“Well, howdy there, Twilight! The youngins said they’d seen you pass by not too long ago. I was wonderin’ if you’d swing by,” an elderly light-yellow mare with frizzy pink hair, held in place by a large bow, waved from her rocker just in front of the large farmhouse of the illustrious Sweet Apple Acres.
The old mare leaned forward and carefully got onto all four hooves, taking a quick moment to steady herself, and began moving closer to the princess with a steadiness that didn’t betray her age.
Twilight met the old mare halfway, pushing forward and leaning down to give her a hug, taking comfort in the warm pink cloth that adorned the old ponies’ neck.
“Sorry if I kept you waiting, Apple Bloom.”
“Aw, don’t worry about it none. We’re all just happy to have you come over,” Apple Bloom said, stepping back to look up at the large alicorn.
“So, how is everypony? Is everything going all right?” Twilight asked in a conversational tone.
“Oh, nothing too excitin’. We’re all buckling down for the comin’ harvest right now. The whole family is bandin’ together to make sure this is one of the best hauls we’ve ever had, just like Applejack would’ve wanted,” Apple Bloom stated resolutely.
A heavy silence filled the air, the outdoor breeze being the only noise to take away from the stillness.
“So, you’ve all been getting along alright…” Twilight ventured, her voice nearly failing her before she could finish.
“Yeah, we’re doin’ alright. I don’t think any of us are quite used to it yet. Her not bein’ around and all. Last thing she’d want though is for us to lay around bein’ sad because of her, so we’re working harder than ever to make sure Sweet Apple Acres is still somethin’ to be proud of.”
Twilight sighed. “Applejack was always proud of you, Apple Bloom. You know that.”
Apple Bloom chuckled good-naturedly. “Course I do. That’s why we’ve got to make sure everything’s the way it ought to be. I may not be a young filly any-more, but I’ve still got plenty left to give. I promise you, Twilight, this year we’re gonna put this old farm on the map all-over again.”
“Well, I guess if the Apples are good at anything, it’s telling the honest truth,” Twilight mused, infected by Apple Bloom’s own determination.
“Anyhow, I think that’s enough about us. What about you?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you. What have you been up to lately?”
“Oh, nothing much. Same old, same old really,” Twilight waved off.
“Come on now, don’t tell me a buncha old farm ponies live a more interestin’ life than the ruler of all Equestria,” Apple Bloom scoffed. “Surely there’s gotta be somethin’ worth talkin' about.”
“Trust me, Apple Bloom. Life as royalty isn’t nearly as interesting as you would think. These days it’s mostly just meetings and decrees. Sometimes it’s a meeting about a decree or a decree about the meeting. You’d probably be bored senseless,” Twilight assured the old farm pony.
“Really now? You’re telling me nothing special has happened since the last time you were here?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“No changes to your daily routine worth mentioning at all?”
“Weeelll…I don’t know if I would say anything major has changed,” Twilight stuttered, a few things popping into her head due to Apple Bloom’s prodding.
“Because from what I’ve heard, somethin’ very interesting’s happened to you lately,” Apple Bloom teased.
“I guess there has bee-wait? What have you heard?” Twilight asked, legitimately dumbfounded as to what Apple Bloom was getting at.
“Well, the rest of the family says they’ve seen you walkin’ around town with a special somepony,” Apple Bloom practically sang.
“…what?” Twilight said in complete and utter confusion, her previous train of thought completely derailed.
“I couldn't believe it at first, but just about everypony on the farm swears they’ve seen you and another pony getting all cozy together. Congrats, Twilight. I honestly wasn’t sure you had it in you, what with how long it took you to even stumble into a date with that one pegasus guard pony.”
Apple Bloom’s voice was drowned out by Twilight’s own inner musings, repeatedly running over the previous day’s events to see what could lead anypony to tell Apple Bloom such a thing. How could she have found a special somepony? She certainly wasn’t aware of anything like that happening. All she done since getting here was spend time with Sunset, Pinkie, and eventually Spike. Nothing even remotely romantic had happened in her time here with anypony.
“Apple Bloom, what are you talking about? I don’t have a special somepony,” Twilight interrupted once she was absolutely certain there was no pony she had been, “getting all cozy” with.
Apple Bloom was the one who looked dumbfounded now, her head tilting in confusion. “You don’t? Just about the whole town is saying that every time they see you, you’re practically attached to this mare they’ve never seen before.”
“They have?” Twilight asked, no less lost than she had been before.
“Well, yeah. No offense, but you kind of stick out, Twilight. Apparently, you’ve been spending all your time with this pony. Real pretty thing from what they’ve told me. Little bit on the short side. Red and yellow mane with a Sun shaped cutie mark. That don’t sound familiar to you at all?”
It all sounded incredibly familiar to Twilight, even ignoring that those traits were all remarkably distinct in their own right. Not that the descriptions did anything to lessen her own confusion.
“Yeah, that was my friend, Sunset. She came with me to Ponyville. She’s my new assistant back in Canterlot,” Twilight explained, hoping that would be the end of whatever misunderstanding was going on here.
“So, she’s just your assistant?” Apple Bloom asked, clearly skeptical.
“Well, she’s not JUST my assistant. She’s also a close and trusted friend.”
“Well, okay then,” Apple Bloom slowly responded, clearly not convinced, but willing to drop the subject.
Twilight on the other hoof was not. “What? What have you heard? Somepony’s not spreading rumors about me again, are they? Honestly, how many decades need to go by before Equestria finds something more interesting to talk about than how much I weigh?”
“Okay, Twilight I get it. You’re just friends. Seeing the two of you together all the time must have just confused them,” Apple Bloom cut in before Twilight could get too worked up over nothing.
Twilight cocked an eyebrow. “Isn’t that just normal friend stuff?”
“Yeah. I reckon it could be. We were just happy you found somepony nice to spend time with. Everypony said you seemed happy around her.”
Twilight couldn’t deny that. Besides, she wasn’t here to squabble over misunderstandings. So, in spite of the feelings she couldn’t quite place, Twilight decided to let the matter go.
“Anyway, today just so happens to be my last day in Ponyville before I return to Canterlot, and I just wanted to stop by before I left,”
“Well, you know you’re always welcome at Sweet Apple Acres, Twilight. You’re as good as family here,” Apple Bloom said, a bright smile on her face.
“Thanks, Apple Bloom,” Twilight sighed, the sentiment hitting home. Sometimes it was nice to just feel like somepony who belonged.
“Come on in. We got a whole bunch of new Apple recipes you can try out with the rest of the family,” Apple Bloom offered.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’ve got a few other places to be today, and you all seem pretty busy right now,” Twilight tried to wave off.
“C’mon. Everypony’s looking forward to seein’ you, and, knowing you, you probably haven’t eaten yet.”
Apple Bloom’s words rang true as Twilight felt her stomach give a growl in yearning. It was entirely possible it would regret its enthusiasm as even an alicorn’s appetite was no match for an Apple’s, but, at the moment, the offer was far too appealing.
“Alright, maybe just a small bite.”
“Great! Just follow me. Sugar Apple’s baked a pie that’s guaranteed to blow your royal horseshoes right off.”
