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// My Most Faithful Student 
// Story: Rapidly Written Equine Tales 
// by Curious Mew 
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She never says no to me, she never even tries to challenge or question me. Twilight Sparkle always obeys me, the Princess of the Sun. Her teacher. She and her friends have the power to defeat any and all enemies of Equestria. So I have them use that power, there's nothing inherently wrong with that fact. Yet it still bothers me.  

As a princess herself, Twilight should be willing to work for Equestria. And she is, of course, she always agrees to go. I know that it's not fair to think of it that way, to try to make it seem like she has a choice. She has always respected and obeyed me; I was her princess long before she was crowned, after all. Furthermore, I have never made it seem like she had a choice. Perhaps because she didn't.

She does wield the Elements of Harmony with her friends, the greatest force that exists in all of Equestria, and the greatest of forces is needed to deal with those who would threaten my little ponies. Yet I fear that I ask too much of her. Even the strongest ponies can suffer when put on the path to danger. I have seen her suffer, I have seen her injured and scared, but she always puts on a brave face and heads off to challenge whatever foe has risen to menace us.

Nightmare Moon, dragons, Discord, changelings, King Sombra... how many more until I send her to face a threat she is unable to handle? Everypony has a limit, even her. Yet she pretends that she does not. Perhaps I pushed her to hard, perhaps my expectations were too much too soon. She would deny that, of course. She would argue that she has always been able to succeed with the help of her friends, which is true.

I ask too much of here friends as well. Even if Twilight is never harmed on one of her missions, then one of them will be, one day. They are not alicorns, they are simply very brave and extraordinary ponies. But in my lifetime I have seen a great number of brave and extraordinary ponies go off to their deaths with a brave smile on their faces. They always think that they can handle the danger, that they have to. I told them to, after all.

One day, I will hurt her or one of her friends. And they will never blame me. They will remain dedicated to the mission, they will say that it was the only way, which will probably be true. But that what change the fact that I will have hurt one of them, my Twilight or one of her friends. The sad truth is, I have turned her into me.

I tell her to go on these missions, and her friends go because she tells them they have to save Equestria. Which they do, I can't lose sight of that. Her friends go for her, they are willing to destroy themselves for her because they love her even as I tell her to destroy herself for me. And she listens because she loves me with the devotion that fills their love for her.

Discord was a close call, he did break them all, even though I was able to save Twilight by sending back her letters and she was able to save them. But it was too close. She should have said something, she should have been angry that I did not assist her directly. Instead, she was too loyal to see my folly.

I always want to help her, to shield her from danger even as I send her toward it. Yet one day I will not be there, this is the simple truth. Everything dies. I fear that she will die for me because I was too afraid to help her. I am still a powerful pony, even though I no longer wield the Elements. But I want her to be a strong and capable leader, so I stand back and let her break herself for me. I simply pray that I will be long gone before the day comes when she meets that which she cannot defeat. I hope that I will have passed on in her example, breaking myself for my loyalty. I hope that I will die serving Equestria, but I hope that my eyes will be open to the reality that she cannot yet see. More than anything, I hope, wish, and pray that I will not be responsible for the death of my most faithful student and that she will see a better way than mine when it is her time to guide the ponies of Equestria. Because no one should need to destroy themselves for love.