Twilight paced around her tower nervously. Luster had missed the most important lesson of all, just as she had when she was young. But how was she going to get her to learn about Friendship? Luster needed that lesson if she was to be the one. She was Twilight’s greatest hope for breaking the curse of immortality and not outliving her friends. But in order to become the new Princess of Equestria, Luster needed to let friendship into her heart.
Twilight racked her brains, not knowing what to do. Luster was just like her when she was her age; she’d considered friendship to be tedious and been more interested in books until… she’d made her own best friends in Ponyville. They had taught her friendship in the first place. None of the lessons from Celestia did that, so maybe Twilight needed her friends to teach Luster the value of friendship. They could help her get started.
She decided it was worth a try.
Walking up to her desk, she took a quill and ink.
Dear Spike,
I know you are very busy with your duties as Friendship Ambassador, but I have an emergency back in Canterlot and need you here. Flurry Heart’s Coronation went well, though the Crystal Heart was stolen and we had to move it up a day to prevent the empire from being buried in snow, just like when she was born.
Love,
Your big sister Twilight
Twilight sent the letter, which would in seconds pop out of Spike’s mouth. Now she just had to wait until he arrived.
***
Spike flew to Canterlot, it had been nearly two weeks since he’d been home. He’d had to miss his adoptive niece’s coronation in the Crystal Empire. But his job to keep the peace as a Friendship Ambassador flying around settling disputes really kept him busy. As he landed in Canterlot, he saw many different creatures in the city. Not only ponies, as the city was now home to species from all over Equestria.
He saw dragons, griffins, Kirin, and yaks as well as ponies. Some of them were even in mixed relationships with each other. Spike saw a larger dragon holding a flower up to his pony lover and couldn’t help but smile as he thought back to Rarity; the pony he himself had been in love with for so long when he’d been young. She had never married, being so busy with running her fashion business which had grown so much. She was now the top fashion designer in all of Equestria. The business consumed most of her time and she made trips to every part of Equestria managing the stores, just as he was busy as an Ambassador.
Spike also spotted Twinkleshine in the crowd, one of Twilight’s old friends from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. She sat with her hooves around the griffin she was married to as somepony else took her picture while their group of adopted children watched. Spike smiled at the happy ponies around Canterlot, things were so peaceful right now. They hadn’t seen any villains since Rhinor, but someone had stolen the Crystal Heart, and that someone was now out there with all that energy. But whoever it was… if they showed their face Spike was sure Twilight would be able to kick that creature’s butt.
Finally, he reached the throne room and opened the door. Twilight was inside along with one of her servants going over a list of some kind. Likely preparations for the Festival of the Two Sisters coming up in a couple weeks.
“I got here as fast as I could. But being a Friendship Ambassador is a full-time job these days. Making peace between the Absidians and Diamond Dogs has not been easy,” he said with a shrug.
“That’s why I picked you for the job,” Twilight said, looking up from behind her scroll. The servant bowed to her and took the list in his magic. She then walked up to Spike, “But I’m glad you could come.”
They hugged for a moment, then both flew up to their chairs. The room had been largely redecorated from how Spike remembered it when he’d been a baby dragon. After all, everything needed to be rebuilt after the battle with Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow who had destroyed this place. The stain glass windows now showed Celestia and Luna’s sun and moon cutie marks as well as Twilight’s star one, and what looked like the Tree of Harmony.
“So, what’s the emergency?” Spike asked.
Twilight looked at him sadly. “Ever since I took over Celestia’s school, my focus has been on teaching magic. But now it seems my top student has missed the most important lesson of all.”
“What do you mean?”
She managed a smile at him. “Let’s just say it will be good to have my Royal Advisor and Friendship Ambassador by my side.”
“Your Majesty!” a voice called.
The ruler of Equestria and her dragon advisor looked over in the direction of the doors to see Gallus, now a grown-up griffin in gold armor with his wings spread.
“She’s here,” he said.
“Send her in, Gallus,” Twilight said.
Gallus let his wings fall down and then opened the other door to the throne room, revealing a pink pony with an orange ponytail. Spike had never met Luster face to face, not since her birth at least. His duties as Friendship Ambassador didn’t give him any chance to help Twilight with her teaching at the School for Gifted Unicorns, so he didn’t know any of the students there.
The daughter of Starlight Glimmer and Sunburst wore an expression mixed with nervousness and excitement. She slowly approached the throne; it was her first time in this part of the castle. She usually only saw Twilight at the school.
