//------------------------------// // S7 E1: Celestial Advice, Part 1 (What If?) // Story: My Little Pony Friendship is Magic What If?: Volume 7 // by SuperPinkBrony12 //------------------------------// Spike knocked a claw on the door to Starlight Glimmer's bedroom, his goal was to both check up on her and to distract her while Twilight surveyed her student's room. "Hey, Starlight," Spike greeted to the unicorn he'd come to see as something of a big sister. "It's almost time for the ceremony, you ready?" "Yeah, I mean more or less," Starlight answered. "I still can't believe my friends and I are getting rewarded with Pink Hearts." "Well it's not everyday you team up with a bunch of random characters, rescue a princess, and defeat a certain no good queen," Spike chuckled. "And it certainly helps that thanks to you, Thorax is now King Thorax and the changelings are now Equestria's allies." Starlight nodded. "Yeah but that was at least partially your doing, Spike. You were the first one to befriend Thorax after all." "Right," Spike acknowledged. Then he decided to ask Starlight. "So uh... what are you gonna wear to the ceremony?" The unicorn shot Spike a puzzled look. "Not sure, really. Why do you ask? Am I supposed to dress up or something?" "No, er... I mean you could," Spike quickly replied. "It's like Rarity always says," He proceeded to pull back his scales so they looked like Rarity's curly mane, and he even threw his voice to try and sound like hers. "There's no such thing as overdressed, darling. Why, you're just the best looking pony in the room." He proceeded to give a nervous laugh as the impression wore off. "You've really been hanging around Rarity too much, you sounded just like her," Starlight commented. "But I think I'll just go as I am, something tells me Discord and Trixie won't be dressing up for the ceremony. And I don't even know if changelings ever wear clothes. Sunburst has his cape, but then he always seems to wear that." She then prepared to turn and go back into her room. But Twilight hadn't finished surveying the room just yet and Spike knew it! If Starlight entered her room now she would see her teacher and the whole surprise would be ruined! So there was only one thing the little dragon could think of to stall for time. "No, don't look!" He protested and pulled Starlight close, so close that he could've been mistaken for trying to kiss her. Starlight naturally did not take well to being pulled so close. "What is going on?" She complained to Spike as she brushed him off with a hoof. "S-sorry," Spike nervously answered. "There was... a bug on your face. But... uh... it's totally gone now." "Rrrrrrrrright," Starlight slowly answered in reply. "Well if you've nothing left to say, you can tell Twilight I won't be long. Let me know when she needs me to come out." She entered her bedroom just moments after Twilight had teleported away. Spike quickly took off and ran back to Twilight's bedroom to meet up with her. "How'd it go?" Twilight questioned. "Haha, she had no idea," Spike proudly replied. "We're a good team, Sparkle." "'Sparkle'?" Twilight asked and then chuckled. "Yeah we are," And then she changed the subject. "Everything is ready, Starlight's gonna be in for a very big surprise." "I thought you were getting her a mirror, like yours?" The little dragon questioned as he pointed a claw to said mirror. It depicted various photos of Twilight and her friends, some with her in them and some without her. "Oh I am! It's the perfect graduation present!" The young alicorn happily beamed. "Oh," Spike commented in reply. "Well, maybe you should just get her a card or something, because I don't think a mirror will say all that. But I do think she'll like it." Twilight proudly nodded. "You bet she'll like it! It's just what her room needs. The first thing she'll see every morning when she wakes up is herself, surrounded by all her friends. I plan on giving it to her after the award ceremony." "Didn't you say you had a big announcement you were going to make during the ceremony?" Spike questioned. "Something that will change Starlight's life forever." Twilight's happy mood suddenly faded, replaced by one of noticeable sorrow. "Yes, Spike," She answered. "But believe me, the time has come. Even if I wish it hadn't. It's just like what Princess Celestia did for me." Sensing it might be best to change the subject, the little dragon questioned. "Right, I see. Well in any case, shouldn't you be getting the party set up? The guests will be here soon." But Twilight just laughed. "Oh Spike, Pinkie Pie's taking care of that. You know nopony can best her when it comes to party planning." True to form Pinkie was working on the party set-up. She made sure no one was else around to watch, and then she pulled on a rope. In a shower of confetti several decorated tables, a stand, and streamers of all colors descended from above. The party pony surveyed her work and wiped the sweat from her brows, everything was ready. "Phew!" She