//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: The Clockwork Pony // by Blackbird2 //------------------------------// The Clockwork Pony Epilogue Starlight Glimmer walked slowly through dark, crystalline hallways of Twilight’s castle. She still wasn’t quite used to the layout of this place and she doubted she ever would be. Heck she was lucky Twilight took as long as she did getting back from Canterlot or her “dramatic villain reveal” could have been quite embarrassing. Of course being away a few days after just getting settled in didn’t help matters either. She still couldn’t believe that Twilight was willing to take her on as her pupil after everything she did. Or that the ponies of her old town were so easy to forgive her. It should have been a great weight lifted off her shoulders but instead it just felt like a little bit of weight had been taken off. There was still a lot of guilt hanging over her and she highly doubted it was going to leave anytime soon. Or if she even had the right to get over it. Maybe feeling this way was her true punishment. At least that she deserved! But can’t give into that now, she told herself. Come on Starlight, get your happy face on. If you show up all mopey Twilight is going to want to talk to you about it and I am definitely not in the mood for that right now. Maybe if I’m lucky she’s come up with some new spell or something while I was away and I can use that as a distraction. She nodded in confidence of that thought but some of it drained away when she reached the door to the library. After not finding her in the map room, Starlight figured this was the second best place to look. Of course now she was wishing she had found herself a bit more lost. She took a few deep breaths to push back her rising nerves then pushed the door open. “Twilight!” she called out. “Are you in here? It’s me Starlight! I’m back!” She quirked an eyebrow at not hearing a response and for half a second she thought of just turning back and trying another room in the castle but something drove her forward. “Everything went well in my village!” she continued then softly added. “For the most part.” Louder she said, “I got a new hairdo too! What do you think?!” Again she received no direct answer but as she walked further into the library she could hear Twilight murmuring about...something, as well as a rhythmic ticking sound. “Twilight, did you get a clock while I was away?” she asked in confusion. “I mean I guess that fits the overall feel of the library but don’t you think that’s a bit much?” She continued to follow the ticking sound until she finally came upon Twilight near the other end of the library. Just as she thought, the alicorn princess had been talking to somepony, or somedragon considering she thought it was Spike, and that was probably why she didn’t answer her before. But as drew closer Starlight couldn’t see Spike anywhere. All she could see was Twilight and some...metal thing in the shape of a pony! “AAAAAHHH!!!” she cried out in shock and jumped back. The sudden scream caused both Twilight and Tik Tok to cry out as well. When Twilight spun around towards the source of the screaming she saw Starlight standing there with a panicked look on her face and her horn lit up with magical energy. “Twilight get back! Some...thing is attacking you!” she warned, glaring daggers into the metal monstrosity. “Danger! Danger!” Tik Tok shouted as she cowered behind Twilight. “Please do not hurt me!” “Calm down both of you!” Twilight shouted as she stretched her wings between the two. For a moment the library was filled with the sounds of Starlight’s heavy breathing and charged up horn and the steady ticking of Tik Tok’s mechanical heart. After several tense seconds, Starlight finally let out a heavy sigh and powered down her horn. “What...what is that thing?!” she asked, pointing a hoof to the metal pony behind Twilight. “She is not a thing!” Twilight corrected her new pupil bitterly. “She is Tik Tok and...well...I made her!” Starlight blinked in confusion. “You...made her?” she repeated. “What do you mean you made her?!” “Exactly what I said,” the princess remarked firmly. “I took a spell Star Swirl came up with as well as an idea from a...friend and with a bit of love, sweat, tears and luck I made a mechanical pony!” “And you named her Tik Tok?” the pink unicorn asked flatly. “Actually that was more Pinkie’s idea.” “Well that figures,” Starlight scoffed then looked back at Tik Tok. “So...is she...alive?” “Yes. I am quite alive,” Tik Tok answered for herself. “And I quite like my name.” Starlight continued to stare at her for a few seconds before she turned her attention to Twilight. “Does...anypony else know about her?” she asked hesitantly. “Actually the whole town knows about her. Now,” Twilight said, giving a pointed look at Tik Tok at the last word. The metal pony bowed her head and rubbed her brass hoof on the floor, producing a slight ringing sound. “I...I said I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I know sweetie,” Twilight gave her a comforting hug. