//------------------------------// // Two Years Later... // Story: The Lost Legends of Equestria: Star Swirl the Bearded // by Silver Inkwell //------------------------------// Two Years Later… That’s when all hell broke loose, or at least it would have been if there had been any at all, that’s what Star Swirl had to do, he had to figure out a spell that would open and hold the gates of Tartarus, for a short while and time that is, after all, a gate to the underworld is best not to be left open for too long. And the two only met very briefly after he trained Cerberus and defeated a hydra, “Can’t talk now, just doing my regular ordinary things and stuff, I’m sort of in a rush, though let’s talk later, can and shall we, agree to that?” “Sure thing,” she said as he zoomed off, “Anything for a very old friend.” And they did meet later on after Star Swirl had finished all his stuff and things that he needed to do, which just so happened to be a very long list of stuff and things to do, but it didn’t matter how much he had to do, he always showed up on his own time, even if he always seemed to be late for other various meetings. “You’re eleven minutes late again,” Pearl said when he finally eventually came, “This is becoming a habit and staple of yours, and I’m actually starting to think that we need to readjust every meeting and talk we have to eleven minutes before whatever time we actually want to meet up at so that you’ll actually be on time for something in your life, which would be a very good and new first.” “Don’t be ridiculous or crazy, that’s my job description, and you can’t steal it,” he said, “And speaking of time and my ‘lateness’, I really think that I should get a pocket watch one of these days soon enough, I think it would fit me quite well with my sense of style and fashion, don’t you think so and agree with me?” “Oh yes, I quite agree with that, you do need one, it would suit you very well.” “Well thank you for saying so, anyhow, how has life been recently for you?” “It’s been quite well, my store is doing quite well with very little help, and I’m also moving up and advancing in the fashion and jewelry world, don’t you think that’s neat and nice? Not only have I done what I’ve always wanted and dreamed about, but I’m taking it much further in very small steps of faith.” “Well that’s good, and that’s also nice to hear, and I’m glad to hear it from you.” “Well, what about you Star Swirl? How has life been for you these past two years all alone out there in the big wide vast world defending yourself from harm, peril, and danger? Has it been fun, or has it been very boring for you?” “It has been quite fun, even if difficult at times, but I have managed to pull through in the end and continue moving forwards and onwards with my pathway, I can’t and won’t stop or ever give up on what I want or dream for. Just like you haven’t stopped with your dreams and hopes, you’re doing even better with them by constantly moving forward and onwards with them and not remaining or sticking around the same old place that you’ve always been in.” “Well I can agree with that,” Pearl said, “But what about your magic and spells? Have they been going quite well for you, or have you been having some or any problems at all? If you have, well then maybe perhaps I can help you out. “Well I haven’t had any major problems so far, maybe minor ones, but nothing that you could help me out with no matter what you did or how hard you tried to work, magic just isn’t something for every pony, and I’m very sorry that I have to say that to you, but it’s the plain and simple truth that you need to hear, so if I’m hurting your feelings, well just know that I am very sorry.” “Your apology is noted and accepted even though my feelings aren’t hurt.” “Well, that’s a relief,” he said casually with a slight relieved sigh. “I was worried there for a moment, but I guess I have nothing to fear,” he said. “You’re right,” she said, “Because with a friend what is there that you need to fear? What pain and sorrow and misery do you need to feel in order to move on with your life? What trials must you endure in order to reach the end of the way? What do you need to worry about when you have some pony else close by your side to take care of you when you are feeling sad or sick perhaps?” "There is none,” he said in reply, “And even more so with some pony that you love, for with them and friends can you share your deepest darkest thoughts, ideas, hopes, dreams, and feelings, the stuff that is very personal to them.” “Yeah, I guess that’s true, but tell me this, do you think that we can ever be together, you know, as a couple? I mean I have been thinking about it for quite some time now, but I still can’t figure out what the right answer might be.” “That’s because there is no right answer, love is hard and complicated, and so is life, if it were easy, or should anything have that being the case, then there would be nothing in this life worth having or even worth living for at all.” “Yeah, well I guess that’s true too, but you still haven’t answered me yet.” “That is only because I do not know the right answer to this question, and I wish I did, but like I just said, life and love is a hard and complicated thing.” “Yeah, well I guess that’s true, thanks for the talk, I enjoyed it very much.” “The pleasure is all mine my dear lady,” he said getting her chair for her. “Well at least your manners haven’t changed, they’re still the same, even if you’re not the pony that I once knew or met so long ago,” she said. “Yeah, well I guess that’s true,” he said repeating the phrase she had just used more than once on him, and then she finally realized her fatal mistake and flaw, “Oh,” she said, “I’m so sorry that I keep saying that phrase, and I don’t even know why I keep on saying it, it’s not like it’s something special to me. But then again, maybe I just don’t know what to say, even though I wished that I did, but tell me this, have you ever wished that you knew something?” “A whole lot, more than you can ever know or even ever imagine,” he said. “Well I guess that’s true, you are a wizard after all, lots of stuff to learn, do, and know, and I guess you would want to know everything that there is, right?” “There you go again with the phrase, and I have no idea what could be up with that or possibly wrong with you, but I must move on now. Yes, yes it is true what you say, I do have lots of stuff and things that I need to learn and do. But that doesn’t mean I want to know everything, I think that would be too much for me to take in, especially if it was coming in at me all at one time.” “Well then, I guess that you are satisfied with how smart and wise you are now then, or do you perhaps maybe wish to learn until the day that you die?” “Yes, yes to me dying and learning, and being satisfied of where I am at now, for I know that I will only get better, so you could say that I am truly content.” “Well I’m glad to hear that then, but I guess we should say goodbye to each other again, right? I mean neither of us can stay for that long… again.” “You’re right,” he said, “Goodbye then, until we meet each other again.” “Goodbye then, until we meet each other again,” she said, “And I love you very much, and I will miss you very much too, make sure to come back soon again.” “I will,” he said, “I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it, after all, I am a stallion of my own word, I won’t have my name, reputation, or honor ruined, and I love you very much too, and I will also miss you very much too as well.” And with that said the two ponies drifted apart and away, and though they were both out of distance and sight from each other, they were not out of each other’s mind, thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, ideas, and feelings as well.