“And down this hall are the classrooms where they teach each of the six main elements of friendship. I’m sure you know the ones,” Spike said, gesturing to the rooms on either side of the hall they were walking through.
Sunset was free to look in on the lectures and class activities taking place in each room, as, unlike any school she had ever been to, each class in the school seemed to have an open-door policy. It was just one of the many ways the school exuded a feeling of openness and acceptance.
“You know, I have to admit, I had my doubts when Twilight told me about this particular project of hers. Friendship didn’t seem like something you could learn from classrooms and textbooks. But, well, just look at this place. There must not be a single person here who’s not best friends with everyone in the same room,” Sunset marveled from just beside Spike, peeking into each classroom they passed and noting the upbeat energy each room gave off.
“Well, that’s because it’s not just any old school. We learned that friendship isn’t something you can teach traditionally pretty fast. So instead this is a place that brings different creatures from all over the world together so they can learn with each other what Twilight learned with all of her friends.”
As Sunset listened to Spike the two continued to walk through the school. Each hall leading to more classrooms, activities, and smiling faces happily going about their day. If not for her experienced companion, Sunset could have easily found herself completely lost in any one of the large halls contained in an even larger school. Though, for what it was worth, Sunset couldn’t think of a friendlier place to be lost in. Spike was doing his best to give her the rough crash course, but it was becoming clear that she’d never be able to see everything the school had to offer in a single day.
Eventually, he led her past a series of busts and portraits. They seemed to be meant to honor the school staff if Sunset had to guess, which made sense. Most schools had something like that in her experience, so it wasn’t something Sunset paid much attention to. Twilight’s friends were there, a few assorted ponies she had no real way of identifying, and, out of the corner of her eye, Sunset spotted a picture of a middle-aged mare she would have bet all her bits was this world’s Trixie.
“Pretty much everything in this school is inspired by something Twilight has learned while studying friendship. I guess you could say this is a place made by friendship,” Spike chuckled.
They had now made their way outside of the building to an outdoor fountain that was clearly a favorite spot for many of the students.
“So, in a way, there’s a little bit of each of Twilight’s friends in this school?” Sunset surmised, the pleasant thought striking her.
“Yeah. Wouldn’t be much of a school of friendship if Twilight didn’t build it with her friends. Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack…Starlight,” Spike trailed off, his eyes ever so slightly taking on a weary weight Sunset had seen every day in a pair of violet eyes. “…and Rarity. They’re all here.”
Sunset was caught by surprise. It made sense that Spike would bear some of the same burdens as Twilight, but he had never let it show until now in a unique combination of fondness and longing.
Fortunately, the relatively young dragon managed to quickly catch himself and shook off the melancholy he had briefly fallen victim to. “Oh, and I guess we’re here somewhere too,” Spike finished in a much more upbeat tone.
“Me?” Sunset asked in surprise.
“Well, yeah. You’re Twilight’s friend too, aren’t you?” Spike asked as though he was stating something as simple as calling the sky blue. “Didn’t she ask you about it when she was building it?”
“I guess I never really thought about it much before now,” Sunset admitted, looking upon the school in yet another new light. “This place really is beautiful.”
The longer she spent in this world, the more she couldn’t help but notice just how much better everything really was. Every race living in harmony, filled with places of kindness and understanding. It was like life itself was now a happy ending to a fairy tale. Not to say Equestria had ever been horrible under Celestia, but it was still nothing like this. Everyone was happy now. It almost seemed the only pony who wasn’t happy was…
“Hey, Spike!” A nasally, almost masculine voice called out from directly above.
Both pony and dragon looked up in time to see an orange blur flip down in front of them, landing with a surprising amount of poise.
The tall, lanky, orange creature that just touched down before them was clearly a female dragon. Roughly Spike’s height if not a little shorter, but still towering over Sunset, much to her own irritation.
“I thought you were busy helping out the Dragon Lord. You should have told me you’d be in town. Not like it’d be very hard for you to send a letter,” the dragon said, immediately adopting a relaxed posture that indicated familiarity.
Spike rubbed the back of his head, clearly embarrassed. “Oh, yeah, sorry. Guess with everything that’s been going on it just kinda slipped my mind.”
“Ah, don’t worry about it,” She brushed off, giving Spike a friendly light punch on the shoulder. “I know you’ve been a pretty busy dragon lately. Just thought I’d drop in and say hi.”
“And when you say, ‘drop-in’ you mean it pretty literally,” Spike chuckled, “It’s great to see you, Smolder,” Spike finished, leaning in to hug the other dragon who Sunset saw surprisingly return the affection in kind. Even with all that she had seen so far, she had never known any dragon besides Spike to be the affectionate sort.
“So, who’s your little friend?” Smolder asked upon separating from the other dragon.
Sunset fought her ire at the, “little” comment. It wasn’t her fault everything in Equestria had grown so tall. Celestia herself had always told her she was only slightly below average height for a mare her age.
“This is my friend, Sunset Shimmer. She’s Twilight’s new assistant,” Spike quickly introduced
“Finally decided to replace you, huh?”
“Oh, very funny. Sunset, this is my friend, Smolder. The School of Friendship’s guidance counselor.”
Twilight felt her stomach gurgle in protest as she trudged her way through the Everfree Forest. It seemed that no matter how long she lived, how tall she got, or how many times she did it, she’d always fail to handle an entire Apple family feast.
“Ohhh. Yep, still too much pie,” she groaned out to no one in particular. Fortunately, the Everfree Forest wasn’t too far from Sweet Apple Acres.
It was a path she had tread countless times before now. What was once a hopelessly confusing maze of warped trees, clingy vines, and unknown terrors lurking in the distance was now just a casual stroll for the princess.
Still, even after all these years, very few creatures dared to simply walk into the Everfree Forest. It was very much still the same old forest it had been when she and a ragtag team of radically different ponies dared to venture inside in search of the mythical Elements of Harmony those many moons ago. It was a place that didn’t change much.
It was ironic how she now felt something of a kinship with the forest that had once filled her with so much uncertainty and trepidation. Even as the world moved forward, they stayed the same. Perhaps that had been part of the reason Celestia and Luna had decided to place their first castle here.
“How sad when a lonely old forest is the only thing you can relate to,” a dark voice chuckled in the back of her mind.
The errant thought surprised her. She had almost gotten used to her depressing thoughts running away from her, but she surprisingly hadn’t had any over the week she had been staying in Ponyville. Not until now.
“Well, I guess if there’s anything you need to get used to, it’s being lonely, and you need to do it soon.”
Twilight blocked out the voice as she always did and focused on her destination. The hollowed-out old tree she had been searching for at last came into view as did the old friend she had been longing to see.
“Zecora!” Twilight shouted, rushing up to one of her oldest friends in an excitement fueled by the eagerness of seeing her and the prospect of filling the dreadful silence.
“Ah, is that Princess Twilight Sparkle I see?! Forgive me, for my eyes are not what they used to be,” an old zebra called back, stepping away from her task of collecting some of the herbs surrounding her humble tree hut.
“How have you been?” Twilight asked after a quick greeting hug.
Zecora took a moment to shake her long black and white mane off of her aged face. “Aye, a little older and a little grayer since last we spoke, but do not worry; we Zebra are a hardy folk.”