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again.” “I know mom. I know.” Starlight was completely lost. But there was one word in that exchange that stood out to her. “Wait...MOM?!” she shrieked. “Technically...yes I am Tik Tok’s mother,” Twilight said in a slightly embarrassed tone. “Although I’m still getting used to the idea of being called that.” “I...I think I need to sit down,” the overwhelmed unicorn remarked as she placed a hoof on her forehead. “Yeah why don’t we head over to one of the couches and I can explain the whole thing to you,” Twilight suggested as she moved over to help keep Starlight on her hooves. “Yes please,” the pink mare requested. She looked back at Tik Tok then back to Twilight. “Does...does she know who I am?” “I believe you’re Starlight Glimmer, the new student to my mother and one time dictator of a small village where you took everypony’s Cutie Mark in the effort to make them all equal and thus better friends. Then when Twilight and her friends stopped you, you swore revenge before running off to start planning said revenge. Revenge which came in the form of you altering an old time travel spell of Star Swirl The Bearded so you could go back in time and make sure the Sonic Rainboom that united Twilight and her friends never happened. Thus creating multiple different timelines where some villains previously defeated by the Elements of Harmony took over Equestria in some horrible fashion. You then showed Twilight why you hated Cutie Marks and she was, in turn, able to convince you to try to be her friend and later her pupil. Hence saving the timeline and eventually bringing us to this moment,” Tik Tok recited. Starlight blinked. “You know, a simple ‘yes’ would have done just as well,” she snarked then looked over at Twilight. “Did you have to tell her all that?” “Well considering you’re both going to be living here and be big parts of my life, yes, yes I did,” Twilight remarked in a rather cool manner. “Fine. But could you please not just tell anypony about my past?” Starlight pleaded. “I’m not exactly proud of it.” “I know. And I’m sorry, you’re right. It’s up to you to let ponies know about your past or not,” she said but then stood in front of Starlight so she could look her in the eye. “But you can’t let your past mistakes define you. You can move forward and be better than them. I know it’s hard but just remember, your past is not today.” Starlight smiled a bit. “That’s kind of corny but it’s good advice. Thanks Twilight.” “You’re welcome,” Twilight nodded them smiled a bit sheepishly. “Though to be honest...I kinda got that from another friend?” “Really?” Starlight asked with a quirked eyebrow. “No offense, but I don’t see any of your other friends saying something like that.” “That’s because they didn’t. This was a...special friend and… well it’s kind of a long story,” the princess remarked. Starlight was about to ask about it but then paused and looked back at Tik Tok. “I think I can only take one long story for today,” she commented then turned fully to look at the metal pony. “And right now I’m far more interested in you.” “I’m...honored?” Tik Tok said unsurely. “She’s not an experiment Starlight,” Twilight warned, noticing a familiar gleam in the unicorns’ eyes. “Not anymore.” “I know, I know!” she sighed with a roll of her eyes. “But now that I’m over my initial shock, I’m just really curious how you were able to do all this.” “And I’m going to tell you about that just as soon as we sit down,” the alicorn remarked as she pointed a wing towards one of the couches in the room. Starlight was about to sit down when a low rumbled suddenly filled the room. She gave an embarrassed grin as she quickly realized it was her stomach. “Or...maybe you could tell me over a bite to eat?” she laughed sheepishly. Her stomach wasn’t alone in its growl though as Twilight’s soon joined in as well. “That sounds like a good idea,” she agreed then looked towards her surrogate daughter. “Tik Tok, do you want to join us?” “Well I don’t require food but I would love to get to know a new friend!” she replied enthusiastically. “Heh heh friend. Right,” Starlight laughed uneasily at the word. Something tells me my life is about to get a lot more complicated, she thought. The End