declared, party planning was hard work. The award ceremony kicked off a short time later and everyone was there to celebrate. Thorax had even brought along some of the changelings from the hive he now lead (though he'd only really been king for the better half of two to three months at best). Since the ceremony was held in Twilight's castle and Starlight was her student, she was the first to speak up. "Starlight, Trixie, Thorax, Sunburst, Discord and of course Spike were all brave in the face of danger. They were resourceful when things got challenging, and proved that the bonds of friendship, no matter how unlikely, are stronger than any adversity," She spoke with practiced precision. "And by stopping Queen Chrysalis, not only did they save Equestria; they also set the changelings free from her reign." "And that's why we're proud and honored to give them the Equestrian Pink Hearts of Courage!" Princess Celestia added. "To commemorate and to honor their great deeds!" The medals were bestowed upon the four one by one, starting with Starlight, then Trixie and Sunburst, followed by Spike, then Discord and finally, Thorax. But Princess Luna found it rather difficult to fit the pink heart for Thorax around the changeling leader's big antlers, she at last managed to fit it on with a pop but the strain on her face spoke volumes about her struggle. As the rescue group posed for a picture, Princess Celestia trotted over to Twilight and not so subtly commented. "It's a wonderful feeling, isn't it, Twilight? Watching your student shine the way you always knew they could. It's one of the greatest feelings a teacher could ever experience." Twilight wanted to nod in confirmation but a more pressing concern took priority as she replied. "My cheeks are sore! I don't think I've ever smiled this much in my life!" A nervous chuckle escaped her lips as she spoke. Celestia simply ribbed back. "I can only imagine what that feels like," And then she commented. "So, exactly what's next for your student? I assume you don't intend to keep having her learn the basics now that she's demonstrated how far beyond that level she is." Twilight's happy mood faded when Celestia made the comment, replaced by one of noticeable sadness as a profound frown formed on her face. "You'll find out very soon, Princess Celestia. I've been stewing over that dilemma ever since Starlight and I got back to Ponyville after Chrysalis' defeat. The solution I've come to is not one I imagined I would ever have to take." "You must do what you think is best for your student, Twilight," Princess Celestia advised. "I feel it is not my place to tell you how to manage your student, especially not when you have clearly not had a need to call on my experiences." "I actually tried very hard to teach Starlight the same way you taught me," Twilight replied to her former mentor. "I know I'm not really your student anymore, but a part of me has always had a special place in my heart for your wisdom and guidance." "It warms my heart to know you think that way, Twilight," The sun princess cheerfully smiled. "But even I don't hold all the answers. I look forward to your big announcement all the same, though." And a short time later with the celebration in full swing, Twilight tapped a spoon to her glass that held some punch. All gathered in the room stopped to look at her. Clearing her throat she uneasily began. "Sorry to interrupt the festivities, but I have a very important message to deliver. It's one involving my student, Starlight Glimmer." The crowd's attention turned to Starlight, who suddenly felt like a bug under a microscope. She had no idea what Twilight was doing but she did not like where the overall mood was going. Still, she joined her teacher on stage, suspecting nothing. Twilight paused for a moment, as if to collect her thoughts. And then she said. "With every teacher, there is always a point where the student surpasses the master and no longer needs lessons. Part of me always knew this day might come, but I convinced myself it would not be for years and years. But the events in the changeling hive have opened my eyes to a starting reality," Turning to the unicorn that stood behind her she declared. "Starlight Glimmer. It is with great pride that I hereby declare you to have officially graduated from friendship lessons! From today onwards, you are no longer my student." "Way to go, Starlight!" Trixie and Sunburst clapped and cheered together. Even Discord could be celebrating in his own Discord way (turning his entire body in a gigantic noise maker). But the five ponies who had gotten to know Starlight as a friend, and the rest of the gathered crowd of ponies and changelings did not celebrate. The news took them by surprise and they could only respond with gasps! "M-me?! Graduate?!" Starlight stuttered and stumbled back in shock. "... I don't believe it! I don't know what to say!" "It's alright," Twilight replied even as tears started to form in her eyes. "It's a lot to take in. But I couldn't