance of both fairness and individually.
Considering that just about everyone/pony knows the true nature of Twilight and Starlight's relationship despite Twilight's denial, does Starlight know or at least suspect that her relationship with Twilight is more intimate then the simple teacher-student thing Twilight insists it is?
Heh. Sorry about that. :) But it seemed so obvious. Great minds, and all that, I suppose...
6954275
And hence why I was saying you were a little late talking about Starlight's situation. I introduce that plot thread there. That you haven't read the first story make sense.
6954429
Starlight definitely views Twilight as a mother, but doesn't think it's right to ask her to be one. Nor for forever, though.
6954423
Not for this story, no.
While I support Alicorn Sunset whole heartedly, having her become one right after the Friendship Games is too soon. I'm sorry, but it just doesn’t work for me.
Just so I'm clear on this, is Harmony a conscious deity in your headcannon? I prefer to think of it as a natural force that binds living being together and can strengthen and empower them in both a literal and abstract sense while my version of Fausticorn serves as Equus' "supreme goddess". Clearly our headcannons couldn't be more different, but as everyone in trying to impress on little Starlight, not being the same is a good thing.
Speaking of Starlight, I'm kind of looking forward to what her continued interest in equality will lead to. To tell you the truth, one of the things that dissapointed me about the season five finale was how the writers seemed to completely drop her original obsession. Heck, when I learned that it would involve time travel, I immediately assumed that Starlight would be using it to try and erase Cutie Marks from pony culture entirely. But I digress. While I'm as nervous as anyone else, it may turn out that Starlight's ideas and philosophy will actually benefit Equestria and the world at large, provided that her mentors can steer her away from her previous extremes (by that, I mean converting Equestria into a democracy, just so there is no confusion).
One last thing; I loved the fluff at the end. Just like legions of other fans, I love to think of Celestia as a second mother to Twilight. I wonder, however, what Twilight's actual mother would think about that. I've seen a few works here and there where Celestia and Twilight Velvet have conflicting views about what's best for Twilight Sparkle. What do you think?
6955956
So Harmony is the Force to you, eh?
6956024 Something like that.
6956042
So Discord is a Sith Lord?
I don't know; the whole concept of Harmony being a sentient individual rather than a metaphorical expression of the natural order came a little out of left field for me. I'll have to sit down and think about whether I like it.
That said, how do I know that Twilight is tired? She didn't dissolve into a spluttering mess when Flash made that comment about Starlight and Spike being 'your children'.
6955956
Harmony is a little bit of both. It's sentient, but flows through everypony, manifesting in different ways (Shining Armor and Cadance's spell in A Canterlot Wedding, for example)
Starlight... wait and see.
And Twilight Velvet is miffed at having to share Twilight with Celestia, but accepts that in terms of teaching her magic, Celestia knows what she's doing... mostly (they both tried getting her social before Ponyville and failed). Now that Twilight's immortal, Velvet fully allows it, knowing that Twilight has millenniums before she moves on.
No, not really...
Nice chapter, good work.
6976423
Yes, this is about them getting powers without having to pony up. The Unicorns have done so, the Pegasi have not.
6977122
Starlight will be getting plenty of focus, don't worry. There will be a lot going on during the integration, and Starlight's resurfacing beliefs will play a part in it.
Hm. Interesting. I loved all the sappiness, but my favorite part had to be your headcanon on the history of the Elements of Harmony, and by proxy Celestia and Luna's past. Pretty good, overall!
6953912 you mean Graunt or great aunt :P
6982059
Not yet. It will be a few Human chapters from now.
Don't quote me on this, but I suspect that SciTwi would prefer not to ascend into an immortal being. After losing her parents at a young age, I doubt she would be eager to have to experience that pain over and over again until the end of time.
I'm confused about one thing: Before Rainbow Rocks when Twilight could open the portal manually, it was said it would open every 30 moons. I took it to mean every 30 months or 2.5 years. Your story had Sunset do several scouting trips before the first film. Is it in your story that 30 moons meant 30 nights? How much time has passed in both worlds?
I personally think the idea that Twilight would have gotten stuck for 30 months would be a graver concern than 30 nights.
Either way, I really love this story! I couldn't put my smartphone down reading this! I await the next chapter.
6996541
Time passed differently in the two dimensions. Sunset says two years, Twilight says twelve. Now that the portals connect, time is passing the same.
6999648
Oh, now I got it! Thanks for clearing that up.
Grandmother...then Celestia made abortion legal...up to the age of 16.
This chapter ...
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Well good sir. Here's your prize.
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Thank freaking goodness!!! I have my faith restored in you after a whole lot of WTHays this fic. I'm glad that Sunset's ascension didn't magically disappear. It was something that when I read that her and SciTwi only had unicorn magic I was like W~HA~T?! Now I'm happy with Sunset, and SciTwi (whom I'm assuming is an Ali as well). Thank you.
Not to mention some Momlestia.
Here have all the cookies. Oh! And your very own adorable Woona. Oh! And a Flutterhug as well. You deserve it for not depowering Sunset and SciTwi.
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Small, yet major thing:
Celestia and Luna were Alicorns before they gained the Elements. Or is that one of the differences in your AU? It's small because it doesn't really encroach upon the story at all. But major as a major shift from main cannon that kind of didn't have any build up. Also does that mean the Tree of Harmony was never a thing (since they magically appeared on their bearer's necks, rather than searched for and gathered from a magical tree of harmony)?
6955956
You're forgetting. In the games. SciTwi and Sunset ascended. SciTwi when she absorbed all of HumanVerse's Magic, and Sunset when she activated the Elements of Harmony and invoked them into a MagicGirl, Ascension Transformation.
6954429 The issue is the age old fight over Equality of Opportunity vs Equality of Outcome. One encourages people to better themselves, one encourages them to be lazy leeches on the system (and is why communism doesn't work in practice). Starlight needs some HUMAN history texts on that very subject.
I'm glad I wasn't drinking when I read this line. Darth, you are truly a master of evil!
6954179 Okay, I know I'm several months late to say this, but the idea that Post Nuptials fixes stuff while this doesn't isn't really true.
Post Nuptials didn't fix any of the problems with A Canterlot Wedding. It was just the characters going on about why they screwed up and why they were wrong. It reads like an Internet fight was just copy and pasted into the story. While it is positive throughout, is heartwarming, and has several good morals, that isn't a fixfic; that's a mouthpiece fic.
This story actually does fix a problem with the finale. Instead of having a character go on about Starlight's terrible redemption, there was actually a change to the episode (Twilight erasing present Glimmer from existence) itself to fix a problem with it.
Having a character voice the author's views on an episode is different from making a change to an episode to better it, and the latter is closer to fixing than the former.
That last part with Twilight, Sunset, and Celestia brought tears to me.
ERROR
Celestia.exe has suffered a critical error and has stopped functioning.
Would you like to restart the program?
Yes No
Okay, that was funny.