The old zebra’s statement was undoubtedly true. Despite her advanced age, Zecora could be considered a picture of health. Her sturdy body and active lifestyle guaranteeing her an exceptionally long life. Helped in no small part by her extensive knowledge of potions and otherworldly concoctions that kept her well and able. Zecora would persist for at least a few more good years yet.
Still, time wore on her the same as anypony. New wrinkles, sagging skin, and aching pains accumulated in places where there had been none before, and her once mohawk like mane had grown out and now fell to her shoulders in a blanket of stripes.
“So, tell me, old friend, what brings you all the way out to the Everfree? Surely, you did not travel all the way out here, just for me,” Zecora idly commented while she turned to finish her task.
“Can’t I just stop by to visit a friend?”
“I had just assumed that something important had brought you near. It has been quite a while since you’ve come all the way down here,” Zecora explained, her eyes not leaving her task of organizing the baskets she had filled with potential ingredients.
Twilight winced at the blunt statement. Zecora clearly meant no offense in what she said. It was merely an observation, yet the implications that came with it were of no comfort. Had it really been that long?
A magenta glow lifted the baskets into the air, saving the zebra the trouble of carrying them all into her humble abode.
Twilight gave a heavy sigh. “You’re right. I came here…to say goodbye to somepony very special to me.”
Silently, Zecora walked over to her hut and opened the door, gesturing inside.
“Ah, now I understand why. You’ve come here to see poor Pinkie Pie,” Zecora picked up once Twilight had found her way inside, actually needing to duck in order to make it through the door.
“Have you seen her?” Twilight asked in a neutral tone.
Zecora nodded. “I have seen her as both a shaman and a friend. It is sad to say that her time...is at its end.”
Twilight was silent for moment longer before looking directly at the aged zebra. “I don’t want to waste what I have left, Zecora. That’s why I’m here.”
Twilight’s intensity surprised Zecora, but her meaning could not have been clearer. No pony was getting any younger.
“I see. Then please, get comfortable while I make us some tea."
“So, what can we do for you? You interested in becoming a student here?” the tall orange dragon that had been identified as Smolder asked with apparent interest.
“Trust me, Smolder. You’re talking to one of the last ponies in all of Equestria that needs lessons in friendship,” Spike proudly interjected before Sunset could give a response. His surprisingly high praise bringing a shy blush to Sunset’s muzzle.
“Ohhh, I getcha,” Smolder began with a wry smirk “So, is it a teaching job you’re after? Can’t say I know any openings off the top of my head, but I’m sure the headmare can find a job for you if you’re good enough to get the approval of Equestria’s own, ‘Friendship Ambassador’.”
“Actually, I’m just here for the tour,” Sunset elaborated before things got too carried away.
Smolder cocked her head and raised an eyebrow at the small mare before her as though she didn’t quite understand what she had just heard.
“Sooo, you came to a school, just to look at it?” Smolder asked, waiting for any corrections or additions to what she had said.
“Well, I guess it sounds kind of silly when you put it like that, but yeah. I’ve been going to school for most of my life, erm lives really, so I guess I just sort of enjoy the atmosphere,” Sunset explained
Smolder nodded, surprisingly seeming to understand Sunset’s meaning. “I guess that kind of makes sense. It’s probably not my place to judge. I’ve been hanging around this place since old Spikey-wikey over here was yay high,” Smolder said, using her hand to demonstrate a height that only came up to her knee.
“You’re not that much older than me, Smolder. You don’t always have to talk about me like I’m a little kid,” Spike huffed, somehow still being made out to be small after all these years.
“C’mon, Spike, you know you’ll always be an adorably baby dragon to somecreatures,” Smolder teased the slightly taller dragon, leaning on his shoulder.”
“I’ll say. I don’t think I’ll ever quite get used to, ‘Big Dragon Spike’,” Sunset chimed in.
“Really? You didn’t seem to mind ‘Big Dragon Spike’ when you were freeloading a ride all the way over here,” Spike accused.
“I’m not saying you don’t have your uses. I just have a hard time seeing you as anything other than a cute little dragon. Well, that or an adorable puppy,” Sunset cheekily responded.
Smolder signaled for the two to stop their playful banter with a frantic wave of her hands “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down a bit. You are a PONY, right?”
Sunset couldn’t repress the quizzical look she gave the dragon at such a sudden and bizarre question.
“…Yeah. What else would I be?”
“Well, you could be a changeling,” Spike offered unhelpfully.
“So…how old are you exactly?” Smolder questioned while eying Sunset like a puzzle she was trying to piece together.
“Well, I’m…” Sunset quickly began, only to trail off mid-sentence.
How old was she? It wasn’t a question she had spent any real time dwelling on. Birthday parties for one, or two on the rare occasions Celestia wasn’t ridiculously busy, weren’t particularly enjoyable, so Sunset had soured on the whole birthday tradition rather early in life, and that disdain had only carried over to the human world. Her friends, especially Pinkie, had tried bringing her around on the concept, but it just wasn’t something she had ever managed to get into.
Now, ordinarily, that wouldn’t have mattered. Age was, after all, just a number she had to keep track of. For a normal pony, person, or creature that is. She, on the other hoof, had grown into a young mare in Equestria. Then, the mirror had, for whatever reason, reduced her back into a teenage freshman, and boy was it ever fun living that particular stage of life a second time in an alien body. So, she grew up again. Now, she was back in Equestria after all these years, seemingly the same age as when she had last left.
Working through her own negligence in keeping up with her birthdays and factoring in the magical shifts in age, Sunset gave Smolder her honest answer.
“I have absolutely no idea.”
Something told Smolder it would be best to drop the topic for now. She felt a headache just waiting for her if she tried wrapping her brain around this now. “Okay then, well, anyway is there anything I can help you with before I swing by the headmare’s office?”
The mention of the headmare grabbed Sunset’s attention, her innate curiosity seizing her. Surely the pony who ran all this must have been something else entirely. To fill a position that had once been performed by the Princess of Friendship herself. Doubtlessly, only a pony Twilight trusted to the highest degree could be responsible for all this and they were doing a spectacular job from the look of things.
The school’s headmare would probably be endlessly busy, but Sunset couldn’t find it in herself to pass up the opportunity.
“I don’t suppose I could meet the headmare?”
Twilight trotted along with carefully measured steps as she reached one of her few remaining destinations.
The many animals that littered the open fields, small ponds, and rivers took note of the unfamiliar presence but made no moves beyond that.
The air was still and the only audible sound was the crunch of the grass beneath the determined alicorn’s hoofsteps.
It was a beautiful place, truly. The luscious green fields, the crystal-clear waters, the simplistic but tasteful architecture of the rocks, swings, and playsets. Even the sun seemed to naturally shine brighter on this particular spot, although it was hard to be sure what was and wasn’t natural around here at times.
Anycreature could spend countless hours lazing about and enjoying the scenery, which only made it all the more bizarre that Twilight often avoided the place.
One by one the animals cleared a path for the large unfamiliar pony that had invaded their sanctuary, forming crowds on the sideline to watch as she marched on a set path, seemingly pushing herself forward to her destination.