keep pretending things would be the same even when they're not." Starlight continued to stutter nervously about. "But... but... where will I go from here? What will I do?" "I... don't know!" Twilight choked out and ran off as the tears started to run down her cheeks without stopping! "Twilight!" Starlight cried out for her teacher and friend. The entire room fell into a state of shock! Even Discord could be heard to say. "Well now... I wasn't expecting that at all." Twilight retreated to the throne room of her castle, far removed from the celebration that had been abruptly interrupted by her shock announcement. Where better to go to ensure that no one could see or hear her crying? But the young alicorn was not alone for very long before she felt something brush up against her backside, namely a wing. Lifting her head Twilight found herself face to face with none other than Princess Celestia herself, and hidden just out of sight behind her wings was Spike. "It appears you need my help again, Twilight," Princess Celestia spoke in that warm, motherly tone of voice that Twilight had heard so often as a filly. "I'm happy to offer my services and experience." "It's nothing, Princess Celestia. I didn't mean to bother you with it." Twilight apologized between sobs. But Princess Celestia knew from experience when Twilight was lying. Heck, she'd come to learn whenever somepony was not being honest with her. It was a process she had developed over years of ruling and teaching. "Twilight, it's perfectly okay to cry. Even princesses cry sometimes." She reassured her troubled fellow alicorn as she draped a wing over her. Twilight just shook her head and continued to sob. "It's completely ridiculous. My student, Starlight Glimmer has finally graduated. I should be happy for her, but I'm not," And then she added. "I'm supposed to have a plan for her, to be able to guide her and know where to send her. But I don't have either of those." "Twilight, whoever says you need to have one?" Spike commented as he emerged from behind Celestia's wings. "You never had a big plan for Starlight. Remember how after Flurry Heart's crystalling we both agreed it was best to give Starlight space to be herself, and let her learn lessons on her own?" "And that led to her trying to do five friendship problems all at once, magically cloning herself to do so," Twilight retorted. "And when my student most needed me, I was off getting captured by Queen Chrysalis. You, Sunburst, Trixie and Discord were there for her, I wasn't." "Because you trusted her enough to make friends on her own," Spike explained. "Besides, you think you're the only one upset about Starlight leaving? Don't you think I'm torn up at the fact that the pony I've come to know as a big sister is going to be leaving the nest, possibly forever?" "That's different, Spike." Twilight replied in between sniffles. Spike only glared at Twilight and shook his head. "No it's not, you of all ponies taught me that it doesn't matter what anyone else says. It's no different to me or to you or to anyone else, it's only different if you let be," But then he lowered his voice and in a more soothing tone he added. "You can always take on another student after Starlight leaves. There's plenty of candidates. What about Diamond Tiara? Or even Trixie or Discord? Any one of them would make fine students." "I don't want Starlight to feel like I'm replacing her!" Twilight retorted. "We were more than just teacher and student, we were friends! You saw how the girls accepted her and got along so well with her. If I got someone else it wouldn't be the same, it would only make things worse." Princess Celestia put a hoof to her chin as she pondered. "It sounds to me like you're more worried about not having a plan for Starlight's future than you are about having to let her go and live her life. I know how difficult it can be to decide, how you want to find the perfect place for them to define themselves," And she then offered. "Perhaps you can tell me what you've considered, where you think Starlight belongs. And if you ask, I'll be glad to offer my suggestions." Twilight's sniffles and sobs slowly ceased. It was just like Princess Celestia to know how to make her feel better, it was the kind of thing that made it easier for her to see why the sun princess was so strongly attached to Twilight. "That would be lovely." She agreed with a nod. Meanwhile, the ceremony more or less resumed in Twilight's absence. But the attention now shifted towards Twilight's surprise announcement and what it would mean for Starlight. "So, Starlight Glimmer?" Discord asked while posing as a newspaper reporter (complete with cameras and a microphone). "You've officially graduated from being the princess of friendship's star pupil. Most ponies might wonder what it feels like. But what I wanna know is, what are you gonna do next?" Starlight let out a nervous gulp as she answered. "That's the thing, I don't know. I never even knew Twilight was planning to end my tutorship. I kind of expected to keep being her student for years." Discord growled in frustration and changed back to normal. "You were supposed to say 'I'm going to Whinyland!' Starlight!" He remarked. "Honestly, you're more of a buzzkill than Trixie." "I heard that, Discord!" Trixie snapped back. