(Featured December 8-10, 2021)
Three weeks after becoming Princess Twilight's pupil, Starlight discovers her mentor is undergoing a horrible existential crisis.
Princess Twilight learned of the existence of her human self, and how she was so unliked and unpopular at her school, even her principal blackmailed her. Princess Twilight fears the only reason she never had to endure these torments is not that ponies actually like her, but because she was the "beloved" student of a princess, and later princess herself, on top of her other family connections.
Starlight sits her mentor down and tells her the (true) story of her troubled past. In it, Starlight will impart on the Princess of Friendship some harsh truths about reality:
That sometimes, the bad guys can win.
That sometimes, life is unfair and ponies with connections can get ahead of you.
That sometimes, you aren't rewarded for your hard work.
That sometimes, there are ponies who don't become better people even if you show them the magic of friendship.
That sometimes, there aren't any happy endings.
But there is also such a thing as a new beginning.
This is a slight AU story in regards to Starlight's backstory and her friendship with Sunburst.