Pushing was certainly an accurate term to describe what Twilight was doing right now. Every part of her being was screaming at her to turn around and flee from this wonderful place. To just forget about it entirely.
Twilight suppressed those feelings. A useful skill she had developed in her decades of ruling. And instead, she tuned in to what her heart told her was right. She would have liked to believe that it had never led her astray before and right now it was telling her that this was the right thing to do.
She finally came to stop before the new centerpiece of the animal sanctuary. “New” relatively speaking. The large commemorative statue had stood in this exact spot for ten years now as of just a few months ago. It was meant to celebrate the founder of the animal sanctuary.
Twilight had commissioned it herself with the encouragement of a certain friend. Something to, "keep her memory alive” he had said.
It was strange. Twilight had seen the statue before. She had been the one to approve the design even, but this could have very well been the first time she really looked at it.
The statue wasn’t necessarily big, nor was it small, standing just a couple feet taller than Twilight herself. An intentional design choice in order to make it easy for the animals to play on. Twilight saw the soft but present cracks that had formed along the surface. The spots and patches that had begun to form along certain places as a sign of natural wear and tear. She saw the carefully chiseled features that formed such minute details as the textures of the statue’s feathers.
It all came together to form the image of a young resting pegasus, laying amongst an assortment of stone animals and decorative flowers. There was a bear, seemingly watching over her, a beaver resting on her tail, an assortment of squirrels, raccoons, birds, and even a snake laying around her in a protective cocoon, and a familiar rabbit wrapped in her forelegs. The two forever sleeping in absolute peace.
Twilight glanced down at the simple message engraved in the stone base on which they all laid.
“In Loving Memory of Fluttershy”
Somehow those simple words hit her harder than the statue itself and she quickly shifted her gaze back up to the stone memorial before she lost what little control she had over her emotions.
She had come here with a purpose. She was looking for somepony and judging by the statue that had quite clearly been well cared for all these years, this was the most likely place to find him.
Looking up, Twilight pushed down her feelings and called out in an even voice.
“DISCORD!”
Twilight stood in silence for a few moments, but, aside from a few animals scattering, nothing seemed to have changed. Perhaps it had been a bit of a long shot to simply hope he’d hear her calling out in a field, even this one. Or perhaps he had heard and simply didn’t want to talk to her.
Dejected, Twilight turned around to put some distance between herself and this awful wonderful place.
“You rang?”
Twilight whipped around at an impressive speed to face the new voice.
There Discord sat upon the statue, wrapped around the stone Fluttershy, having appeared from thin air when it was least expected. Typical.
“Weeellll? Don’t tell me you disturbed the delightful tranquility of this preserve just to gawk,” Discord prompted, leaning on the statue in a way that gave him a better view of the alicorn before him.
“I wasn’t sure you were here,” Twilight muttered.
“Oh, I’m always here. Never take my ear off the place. Somepony has to look after her after all,” Discord stated, materializing a spray bottle and rag to quickly wipe down the facsimile of Fluttershy’s face.
“Though the same can’t be said of you, now can it? What’s it been now? Six, seven, eight years since you’ve set a royal hoof in here?” Discord rattled off, flipping through a calendar.
“I wanted to speak with you,” Twilight spoke up, hoping to regain control of the situation.
“Obviously. I imagine you don’t run around shouting pony’s names into the sky just because you like the way they sound, do you?” Discord mocked.
“Discord!” Twilight shouted, her patience quickly running out as it had already been devoured by her anxiety. He could just never make anything easy, could he? “Could you not be so, so…YOU for just a few minutes!? I’m trying to apologize!” Twilight yelled at the petulant draconequus.
Discord tilted his head at the exclamation. “Oh? Is that all? Well, apology accepted. Now, as I was saying…”
“Whu-buh…I haven’t even made the apology yet!” Twilight stammered.
“Oh, blegh. Come now, we both know how this works. One of us happens to perform some trivial, completely minor, infraction like hurting the other's feelings or unleashing some sort of unspeakable evil upon the world, the other gets upset, we feel really bad about it, say we’re sorry, and because we are such good friends we let bygones be bygones. It’s just quicker to cut out the middle pony, don't you think?”
“You can’t just cut out the middle of friendship, Discord,” Twilight asserted.
Discord sighed and reclined into a more comfortable position. “If you must then.”
Twilight blew out a breath and took a second to collect her thoughts, her original plan having been scattered to the wind as was typical when dealing with Discord. “The last time I saw you, I treated you in a way you shouldn’t treat a friend. I was going through a lot and I took it out on you. And, I’m sorry,” Twilight said in complete earnest.
Discord shifted around uncomfortably, these straightforward pony things still not coming to him as naturally as they came to other creatures. “Yes…well, I suppose I may have been a touch more, mhm, duplicitous than was strictly necessary in my effort to…be a good friend, so I suppose that I am also…sorry,” Discord fumbled out, tapping his fingers together.
Twilight smirked at Discord’s obvious discomfort. “You know, I told Sunset that even though you have a pretty strange way of showing it, you usually mean well. I guess I still forget that myself, sometimes.”
“So, are we finally done with all this mushy heartwarming nonsense?” Discord asked in a way that was only half-serious.
Twilight nodded. “Almost. I also wanted to thank you.”
Discord raised an eyebrow. “Thank me?”
“You were right. I honestly don’t know what I would have done if I had come here alone. It’s still not easy, but it’s been…bearable, and I have you to thank for that,” Twilight confessed.
“Well, I can’t exactly take all the credit, now can I? It hasn’t been me who’s been keeping you company all this time. Not that I didn’t consider it, of course, but even I have to admit I’m probably not the type of friend you’d want around in this sort of situation. One of the many valuable lessons she taught me was the importance of having different friends for different things,” Discord mused, idly rubbing the head of the statue.
Twilight nodded her head in agreement. “They've been with me every second they could be. The only reason they’re not here now is because I asked them not to be.”
“Amazing things, aren’t they? How these creatures that fade so fast know so much?” Discord mused, almost to himself, his focus now fully on the statue.
“How do you do it?” Twilight let slip out of her mouth before she could stop herself, cringing the moment she heard it leave her.
“Pardon?” Discord asked, his focus now fully back on her.
Twilight considered trying to brush off the question she had kept herself from asking him through all these years for a multitude of reasons that had changed countless times, but, if she was honest with herself, what was the point in stopping now? Just to hold her tongue for another lifetime?
“How do you do it?” She restated, “How do you just keep going on and on the same way, forever, like it doesn’t even matter that you’re the only thing in the entire world standing still?”
Discord paused a moment and looked over his fellow immortal, tilting his head from side to side to take in her every aspect, studying her. In truth, Twilight looked old.
Not in the traditional sense of course. No, physically she hadn’t aged a day in decades. Her coat and mane was lush and sleek, her skin didn’t have a wrinkle in sight, and her body was ten times stronger than any mare or stallions'. And yet, she still managed to look so very old.
The way her shoulders slumped. The way her eyes drooped. The way her head hung when she wasn’t putting on a front for the masses who expected her to be their perfect regal princess. She looked tired. Just as tired as any other pony her age would, if not more.