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is trying her hardest to be on her best behavior today, and she would appreciate it if a certain draconequus would stop trying to get on her nerves." "Oh, you're no fun," Discord commented. "Where's your sense of humor? You and Starlight wouldn't know a good joke if it bit you in the butt." Starlight loudly cleared her throat and changed the subject, the last thing she wanted was to see two of her friends fight. "I'm sorry I didn't play along with your games, Discord. Normally I find them very funny. But this isn't a joking matter, this is serious. For the first time in my life, I'm at a loss to as what to do." "Whatever do you mean, Starlight?" Rarity pondered. "You always seemed to have a plan before. Even when facing down Queen Chrysalis you were at least capable of winging it." The grayish-purple coated unicorn was quick to reply. "There's a first for everything, Rarity. Deep down a part of me always felt like I threw Twilight a curveball, like she didn't know what to do with me and only took me on to keep me out of the dungeons. And now, just when I was finally getting used to the idea of being her student and having to learn more about friendship, Twilight goes and says there's nothing left for me to learn. That I'm no longer her student." "Does this mean I'll have to throw you a going away party?" Pinkie questioned. "It feels like we were all just getting to know the real you, Starlight. When you first came to Ponyville you seemed so tense and unsure of yourself, like making a friend was a foreign concept. I still remember how reluctant you were to go with me to Baltimare for P.S.S.S.D. with Marble." "Let's not forget about that surprise Ogres and Oubliettes session with Spike, Big Mac, and Discord," Fluttershy added. "Even if you ended up being the damsel in distress. From what Spike tells me, you started to gain a new appreciation for it and it became your second favorite game behind Dragon Pit, whatever that is." Applejack chuckled. "I still remember the time you made Big Mac talk more than he was used to talkin' 'round strangers. Don't ever tell him I said this but I think that experience ended up doin' him a favor, he's a lot more sociable now. He's even sneakin' off by himself from time to time, though he still won't say what it's for." "And now you don't just know the Captain of the Wonderbolts, you know the whole team," Rainbow Dash proclaimed. "If you could make friends with them it's no wonder Twilight thinks you're ready to graduate. Heck, the whole flight back from the academy with her, she wouldn't stop talking about how far you've come in such a short amount of time!" But Sunburst knew from the memories he had of him and Starlight as little ponies, that all that praise meant very little to Starlight. He could remember how self conscious she was about things like magic, especially in the absence of her parents (he couldn't remember a time where he'd ever seen Starlight's mother and had only faint memories of her father, whose name escaped him at the moment). So the pony who'd once pretended to be a big, important wizard asked his friend. "You doubt yourself, don't you, Starlight?" When Starlight nodded he replied with a sigh. "If anypony knows what that feels like it's me. When I entered Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns I thought I knew everything, but I soon found that even though I could talk the talk I couldn't walk the walk. And when magic school didn't pan out, I was of course too ashamed to come back home," He then offered. "If you need a place to stay while you think about what to do with your life, I could make arrangements. It's a little drafty in the Crystal Empire but you'll get used to it." "Or you could stay with Trixie and be her Great and Powerful assistant," Trixie proclaimed. "Together, we'd be able to tour all over Equestria and perform tricks the likes of which nopony has ever seen before!" Discord just slyly commented. "If you're really feeling up to it and want to continue being a student, I'd be happy to take you under my wing in my dimension. I'll even leave you a map and a key so you won't get lost. You've displayed a good deal of chaos unintentionally, but you've only scratched the surface on what chaos can do. And besides," He added under his breath. "Much as I don't like to admit it I could really use a roommate. The Smooze isn't bad but he's so hard to get a hold of." With all eyes now at the table now fixated solely on her, Starlight stared them down and reluctantly sighed. "Thank you, all of you. Your offers are all generous but I'm not sure I could decide on any of them at the moment. I'm confident Twilight wouldn't have