“Your Majesty,” Luster said as she got closer.
“Luster, I may be the ruler of Equestria. But I’m still just your teacher,” Twilight said.
“And you’ve been wonderful,” Luster rubbed her hoof in a fidgeting manner. “I’ve enjoyed every moment at the School of Magic. But… I’m just not sure it’s the right place for me.”
“I see,” Twilight said.
“And it’s not the work,” Luster elaborated. “I could spend weeks in the library doing research. It’s just that… there’s a lot of focus on making friends.”
“If that’s your problem, you’ve come to the right place.” Spike stood up and grinned.
“But that’s just it! I don’t wanna make friends!” Luster said.
“What?!” Spike exclaimed.
Twilight frowned at him, he cast a glance at her and saw her expression saying Let me handle this. He cleared his throat and looked away with a frown, folding his arms.
“So, you’d rather leave the School of Magic than make friends?” Twilight asked Luster.
“I was hoping to set off an independent course of study,” Luster said rubbing a hoof to her chin. She’d been thinking a lot of what to say when she got the summons from Twilight saying they needed to talk. “I want to accomplish as much as you have someday!”
“It will be hard to do that without friends,” Spike said.
“I’m not so sure,” Luster countered. “Friendship looks like more of a distraction than anything else. And ultimately a waste of time!” she said with a smile. She’d kept that belief hidden so long from her parents, it felt so good to finally openly express it.
“What?!” Spike said again, grasping his head as though his mind was blown.
“I know you and your friends accomplished a lot together. But that was sooo long ago,” Luster said. “And as far as I can see you rule by yourself now.”
“Uh, hello!” Spike said, growing increasingly annoyed. “Royal Advisor right here!” he held up the medallion around his neck.
“And I don’t think there is anything wrong with that,” Luster waved her hoof in the air. “In fact, I think it's better. Plus, if friendships ultimately fade away, why even make them in the first place?”
Twilight thought for a moment about her student's words.
“You know what, Luster Dawn? You’re right.”
“What?!” Spike exclaimed for a third time, dropping to his knees. “Friendship is more trouble than it's worth?” He looked at Twilight and whispered, “This is your top student?”
She merely smiled calmly and flew over to Luster. It was time to share her wisdom. “Friendships take work, and there’s no guarantee they’ll last.”
She walked out of the throne room and into the hall with more stained glass windows, with Luster and Spike following her as she looked at them. There was one showing Twilight defeating Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow, as well as the Young Six’s battle with Rhinor, and the latest addition in the middle depicting Flurry Heart’s Coronation as the Ruler of the Crystal Empire.
“It can be complicated, they can be messy, and they never go the way you plan. Friendship is a hard thing to navigate. I remember the first time I realized it might not last forever.”
“You see… when I was done packing all my things for the trip back here to start ruling… I tried to talk to all of my friends… but they were all so focused on their tasks for my coronation. It was like me leaving Ponyville to become the Ruler of Equestria meant nothing to them.”
Luster nodded as they walked back to the throne. “Exactly, you moved away, your friends didn’t care and that was that.”
“Actually, not exactly,” Twilight corrected. “They came to my castle, and when I told them how I felt they said they were just trying to focus on other things to keep their sadness hidden. Then we had to rush to the train station and my friends couldn’t get their tasks done correctly for my coronation. Applejack’s brother Big Macintosh got all the deliveries for the food wrong, Rarity got spiders on my dress, Fluttershy’s animals were out of control, Pinkie Pie’s fireworks ruined the Wonderbolts display, and I nearly fell to my death jumping after my crown!” Twilight said.
“Okay, I get it now,” Luster said, thinking she understood. “Your coronation was such a disaster, you and your friends never really recovered and that’s why you all drifted apart.”
“Well, you’re half right.”
Luster gave a stumped look, not knowing what to think now. “So, your coronation wasn’t a disaster and your friendships just faded away over time?”
“Not exactly,” Twilight said once again.
The door to the throne room opened then, and Pinkie Pie stepped in, now older, with bags under her eyes. She had a bunch of party stuff in her hair, a rubber duck and candy in her larger than ever mane, as well as a teddy bear and flags on her tail.
“Sorry I’m late, but it’s so hard to find a sitter with a sense of humor for Little Cheese.”
Her son Lil Cheese (though he sure looked like a girl with those big eye lashes and pink mane) entered the room, bouncing a rubber chicken on his head. The toy made several squeaks as he played with it before letting it drop to the ground. Rarity was right behind; she had a strand of gray hair in her mane and wore a fur coat.