Discord laughed. Not his usual carefree laugh, filled with mirth and mischief, but an empty joyless laugh that one gave because it was the only reaction they could think to give. “You’re not like me, are you? Sometimes, I like to think you are, but you’re not,” Discord bluntly stated.
“Wha-what do you mean?” Twilight asked, the direction of this conversation being one she had never anticipated.
Discord sat up and sighed, dropping the jokes and the gags. Dropping the randomness and the insanity. Dropping the chaos to do something Twilight had only seen him do a hoof-full of times in all the years she had known him. Speak plainly.
“We may both experience our time in Equestria without end, but we’re not the same. When I first met you, you were just a simple little unicorn, and your biggest concern on most days was keeping your supply cabinet full in case Celestia gave you a surprise test. You may have been, well, let’s just say a tad eccentric, but you were still just like everypony else,” Discord explained. “Then, you finished a simple spell, and, through some sort of magic destiny even I don’t fully comprehend, you grew wings and gained the ability to last forever,” Discord continued. “Suddenly, you weren’t like them anymore, but you still aren’t like me.”
Discord stepped off the statue to approach the listening alicorn. “This is just who I am, Twilight. I’ve never known anything else. I know you’re looking for some sort of big secret or a patented method to dealing with eternity, but...that’s not something I can give you…I’m sorry.”
Twilight felt her stomach sink. “No…no no no!” she shook her head in denial. “You loved them too! I know you did! You can’t tell me that this is just normal for you! That you can just move on and forget about them like they meant nothing! Like they didn't even matter! There has to be something! There…there has to be,” Twilight cried, her bottled up emotions once again threatening to spill over.
“Of course they meant something, Twilight.” Discord chided, surprisingly soft, his demeanor subdued and understanding. “I do miss them. Not a day goes by where I don’t remember them. Rarity’s style, Applejack’s know-how, Rainbow Dash’s energy, Starlight’s understanding, Fluttershy’s…love.
“But, I’ve lived for millennia without end. I don’t even remember my own beginning if there ever was one, and I don’t know if there will ever be an end. Friendship is new to me, Twilight, but forever is not,” Discord softly explained
Twilight just stared down at the ground, the cold feeling that was taking hold of her momentarily bypassing all other emotions, and a dark feeling in the back of her mind felt as though it was taking hold. Was this really her destiny? To someday wander this land forever, truly alone.
A hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. She looked up into a pair of mismatched red eyes, warmer than she had ever seen them. “I…can’t truly understand what it’s like to be you…but…I will always be here,” Discord offered in his most reassuring tone.
Twilight’s shoulders began to shake and her lips trembled, as though she herself was on the verge of an eruption.
Before he could react, Twilight had lunged forward and wrapped herself around his waist in a desperate embrace, as though this was the one thing she had to cling on to that would prevent her from drowning.
It took a moment for him to process the sudden action, but, eventually, Discord leaned down to return the hug, comforting Twilight in the only way he could.
“So, you’re a guidance counselor here?” Sunset prodded her guide as they walked, or in one case flew, through the hallways of the school.
“Sure am. Been one for a few years now,” Smolder replied, flying backwards to face Sunset.
Sunset eyed orange dragon for a few seconds, still getting a feel for this new face. Unfortunately, her extended silence gave her away.
“Go on, just say what I know you’re thinking,” Smolder said, cutting off Sunset’s train of thought.
“huh, what do yo-”
“C’mon, I’ve heard it from just about everycreature. You think it’s weird that a dragon of all things is the one doing this job, right? You’re definitely more subtle about it than most ponies, but I know that look,” Smolder deduced
“W-well, that’s not exactly what I was getting at,” Sunset stammered, thrown off by Smolder’s blunt assertions.
Smolder gave Sunset a smirk. “It’s fine. A dragon isn’t the first thing I thought of when I found out exactly what a, ‘guidance counselor’ was for either. I mean, sure ponies and dragons get along just fine now, but we’re still not exactly known for being the nurturing sort. Most creatures still think of dragons as tough, abrasive, no-nonsense creatures with sharp teeth who breath scorching fire. Probably not the type you want guiding sensitive kids through their problems and insecurities.”
Sunset simply bit her tongue and waited for the dragon to continue, not sure how to respond without coming off as insulting in some way.
“But just because that’s what they expect dragons to be doesn’t mean that’s what they have to be,” Spike chimed in from behind her.
“Took the words right outta my maw,” Smolder winked, “Before I came to this school, I didn’t know how to be anything other than what I was supposed to be. Big scary dragons aren’t supposed to like tea parties, or makeup, or cute frilly dresses,” Smolder said as though it was a simple fact. “But you know what? I do like all that stuff!” Smolder remarked proudly “The most important lesson I ever learned was that all I have to be is me, and I learned that right here. So, a job helping other dragons, ponies, and whoever else express what they want to be just kinda made sense,” Smolder shrugged as though it were no big deal.
“Plus, they threatened to kick her out if she kept lounging around campus without pulling her weight,” Spike snickered.
“Hey! I coached!”
Sunset tuned the ensuing conversation out, her thoughts directing inward. What Smolder had said made it all seem so simple. Be yourself. It was such a basic sentiment, but how could you really be expected to be yourself when you no longer really knew who that even was? A unicorn prodigy possessing a special talent for magic with a degree in computer science that could read minds and moonlighted as a human being for so long that she still sometimes forgets how to open a door. That sure sounded like somebo-er-pony, whatever, with a solid direction in life. It was something she just didn’t know anymore but needed to figure out.
“And we’re here!” Smolder announced, breaking through Sunset’s internal musings.
“huh?”
“The headmare’s office. We’re here. Y’know, like you wanted?” Smolder clarified to the pony that for whatever reason seemed to be lost.
“Well, no sense waiting around out here,” Smolder said before landing in front of the tall double doors they were now in front of and shoving them open.
“All the new books have been added to the school library, the cafeteria menus are set for the next few months, and we’re right on schedule for next week’s field trip to the Cloudsdale Weather Factory…oh, hi, Smolder!” a light cyan changeling waved from the front of the large room’s desk.
“Hey, Ocellus! Just dropping by to tell the boss the new textbook shipment arrived today, and I just so happened to bring a few tagalongs,” Smolder said
An aged unicorn in a dress suit sitting behind the room’s desk turned her chair to focus on her guidance counselor. “Smolder, you know how busy we are this time of year. I’m more than happy to entertain visitors, but now really isn’t the best time.”
Smolder raised her arms in defense. “I know. I know. Normally I would have told them to try again another day, but I had a feeling you just might be interested in these two,” Smolder mentioned before stepping out of the doorway to motion her companions into the room.
From behind Spike, Sunset got her first real look at the pony in charge. She was certainly no spring chicken, but she sat with the poise and confidence that allowed her to wear her age with grace. Her unruly, almost sunrise colored, mane was bound in a somewhat messy bun that clearly indicated a preference for practicality over style and grace.
“Spike? No pony told me you were expected to visit this week. You know I appreciate at least a three weeks’ advance notice on official visits from any members of the royal council,” The headmare calmly noted while magically readjusting her glasses and quickly jotting some notes down on a nearby clipboard.
Spike visibly rolled his eyes, familiar with this methodical behavior. “Well, it’s not technically an, ‘official’ visit. You see, Twilight took some time to come down to Ponyville-“
“The Princess is in Ponyville too!?” the previously composed pony gasped, her glasses falling clear off her muzzle.