made that announcement if she didn't know where she wanted me to go. She just probably forgot because she was so choked up." "Good point," Rainbow nodded her head in agreement. "Since when has Twilight not had a plan?" Back in the throne room Twilight was now going over the few "plans" she had thought of when she'd decided Starlight was ready to graduate from friendship lessons. Even though her only audience was Princess Celestia and Spike, the studious alicorn still couldn't help but feel nervous. "Okay, here's what I've got so far. I've narrowed my choices down to a few locations," Twilight explained. "Maybe I could send Starlight to the new changeling hive. You know, to help ease the transition and teach the changelings all about friendship. Thorax would be glad to have her." Spike was surprised to see himself, Princess Celestia, and even Twilight be transported into a projection of sorts for the changeling hive. They could not interact with the surroundings at all, they could only watch. So watch they did, they watched as Starlight and Thorax stood on a small ridge overlooking the hive. "Okay, Friendship 101. Today, Thorax and I are going to show you how to compromise." The vision Starlight declared. The vision Thorax then spoke in a noticeably stilted tone of voice. "I want to have honeysuckle nectar for lunch." "And I would like a peanut butter sandwich," The vision Starlight replied in an equally stilted voice. "Oh, no. What should we do?" "Attack! The winner gets to choose!" A sea-green colored changeling shouted and various changelings all nodded in agreement. But the vision Starlight instead answered. "Or... Thorax and I can talk about it and come up with a solution that works for everyone." The vision Thorax proceeded to ask (still in his stilted tone of voice). "Starlight, how do you feel about honeysuckle and peanut butter sandwiches?" The vision Starlight nodded even as she spoke in her stilted tone of voice. "Why, that sounds simply dee-licious!" And she and the vision Thorax then said together. "Compromise." And the rest of the changelings seemed to more or less nod their heads in agreement. Having observed the entire scenario as it played out Spike couldn't help but comment. "Uh, this doesn't seem like something Starlight and Thorax would do. I should know, I've been around them both long enough." But Princess Celestia corrected Spike. "Normally you'd be right, Spike. But this is Twilight's fantasy of what could happen. There is no wrong way to fantasize," Then she turned to Twilight and proudly and honestly declared. "You've certainly chosen wisely, Twilight. This seems like a wonderful path for Starlight to take in life. The changelings have so much to learn about how to enjoy love through friendships. Starlight would be busy for a very long time, but her work there would be very rewarding." "And dangerous," Twilight commented with sudden worry. "Thorax says not all changelings have embraced the new direction for the hive. All it would take is one changeling holding a grudge against Starlight to undo everything." The vision changed to reflect Twilight's concerns. She, Spike, and Princess Celestia watched as a changeling pretended to be Starlight and with an evil grin she approached the reformed changelings. Her Starlight voice sounded noticeably exaggerated, but the changelings didn't seem to suspect anything as the fake Starlight spoke. "Hi, I'm Starlight Glimmer! What's your name?" A lime green changeling answered in an uncertain tone. "Uh, it's Cornicle?" The fake Starlight laughed. "What kind of a name is that?" Then she used her magic to gaze at the glossy wings of the changelings. "Ah, your wings are so, um... see-through. I'm so glad I'm a pony. Are you, like, bugs, or what?" She proceeded to use her magic to create a giant fly swatter and smack the changelings around for a bit. Then she left just as the real Starlight was trotting up on the scene, completely unaware of what had transpired. "There she is! Get her!" The changeling who'd identified as Cornicle shouted! And seconds later the changelings all swarmed the real Starlight and the vision ended! "Uh, Twilight, that probably won't happen." Spike protested. "But it could," Twilight answered with a shake of her head. "I've got to be more careful. I can't just send my first ever student off to Celestia-knows-where without thinking it through!" At that Celestia couldn't help but adopt the most amused and yet perplexed look on her face. "Hm, I was not aware that I was an expression," She commented. "A fitting one, though, for even I don't have the answer. If you believe Starlight's talents are better suited elsewhere, that is for you to decide and not I." "Right," The alicorn with a coat of purple replied and went back to racking her brain. "Where else could I send her?" "Uh, may I offer a suggestion, Mom?" Spike asked as he raised a claw. "Why not send her to the dragon lands? I'm sure Ember wouldn't mind." Twilight's eyes lit up like the star on a Hearth's