//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 - The Pony Afterlife // Story: Starswirl's Return // by Harratot33 //------------------------------// "Do you know how I became the princess of friendship?" It was a concept Starlight Glimmer had surprisingly never pondered on. "I don't know," she admitted. "Four years ago—almost to the day," Twilight Sparkle revealed. "My friend's cutie marks were switched—Applejack had Rarity's, Rarity had Rainbow Dash's, and so on and so forth; this all transpired as a result of me reading aloud one of Starswirl The Bearded's unfinished spells that Princess Celestia had sent to me. I realised I had to create my very own sorcery through finishing the spell and restoring my friends to their former and true selves. That's how I earned the rank. That's how you eventually became my student. That's how I...actually became an allicorn." "Very interesting," Starlight responded. "But...why exactly are you telling me this?" Twilight's glance directly into Starlight Glimmer's eyes looked as if she was about to say the most important thing she would every say to her former pupil. Maybe it was. "Starlight, I know this is going to sound like a lot of responsibility...and maybe even downright mad, but I believe you're the only pony who can help Starswirl fix the afterlife spell." It certainly was a very mad statement to the pink pony. "But...T-Twilight, you did it before, you said, so you can do the same thing again, surely...you...you're more qualified, and..." Twilight would not hear any of it at all! "I've done my bit in that department," she said. "Lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place. I can't do this for you, Starlight." Twilight could tell her former pupil was becoming increasingly agitated, so she put a hoof on her flank to comfort her. "Starlight, Princess Celestia and I were very strong believers in a little concept known as fate. Everything happens for a reason. Everything. You didn't become my pupil by accident. The Cutie Map didn't call me and my friends to Our Town that day for the benefit of its health. Can you understand?" Starlight Glimmer, tearing up slightly by this point, raised her face so it was directed straight at the princess', and said bravely: "Yes. Yes, Twilight. I think I do. I need to do this...don't I?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You're going to help me restore the spell to its fully glory?" Starswirl The Bearded appeared sceptical. "Yes. Is that alright?" "Sure, sure, sure," Starswirl persisted. "I don't really mind which pony helps me. You...err...you said something about attempting to do so before you found me?" "That's right. I discovered that many of the incantations are misspelled, and figured that we'd need to combine the spell with an advanced teleportation one in order to reach the deceased ponies' realm." Starswirl (who was very appropriately named!) stroked his beard. "Well," he said. "You got the misspelling bit correct. There are still a couple in there that aren't quite right. But it is not necessary to combine the spell with a teleportation one; not that I'm aware of, anyway. We're...we're not actually going to the afterlife realm...eh...what was your name again?" Starlight could not help but let out a loud groan—being in solitude for so long had clearly had a huge impact on Starswirl's mentality. "Starlight Glimmer!" "E...oh, yes! Yes, that's the one!" Starlight face palmed. "Let's get those translations correct, first and foremost," Starlight said in her regular tone. When that task was finished, the pair opted to proceed in combining the spell with the correct other piece of sorcery: a piece of magic used to do the opposite—bringing the deceased ponies to the realm of the living! "A simple mistake," Starswirl said kindly to his new partner. "I see...see true potential in you, you know, Starlight." "Thank you," she replied timidly. Very soon after that, the spell was: "Ready to be tested!" Starswirl proudly proclaimed. Starlight looked excitedly nervous. It was time for the big revelation; if she could not pull this off, nopony ever would...simple as. "WAIT!" "Wh--Whatever's the matter?" Starswirl was confused. He was certain they had scored victory this time around. "One more thing needs to be added in order for the spell to function. Trust me on this one!" "Eh...well, if you say so," said Starswirl, stepping aside. Starlight utilised her unicorn magic to pick up the nearest quill and trot over to the piece of parchment on which the spell was contained. "Everypony, come in here, quickly!" The remaining members of the group naturally came rushing in a mere instant later; in an even swifter amount of time, Starlight began to frantically scribble something on the parchment, and as she did so she spoke what she was writing aloud briskly and noisily: "From all of us together, together we're friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there is magic without end!" She stabbed the parchment viciously with the quill. Simultaneously, Twilight Sparkle and Cadance's eyes began to glow a bright yellowish-white, their bodies lifting off the ground slightly. Their allicorn wings spread wide open as if they were attending a prestigious event in Canterlot, and everything in the cave became suddenly very gloomy. Their eyes were focused not on said gloominess, but on the bright and brilliant jet of light that had appeared out of nowhere at Starlight's cue. The light grew brighter still, until it covered virtually the entirety of the cave. Only the corners of the ceiling were unaffected. "Can..." Twilight spoke softly; both she and Princess Cadance could hardly believe their eyes! "Can...can you hear voices?" Cadance responded with a simple nod: she could hear the voices. Millions and millions of them, all coming from the realm where deceased ponies roam. The pair could recognise some—Mayor Mare, their grandparents, various members of the Pie and Apple families that had passed long ago, and...Princess Celestia and Luna!! "No..." "...way!" Out of the light, those two very same former princesses of Equestria stepped forward. They were not flesh and blood, but transparent and somewhat smaller than they had been during life. Twilight and Cadance ran to embrace them, but it was no good. Their solid bodies went straight through the ghost-like entities. "Congratulations on successfully unlocking the key to communicate with ponies who have passed on," Princess Celestia smiled and spoke in her iconic and much-adored mellow tone. "We're so proud of all of you," said Luna. "Princesses, I'm so sorry," Twilight wept. "I failed you." "It's true," Tears flooded out of Cadance's eyes. "We weren't able to prevent Spatium killing you." "Dear friends," said Luna. "You must understand that nopony is powerful enough to defeat our brother single-hoofedly." "Believe it or not," Celestia was still smiling and totally calm. "It was always the plan that Spatium kill us." "What?!" "You're just saying..." "No," Luna enforced. "It couldn't be more true." "You see," Celestia explained. "If we hadn't perished, Sunburst would never have proposed accessing this afterlife and asking us what to do. And only by bringing us here can Spatium's actions be stopped." Twilight and Cadance had never experienced such a bizarre mix of so many emotions (nearly all of them at once). "W...what do we do?" Twilight asked. Princess Celestia leaned into her former student. "Who was it who allowed you both to speak to us?" She inquired. "Starlight Glimmer," Twilight said. "She and Starswirl were the ones who completed the spell." "And do you remember what happened when you did exactly that four years ago?" Twilight Sparkle gasped! "There will be time for all that later," Luna smiled. "But in terms of defeating Stellas Spatium..." She trailed off. "How?" Cadance asked. "How? How?! We simply have no idea!" "Your daughter," said Celestia. "There's a reason she was born an allicorn. Let's just say Twilight is right to believe in fate. It does exist." It was Cadance's turn to gasp and gape. "Her whole existence has been leading up to this moment, and let me tell you she will perform many more amazing feats." "So...so Flurry is definitely going to bring about Spatium's downfall? That future is certain?" "Nothing is certain," Luna admitted. "But Flurry Heart is destined to be the one who faces Spatium." "She's only young," Twilight began, but Luna beckoned her to stop. "It is the only way. The only way." The two princesses began to move back into the light. "Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!" Twilight shouted. They turned back. "How do we free the slaves of Spatium? Practically the whole of Equestria has become as evil as he himself, with several killed for disobeying him...including Mayor Mare," she added sombrely. "That," said Celestia. "Is one for both of you to puzzle out for yourselves. Just remember, Princesses, everything happens for a reason; consider all the members of your group." Both Twilight and Cadance gaped and gasped and shrieked simultaneously: "LORD TIREK!!!"