Quickly levitating the spectacles back onto her face, the agitated mare began to rummage through the papers laid out on her desk. “Oh dear, she isn’t supposed to be here for our semi-annual checkup for another two months. I’m not even close to ready. Ugh, the classrooms still need to be cleaned, the hoofball field hasn’t been cut, and just LOOK at all this paperwork!”
Smolder and the changeling named Ocellus shared a knowing glance, the latter buzzing over to supportively pat the mare on the back.
Coming out from behind Spike, Sunset felt that there was something unmistakably familiar about the pony excitedly going through papers. Not in the sense that they had met before, they most certainly hadn’t, but her mannerisms undoubtedly reminded her of somepony.
Spike sighed, internally wondering if he was somehow cursed. What were the chances of every unicorn he knew having some sort of irrational tic? Maybe it was the horn? It must stick into their brains or something.
“Calm down, Luster. Twilight’s not here for that,” Spike clarified
Luster paused her organizing fit to process what Spike had said and blew a sigh of relief. Twilight’s opinion certainly seemed to matter a great deal to this mare.
“So, you’re here for pleasure, not business?”
Spike nodded an affirmation.
“In that case, what can I do for you, Spike?” Luster asked, leaning back into her seat.
“Actually, I’m just here on behalf of my friend,” Spike said, motioning to Sunset.
“She seemed pretty interested in meeting you, and I thought you might want to check out Princess Twilight’s new lab partner,” Smolder followed up
“Say, isn’t helping the Princess with magic something you used to do?” Ocellus questioned Luster
Luster, at last, turned her full attention to the new unicorn Spike had brought with him. “I see. If the Princess trusts you with a job like that, then you must be…” Luster began before trailing off.
The headmare raised her glasses to sit up and look at Sunset. This time really look at her. A noticeable silence filled the room as Luster took in every aspect of the little unicorn, her eyes carefully scanning every detail.
“Ocellus, Smolder…why don’t you both take a break to properly catch up with Spike while we get properly acquainted?” Luster suggested once she had confirmed something to herself.
Ocellus and Smolder shared a curious glance, but took the message and steadily exited the room, stopping just outside the door.
Spike was confused more than anything. The abrupt change in direction taking him by complete surprise. Logically there was absolutely no danger were he to simply step out, but he couldn’t help feeling uneasy about so suddenly abandoning his friend.
“It’s fine, Spike. Go spend some time with your friends,” Sunset assured him, clearly willing to play along with whatever the headmare had in mind.
“Okay,” Spike slowly let out, making his way out of the room. “I’ll just be right around the corner if you need me,” he assured closing the doors to give the two unicorns their privacy.
Silence once again took over the now much more empty room. Despite ushering the other occupants of the office out on such short notice, the headmare made no attempt to break the silence created by their absence.
Sunset figured it would be up to her to make the first move if she wanted to get to the bottom of this now all too interesting pony. Introductions were always a good start to meeting a new face. “It’s nice to finally meet you. From what I’ve seen you’ve done a great job of running this school. My name’s-”
“Sunset Shimmer, right?”
Twilight checked her face in the shop window’s reflection to make certain she had cleaned up thoroughly enough. She needed to at least look presentable.
Assured that she had erased all evidence from earlier, Twilight marched towards her ultimate destination. Pinkie Pie’s house in the distant corner of Ponyville getting closer with each step she took.
Even now, for as much as she already valued their company, Twilight began to see just how much she had depended on Sunset and Spike for support, every step becoming a greater struggle the closer she got.
But of course, why should that come as a surprise? She had always been completely worthless on her own, hadn’t she? What good was the Princess of Friendship without her friends? All she had ever done was depend on others. For power. For direction. For meaning.
“You’ve defined yourself by your connection to others. Magic only exists if the other elements are around to create it, isn't that right? There is nothing without them, just like you’re nothing without them. Eventually, that’s all you will be,” Her awful thoughts seemed to laugh at her.
Focusing on a clear goal was all that kept Twilight moving forward. The need to do this right. Not for herself, but for Pinkie. Even if, just this once, she had to face this alone.
Down the street, standing beside the house's front door, Cheese waved her over from the front of the house, clearly waiting for her arrival and giving her a reason to hasten her approach.
“Aunt Twilight! You’re here. Is no pony else with you?” he remarked, noticing Twilight’s sudden lack of company.
“No, it’s just me.”
“Oh, well that’s all Mom really needs. She’s been pretty lively ever since you started coming by. I don’t think I’ve seen her up this long in…” Cheese noted, pondering the answer only to realize he couldn’t find it. “Well, in any case, no point in keeping her waiting. I’ll keep watch out here while you ladies talk,” Cheese smiled while politely opening the door for Twilight.
“Thank you,” Twilight stated simply
“Are you feeling alright, Aunt Twilight?” Cheese suddenly questioned, catching on to Twilight’s less than excited mood.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. It’s just…been a long day is all,” Twilight assured him as convincingly as she could.
“Well, alright. I’ll be right out here if you need me,” he nodded in return.
Twilight entered the house, the door shutting behind her. The exact same sight as every other day greeting her upon entering the interior.
It was odd how empty the small home felt now after all these years. Twilight still remembered how lively the place had once been. The clomping of little hoof steps no longer filled the halls. The idle chatter of friends and family no longer sounded through the walls. Even the accordion and whatever instrument Pinkie had on hoof musical duets that once rang through the entire house and beyond had long fallen silent.
Such meaningless noises that you barely even thought about after hearing them. Now, gone forever. The ponies responsible for those sounds having long since moved on. All except for one.
As Cheese had said, Pinkie Pie was up and wide awake, sitting in her bed going through yet another old photo album and humming a cheerful tune.
“Oh, hiya, Twilight. Y’know, even I thought Cheese got just a teensy bit carried away with the photo ops at the time. I mean, who needs to preserve every little detail when I’ve got all the important bits right up here?” Pinkie confessed, gesturing to her noggin. “But, it’s like he always said, ‘Now, Sugar Cotton, you never know when you might wanna take a journey down ol’ memory lane,’” Pinkie said, doing her best impression of her late love.
Closing the album with a contented sigh, Pinkie laid the book aside to place her full attention on Twilight. “Just the two of us today?” Pinkie asked.
Twilight nodded.
“Alright, so what do you talk about? Anything interesting you wanna say now that a certain somepony and somedragon aren’t around to hear it?” Pinkie said, wiggling her eyebrows.
Twilight shook her head. “Actually, Pinkie…I wanted to talk about us.”
“Well, lots of categories to choose from there. What’ll it be? Favorite adventures, favorite parties, favorite cakes, or maybe even your favorite made-up holiday?”
“No, Pinkie. I mean I want to talk about…us. Before it’s too late…I want you to know just how much you mean to me,” Twilight sighed.
Pinkie fell uncharacteristically silent, choosing to simply lock eyes with Twilight and wait.
“We’ve been friends for a long time, haven’t we Pinkie?” Twilight began.