Warming tree! "Spike, you're a genius! Why didn't I think of it before?! The dragon lands would be perfect for Starlight, she was out of town when you got called by the dragon lord! This would be the perfect opportunity to cement the dragon lands as an ally of Equestria and have them learn more about friendship!" With a pop of magic the throne room changed into a projection of the dragon lands, right down to Ember sitting on a rock overlooking a pit of lava. "Ember!" Starlight declared as she appeared in the lands with the familiar zap of a teleportation spell. "Starlight!" Ember happily replied as she swooped down and shared a belly bump with Starlight. "You ready to do some death-defying dragon stuff?" In a noticeably more energetic and gruff tone of voice than she had ever displayed before, Starlight proudly declared. "Oh yeah, totally!" "Okay, I know that's not how Ember or Starlight would sound." Spike raised an eyebrow. "How would you know, Spike?" Twilight corrected. "They've never met before, who knows what their dynamic would be like?" And she watched as the vision Starlight and vision Ember took turns hurling rocks and shattering them with magic or flame breath. "Freaky." Was all Spike could bring himself to say. The young princess of friendship nodded. "In her letters, Ember says that dragons do a lot of fun things. The Feast of Fire, the Dragon Bowl, Claw-chella, and that's just to name a few," But as she watched Starlight having fun in the vision worry began to creep its way into her mind and she added. "Starlight could be there for a really long time. But then again, not all dragons like ponies as much as Ember does." And just after Twilight had spoken those words Garble appeared in the vision. Upon seeing Starlight he scowled and stuck out his tongue. "Hey, Twinkle Star!" "It's Starlight Glimmer, just so you know." Starlight not so politely corrected. "Yeah yeah yeah, whatever," Garble retorted with fake concern. "Far as I'm concerned you ponies all sound and look the same, but I guess no one really cares. So, you wanna hang with us?" "No thank you," The vision Starlight replied but it was as if Garble didn't hear what she said. He just swooped her up and rushed up a short cliff. "Uh, what are we diving into?" His prisoner asked. "Lava!" Garble said with a laugh. "Don't worry, it's not so hot once you get used to it!" "What?!" Starlight screamed and the vision ended as she and Garble appeared to dive into the lava headfirst! Spike tried his hardest not to put a claw to his face at Twilight's vision. "You really worry too much, Mom. Starlight can more than take care of herself, she's not a baby." "I guess you're right, Spike. But still..." Twilight paused as she sighed. "It's an awfully long journey to the dragon lands. What if she got lost or attacked along the way? I don't think I could live with myself if that happened. I just need to think of someplace safe to send her!" She paced back and forth while pondering to herself. "Think, think, think. Someplace safe... someplace safe..." Then a sudden bolt of realization struck her! "That's it! I should've just thought of this from the beginning!" She said with a laugh. "I could send her to the Crystal Empire to continue her magical studies with Sunburst! She'd love that! And the best part is, with the Crystal Empire being a train ride away, we could go to see her whenever we wanted! It'd be like she never even left!" Spike put his claws together and clapped as the vision came into focus. "Now that's the Twilight Sparkle I know and love!" The vision Starlight and Sunburst were seen being hard at work in the Crystal Empire's library, looking over various books. "It'll be perfect! Sunburst's knowledge of magic is only matched by Starlight's abilities. And together, they could challenge each other into becoming the most talented unicorns Equestria's ever seen!" Twilight proudly declared. Meanwhile, the vision Sunburst was saying to the vision Starlight. "I've got it! Try placing your horn directly on the potion, and picture the clock you wish to make." Starlight aimed her horn at the bubbling potion on the desk and with a puff of magic, it transformed into a fully constructed (and functional) cuckoo clock. Instead of a tweety bird, however, when the clock struck the hour a miniature Flurry Heart popped out. A detail that even Princess Celestia found to be rather adorable. "We did it, Sunburst!" Starlight cheered! "What's next?!" The scene transitioned to Sunburst's house as Twilight commented. "Of course, the study of magic is a lifelong pursuit, and Starlight could be there for a while, especially once they start attempting the really complicated stuff!" Sensing where Twilight's thoughts were going Spike simply counted aloud. "Three, two, one..." Right on cue the alicorn adopted a look of noticeable worry and she gulped as she commented. "What if they become too ambitious?! What if they try to do something nopony's ever done before?!" The vision showed the two unicorns drawing chalk lines in the center of Sunburst's house and Starlight could be heard proudly declaring. "I never would've thought to combine Star Swirl's apparition spell with Spacium Flexibus! But what would happen if we added Somnambula's Tempus Objectus to the mix?" "It's risky," Sunburst briefly commented in worry before his face lit up and he proudly declared. "But if we do it just right, it should allow us to materialize an object that was lost in the past." In vain Twilight cried out to the unicorns in the vision. "No! Don't do it if you wish to survive!" But with crackling and sparking horns the unicorns did it anyway. Twilight could only watch in horror as a massive black hole formed in the center of the drawing, and grew only bigger and bigger with each passing second! With a scream, Starlight was sucked into the hole and vanished! "Starlight, noooooo!" Just like that the vision ended, and Twilight was panting heavily, shaken with fright! A cold sweat worked its way down her body. "Twilight?! Twilight! Are you okay?!" Spike pleaded. "It was just an illusion, it wasn't real! It would never happen! Sunburst studied under Princess Celestia, he knows what it means to have restraint." But Twilight only shook her head. "You saw how little it took for Starlight to start experimenting with spells, Spike. And the last time it happened I wasn't there to stop her before she cast them," She unhappily sighed and hung her head. "Oh, I just don't think I can send her anywhere, Spike." "Twilight..." Princess Celestia commented with concern. She hated to see her former student so upset. "Oh, what I am gonna do? Some teacher I turned out to be." The alicorn thought as her overall posture became slouchy and gloomy. All of a sudden, however, the somber mood was broken unexpectedly by Princess Celestia. At first it was a faint, suppressed snicker. But it quickly grew into an uncontrollable giggle and then a full on, hearty laugh. Twilight spun around in shock! "Y-you're laughing at me?!" She remarked to her mentor, as if this was all a bad dream. Princess Celestia was indeed laughing. She continued to laugh and laugh in a way that Twilight had never heard before in her life. To say she was confused would be an understatement. "I can't believe you're actually laughing at me." She commented in noticeable sorrow. To have the pony she looked up and trusted ever since she was a filly laughing at her, it really stung. But as the sun princess finally managed to regain her composure she was able to explain. "Oh, Twilight, I'm not. Please forgive me, I just couldn't contain myself," And then she added. "I was laughing because I once had the same exact worries you're now having. The parallels were just too funny to ignore." "Princess... are you saying what I think you're trying to say?" Twilight asked as she looked up at the elder alicorn. Celestia nodded. "I am," She motioned for Twilight and Spike to sit down on the floor and when they did, she too sat down. "Let me tell you a little story," She began. But she had only just begun when she suddenly stopped and added. "Actually, perhaps it would be better if you could see it." Her horn began to glow and in the blink of an eye she transported herself, Twilight, and Spike to what appeared to be a past projection of one of her classrooms in Canterlot. Princess Celestia proceeded to narrate. "Once upon a time, there was a talented little filly. She was truly one of my best and brightest students," As she narrated Twilight and Spike could see that her vision was focused on a young Twilight Sparkle, to the point where the remaining students were blurry outlines (though Twilight could still make out the identities of some of them. Her old classmates: Minuette, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Lyra Heartstrings, and of course Moondancer). Spike looked up. "Uh, you’re talking about Twilight, right?" Celestia chuckled and nuzzled Spike’s head. "Yes, Spike." The unicorn filly was following the instructions in the classroom textbook and produced a colorful, blooming plant. As she had no friends to share in the great accomplishment she simply high-hoofed one of the plant's leaves. "Oh how I loved to see her excel, never had I seen a pony learn so much so quickly," Celestia continued before her mood started to change from happy to somber. "But I realized that her pursuit of academia was keeping her from reaching her true potential. Keeping her isolated and alone." The scene transitioned to the sun princess overlooking Canterlot and lowering the sun to make way for the coming night as the present Celestia's narration went on. "I had a decision to make," A sigh escaped her lips. "Oh, but it wasn't easy." The past Celestia appeared to be debating to herself about something of great importance, even though no one was around to hear her. "Maybe I could close the library for a day, or even throw a party in the castle. Oh yes, that will work!" She told herself. "She'd have to talk to other ponies then! She'd finally have