“Almost longer than I can remember,” Pinkie softly helped along
“Eighty-seven years, four months, and thirteen days,” Twilight stated with absolute certainty. “That’s how long it’s been since I first came to Ponyville. Since I first met you. Since I met my best friends.
“Before I met you, I was so lost. I didn’t realize it, but I was. I used to think I could find the answer to all my problems in a library, and I didn’t know the first thing about being a good friend. You all changed my entire world. You showed me there was so much more to life than staying inside and studying all day,” Twilight said, walking over to take a seat by Pinkie’s bed. “The adventures, the events, the holidays, the retreats, the time we spent just hanging around each other, even each simple casual everyday conversation. All of it has made me the pony I am today. A better pony. At least, I like to think so,” Twilight confessed.
Pinkie remained silent but made no attempt to hide her smile, shakily reaching an old hoof out for Twilight to take.
Twilight took the offered limb in her own, now much larger one, without hesitation, and held on as firmly as she could, once again using her friend’s strength to push forward. “Whenever I close my eyes and think about my happiest moments, all I see are your faces. You and the girls gave me the best days I’ve ever had…and on my worst days, you were always there for me. Always.
“I would have never made it anywhere near as far as I have without you; I wouldn’t be half the pony I am. In a way…you deserve these wings just as much as I do. Maybe more,” Twilight sighed, looking down in time to miss one of Pinkie’s very rare frowns.
“I…I need you, Pinkie. I’ve always needed you. I don’t know what I’ll do without you. I…I don’t know what I am without you,” Twilight gasped, the reality seemingly beginning to physically choke her. This wasn’t the first time she had been through this. Not even close. So, why did it seem to get harder every time? How many more times could she do this before it completely destroyed her? Sit idly by as a piece of herself was ripped from her forever and left her evermore empty on the inside. “Maybe…maybe it’s not too late,” Twilight stuttered, a desperate thought clawing its way out from her mouth and into the open air.
“Not too late for what?” Pinkie asked, confusion clear in her tone.
Twilight brought her other foreleg up to clasp Pinkie’s hoof with both of her own. “I’m so powerful now, Pinkie. I’m capable of things I never even dreamed of before. I can move the sun and moon all on my own. I can jump from here to the other side of Equestria without breaking a sweat. I’ve discovered things about magic even Celestia and Star Swirl didn’t know,” Twilight recounted, desperation clear as the day itself on her face. “I don’t know how right now, but there has to be a way! Maybe I could use an aging spell? It wouldn’t last, but it would give us more time. If I just had a little more time then maybe…maybe I could save you,” Twilight pleaded, looking deep into Pinkie’s eyes, reaching, straining as far as possible for something to hold onto. Anything at all.
Pinkie looked back at her with only sadness. “Oh, Twilight. I don’t need saving.”
Nothing. There was absolutely nothing to be found in all these half-baked plans and last-minute dreams.
“I love you, Twilight. I really do. I want you to know that,” Pinkie confessed with a maturity she had developed long ago, meaning every word.
“Then don't leave. Please,” Twilight begged.
“I’ve lived a long life, Twilight. A good life. I don’t have any regrets, and I don’t think a lot of creatures can really say that and mean it.” Pinkie sighed, sinking into her bed, letting weariness overtake her.
"But...I’m ready to move on."
Move on. Something Twilight could never do, to a place she could never go, whatever it may entail. The cruelty of it was bitter to the princess.
“I miss them. My parents. My sisters. Our friends. My husband,” Pinkie lamented in a rare moment of true fragility.
Twilight understood. Hated how much she understood. It was a feeling she’d never wish on her worst enemy. And, for as much as it would hurt, for as much as she didn’t want to, she knew that she’d have to let her go. For her sake.
Twilight gently released Pinkie's hoof from her own, letting the pink pony pull back. “Okay, Pinkie. I understand.”
Pinkie gazed upon Twilight with gentle but sad eyes. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. I’m not like you.”
She was right. There was no pony in all the world that was quite like her. No pony at all.
“That’s why I know you’ll be okay though,” Pinkie said, interrupting Twilight’s train of thought before it could go any further. “You’re so smart and strong. It’s why you got those wings. It probably doesn’t seem like it right now, but you’re going to be fine. I just know it.”
Twilight looked back in wonder. How could Pinkie be so certain of something she herself didn’t believe? “How can you be so sure?”
Pinkie chuckled. “Because I know you.”
Sunset could have sworn she heard glass shatter. “W-what?”
This reaction satisfied the headmare, her expression softening into a look of pleased satisfaction and genuine curiosity, her horn softly glowing to conjure up a chair on the front side of the desk in an effortless show of sorcery.
“Please, have a seat. My name is Luster Dawn and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Luster said with a small hint of giddiness.
Sunset couldn’t find the words to reply to this newest turn of events and, even if she could, it was unlikely she’d be able to force the words through her shock.
The feeling of magic enveloped her, picking her up and placing her in the new seat. Sunset absent-mindedly noted the unparalleled control of Luster Dawn’s magic further enforced by the books and quills that were simultaneously levitated over to her desk and prepared for use.
“Okay, so, first question. What’s it like traveling between dimensions? I’m already familiar with the basic principles of Star Swirl’s inter-dimensional gateways, but there are some things you can only learn through personal experience, you know?” Luster asked, writing down several notes in one of the books she had brought over.
“Wait!” Sunset shouted finally pulling herself back to the present, her horn igniting and ripping away Luster’s books and utensils to set aside until she had at least a small inkling of what was going on. “Just…tell me how you know who I am.”
Luster Dawn at least had the decency to look bashful, once again pushing up her spectacles. “Oh...Right. Sorry. Forgive me, I got a little carried away there. It’s just, Princess Twilight has told me so many things about you, but I never thought I’d get the opportunity to actually meet you. I can't even imagine the discoveries you must have made living outside our dimension for so long.”
“Twilight…told you about me?” Sunset murmured. For all intents and purposes, she had assumed that this world had forgotten about her entirely, her story lost to time. It wasn’t like anypony would have wanted to remember her.
Luster nodded. “Back when I was Princess Twilight’s personal student, she used to tell me about the adventures she had with her closest friends. The ones about a strange parallel universe without magic where everycreature moves around on two legs always kind of stood out to me. Just imagine, a completely different world where everything is the same, but completely different…oh, erm, except I guess you don’t really have to imagine, do you?”
So, Twilight tells stories about her? Well, there was nothing particularly wrong with that. It was comforting even, to know that Twilight valued those times enough to pass them on to those close to her. So, why did something just not sit right with her?
“And you were able to pick me out at first glance, just from hearing a few stories?” Sunset questioned, setting aside any inner turmoil for now. Special as this Luster Dawn appeared to be, Sunset found it difficult to believe anypony had memory and deductive reasoning skills that good.
“Well, I’d hardly say it was just, ‘a few’ stories. I was practically read several books on your adventures.”
“My adventures?” Sunset asked, tilting her head at the implication.
“Uh-huh. Everything from the magic plant lady to the crazy pop-rock band. And my mentor can be quite descriptive when she’s telling a story. Details are practically everything to her.”
Sunset certainly couldn’t deny that.