somepony besides her family, Spike, and my adopted niece that she could chat with." But then the princess looked up at the moon, namely to the pony like shape reflected on its surface. In an instant a wave of regret washed over her as she recalled what had happened all those years ago. "You're right, Luna," She said with an unhappy sigh, tears welling up in her eyes. "That's not what Twilight needs, I can't force her to make friends. I must send her away, let her make friends on her time and terms." The present Celestia continued to narrate as she explained. "You know of my visions, how I am able to see the future. And because of that I knew where I had to send you. In Ponyville I knew there was a special group of ponies that would help you understand the magic of friendship. I even visited there once to make the arrangements. But even after that, I kept inventing all kinds of reasons as to why I shouldn't send you." In the throne room the past Celestia could be seeing pacing back and forth while nervously talking to herself. "Ponyville is quite dangerous, it's not too far from the Everfree Forest. What if she runs into a manticore? Or what if she somehow gets pulled into Tartarus? Or worst of all," She gulped and bit her hoof. "What if she doesn't get along with anypony?!" "Uh, are we supposed to say something?" One of the royal guards whispered to another. The other guard whispered back. "I don't think so, Captain Armor would say we're not paid for this. We're just paid to stand here and protect the princess." "I kept you in Canterlot far longer than I should have," The present Celestia confessed to Twilight as the vision showed the past version of Twilight leaving Canterlot in a carriage pulled by two of the guards. "But when the 1,000th Summer Sun Celebration drew near, I knew I couldn't delay the inevitable any longer. To keep you in Canterlot would be to doom my sister and all of Equestria. Eventually I realized that all the worries and fears I felt, were all because I didn't want you to leave." The vision drew to a close and all three returned to Twilight's throne room as Princess Celestia tearfully confessed to her former student. "I am embarrassed to admit it but..." She paused as her lips trembled. The next words were slow to leave her mouth. "I feared that... if you made friends... you wouldn't need me anymore. That you'd forget all about me." Twilight immediately leaped to her hooves and embraced her fellow alicorn in a hug! "Oh Princess Celestia, that is so not true! I will always need you! Ever since I was a filly I've looked up to you and admired you, you'll always have a special place in my heart! And just because I stopped being your student doesn't mean I stopped thinking about you. I wanted to write to you everyday for advice, but so many other things kept popping up." "I think Starlight might feel the same way, if that is what you're truly worried about," Celestia advised. "Though if it's teaching you need help with, you could always ask Cheerilee. She may not be a teacher on the same level as me, but she has been at it for longer than anypony I've known since Starswirl the Bearded himself." At that the princess of friendship became intrigued. "Didn't you say you and Luna used to be his students?" She questioned. "I've always wondered what Starswirl was like, I've read so much about his accomplishments but never anything about his teaching years." "And I've always wondered about some of your other students," Spike added. "I know you briefly mentored Sunburst, and another one of your students was Sunset Shimmer, the one who ran away to that other world. But since you've lived for over a thousand years, you have to have had more students than just those three." And together Twilight and Spike pleaded. "Please, can you tell us more?" Celestia hesitated and seemed to look briefly toward the throne room doors. But she took one look at Twilight and Spike's pleading faces and her will to resist drained away completely. "Oh alright," The sun princess consented. "But I must warn you that what you're about to hear is something I have never shared with anyone else. Even my dear sister Luna does not know everything I will say to you. If I tell you I want you both to promise, just a regular promise, that you won't tell anyone." "We promise, Princess Celestia." Twilight and Spike nodded in agreement. "Very well then," Celestia agreed as she drew a deep breath. "We'll start with Twilight's question first, about Starswirl the Bearded." Meanwhile, Starlight Glimmer was making up her mind about a very important matter. And she told her friends. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I fear I may have to run away again." "What?!" Her friends all collectively gasped together! "Run away?!" Starlight reluctantly nodded. "Ponyville is my home and it pains me greatly to have to leave it, but I was terrible at goodbyes when Sunburst left and who knows what I'll do if I have to do it for all of you? I may have no other choice."