“You’re pretty much exactly like she said you were. Little on the short side, amber coat, fiery mane and tail, cute little muzzle, sparkling sea-green eyes, all fairly distinct features,” Luster listed off as though she were going through a checklist. “Pair that with your unique cutie mark and that peculiar necklace, and it was a pretty safe bet.”
What was meant to be a friendly first-time meeting with a well-respected pony was quickly becoming more than Sunset bargained for. It was certainly far more overwhelming than she had imagined.
As if sensing this, Luster Dawn seemed to back off, giving her fellow unicorn some room to breathe as she reorganized her own approach. “I’m sorry, again. It’s just…well, in a way I kind of feel like I already know you, even though I don’t.”
Sunset found herself appreciating the sentiment. As unusual as the current situation was, it was flattering in a way to have sompony so interested in her. Besides, unusual was practically her M.O. at this point. A strange introduction should be foal's play at this point.
“I guess this isn’t exactly the strangest thing to happen to me. Getting to know each other was the whole reason I wanted to meet you.”
“Well, since I’ve prodded you so much, it’s probably only fair I give you a chance to ask your own questions,” Luster said, leaving an open invitation for Sunset to take the reins of the conversation.
“So…you’re Twilight’s student,” Sunset stated simply, more for confirmation than anything else. It certainly made sense that Twilight would have kept up many of the practices Celestia had started, but it wasn’t something she could remember Twilight talking in great length about. Come to think of it, the longer she stayed in Equestria, the more she realized there were a lot of things Twilight didn’t talk much about in regard to her personal life.
“That's right,” Luster confirmed with no small amount of pride. “I enrolled in her school when I was just a filly. Studied and worked hard until I was the top of her class, and, eventually, she took me under her wing.”
“And you worked your way into running her school of friendship?” Sunset concluded; the career path seemingly obvious.
“Well, you’re skipping over quite a bit there, but yes. That’s pretty much how I got to where I am today,” Luster confirmed.
“But, now that we know why I’m here, what about you? What brings you back to this side of the mirror? The Princess never made it sound like you had any intention of coming back. Especially now. No doubt you’ve noticed…well, it’s been a while,” Luster asked, a proper way of wording her sentiment eluding her.
“Yeah, it has been,” Sunset said, not sure what emotion to attach to that simple fact anymore. “I guess you could say I just got homesick,” she stated simply
Her response was met with a nod, seemingly content with that answer for now, and thankfully not determined to pry for any information Sunset wasn’t willing to give.
“In that case, how long can we expect you to be staying with us?”
The unintentionally loaded question left Sunset without a definite response. She had never really thought about it much herself.
“I guess I’ll be staying…until I find myself,” Sunset responded with a quick answer, internally wishing she had said something that didn’t make her sound like she was on some sort of spiritual journey.
Surprisingly, Luster seemed to completely understand her meaning. Or perhaps it wasn’t surprising in the slightest, given the type of school she ran.
“I see. Sometimes life doesn’t always go in the direction we thought it would. I certainly didn’t imagine I’d ever wind up teaching the magic of friendship.”
Sunset blinked in surprise. “Really?”
“Heh, a long time ago I didn’t imagine I’d ever even have friends. I didn’t really see the point. I was a bit…standoffish in my youth,” Luster confessed.
“If Twilight’s told you as much about me as you say she has, you already know I’m the last pony qualified to judge somepony on that,” Sunset laughed off.
“That’s probably why she told me all those stories. 'With enough work, even the most wayward filly can become the beautiful mare they were always meant to be,' Her words, not mine,” Luster quoted.
“Twilight does always try to see the best in everypony, doesn’t she?” Sunset reminisced, the thought bringing a small smile to her face.
“I only wish I could have done as much for her as she’s done for me,” Luster admitted, lost in her own well of emotions.
“What do you mean?” Sunset asked.
Luster seemed to only just now realize she had spoken that final sentence aloud. “O-oh, well it’s just…Well, it’s not really my place to say.”
Perhaps she’d be overstepping her boundaries here, and perhaps it wasn’t really her business in the first place, but something in her gut told Sunset that this was a chance to learn more about all that she’d missed from a perspective that couldn’t be passed up.
“Listen, I know I’ve been gone a long time. Maybe…maybe too long. The world’s changed and there’s so much I don’t know.” Sunset said, meeting Luster’s eyes, as upfront as she could possibly be. “But, what I do know is that Twilight’s my friend, and I want to help her. So, I would be incredibly grateful for anything you could tell me that might help me understand how to help her.”
Luster bit her bottom lip; a million thoughts Sunset would never know rushed through her head in a matter of moments culminating in a small sigh.
“Alright, I can bring you up to speed as best as I can if that'll help. I can't speak for anypony other than myself, but if it's a history lesson you need, I'm something of an expert.”
Sunset couldn't suppress the grateful full smile that overcame her. Luster Dawn probably couldn't give her all of the answers, but she could give Sunset all she really needed. A way to start putting all the pieces together, and perhaps even a new confidant. Or better yet, a new friend.
"Thank you," Sunset sighed.
Luster simply nodded her head. "Is there anywhere, in particular, you would like for me to start? A lot can happen in a few decades."
That was true enough. It was probably best not to waste time with anything that could easily be looked up in a modern history book. No, this was her chance to learn about her friend's life from as unbiased and unfiltered a source as possible. It was best to keep things personal.
"Twilight's friends. I knew about them, but I didn't really know them. What they did, how they changed, where they ended up. I just know they meant a lot to her. Please, Could you tell me more about them?"
“Thanks for coming to see me, Twilight. It means a lot,” Pinkie yawned, finally spent and signaling the close of their final day for just the two of them.
The setting sun’s rays filtered through the windows. A sun that set at Twilight’s effortless command, giving her the illusion of control over the time and day.
Twilight smiled. “It was my pleasure, Pinkie.”
“You always had such a beautiful smile, Twilight. The best parts of my day were bringing it out.” Pinkie sighed at the face she had known for so long
“I know. Those were the best parts of my day too,” Twilight chuckled.
Pinkie’s eyes drooped closed and quickly flittered open, the old pink pony clearly fighting for every second of consciousness she could, but the battle ended the same as it always did, exhaustion overpowering everything else.
“Y’know, sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see them,” Pinkie murmured. “Cheese, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Starlight, Fluttershy…Mom and Dad…Maud, Limestone, and Marble…Mr and Mrs. Cake…even Gummy. Everypony’s there…They all look so happy. I think they might be waiting for me,” Pinkie sighed as she snuggled into place.
“I’m sure they’ll be very happy to see you,” Twilight soothed, her smile becoming just a bit more strained.
“Hey, Twi?”
“Yes…Pinkie Pie?”
“Please, don’t forget to smile when I’m gone, okay? Just…do what makes you happy. You deserve to be happy,” Pinkie yawned.
“…Okay,” Twilight agreed, only barely finding her voice.
Pinkie smiled. “It’ll be okay, Twilight. You’ll see. You’ll…see.”
And with those words, Pinkie, at last, plunged into sleep’s gentle embrace, her mind and voice once again fading from the world, and someday soon it would do so for the last time.
Twilight’s smile faded with her, and a stream of silent tears began to flow to take its place on the face of the lonely alicorn who gently nuzzled the still pony in front of her.
“Goodbye…Pinkie Pie.”