“Honestly, I would have been here sooner. But you would not believe how busy Yakyakistan is these days.”
They took their place by Twilight’s side as Luster looked shocked to see them in pony. Next came Applejack and Rainbow Dash.
“Maybe we could get to places on time if you let me do some of the chores instead of always doing everything yourself,” the Pegasus said.
Rainbow Dash now had a mohawk style mane, and since Spitfire had retired, she wore a jacket marking her as Captain of the Wonderbolts. Whenever she wasn’t leading the latest generation of Wonderbolts, she was spending time with Applejack as the Cowgirl Pony needed someone to be there for her. With Rarity traveling around Equestria to manage her fashion empire all the time, and Pinkie constantly putting on parties both in Ponyville and planning Canterlot Galas, there wasn’t anypony else to keep Applejack company.
“Maybe I would if you did them the right way,” Applejack shot back in a friendly manner with her rival. She had the same old cowgirl hat, but since Granny Smith had passed, she now wore that scarf in her memory.
Looking at all the others, she stammered. “Oh! Heh, sorry. We’re not the last ones, are we?”
The answer to that was a portal being opened beside them to the Chaos realm. Fluttershy stepped out of it, her husband Discord right behind her. Though he merely handed her a sack which she took under her wing and gave him a loving smile. The spirit of chaos closed the portal, leaving everypony to their meeting.
“Discord’s heading to an O and O convention, or he’d be joining us,” Fluttershy said. She had a ponytail made of blue flowers in her hair.
Luster looked around at the Mane 5 for a moment, hardly able to believe her eyes. “I just assumed that since you aren’t together all the time now…”
“That we aren’t friends?” Twilight finished.
This caused her friends and her to laugh.
“That’s not the point of my story,” Twilight continued. “It’s true my coronation was a disaster, but we all laughed at it in the end. If anything, it got us even closer.”
“So even though everything changed, and you moved away from your friends, you didn’t grow apart? And this is the Council of Friendship? That’s what you’re all doing here?” Luster asked.
“Duh! This time every moon!” Rainbow Dash said.
“Heh, what she means is this is how we’ve been ruling together!” Applejack said.
“And how we continue to face every problem and threat to Equestria over the years,” Rarity added.
“But mostly, it's how we keep in touch!” Pinkie finished, just when Lil Cheese climbed on Spike’s wing. She pulled him off, and added, "No matter how busy life gets!”
Twilight took a step closer to Luster. “Sometimes friendships can be hard, and it takes work to maintain them. But without friends, things can be a lot harder.”
Luster was now at a loss. “I never thought about friendship being something to work at. And I don’t mind work. I guess… if they don’t have to fade away, maybe making friends isn’t a waste of time after all.”
She sighed. “But… I’ve been so focused on my studies. I don’t know where to start.”
Twilight smiled. “That’s alright because I know exactly where to send you.”
Twilight approached her student and started a song.
“When I started out, I was unsure. Thought I knew all that I needed. Didn’t know what to expect.”
Her friends approached her, and she put her large wings around Applejack and Rarity.
“But when my walls came down, I saw the truth. All along something was missing.”
Twilight leaned down, looking directly into Luster’s eyes.
“And I think you’ll see it too.”
With a flash, Twilight teleported all of them to the special place where she had learned everything-Ponyville.
“This is where the magic happens. This is where the magic lives.”
Luster looked around in surprise. She’d known Princes Twilight had lived in her hometown of Ponyville for many years before becoming the ruler of Equestria. But she’d always considered it to be an ordinary place where nothing magical happened.
“This is it?” she asked. “This is where I can learn friendship, back in my hometown?”
“Just let your walls down like I did,” Twilight said. “If a pony says hello and waves to you, do the same. Just be friendly. When I first came here, I was just like you are right now. I thought that the fate of Equestria did not depend on me making friends. But then I met these five and when I let the spark of friendship into my heart, we defeated Nightmare Moon. It was then that I realized friendship was the greatest magic of all. From that moment-”
She sung another line, looking at all of her friends. “Our friendships weave together stronger.”
A passing by white Earth pony with a brown mane and roller skate cutie mark stopped and waved at Luster, who waved back nervously. Then came a light purple Pegasus pony with a golden mane who also waved. These simple gestures of friendship filled Luster’s heart with a warm feeling, making her smile.
“Hello, welcome to Ponyville!” the Pegasus said.
“Thanks, but I’m actually from here,” Luster said. “Though it looks like I need to actually look at it.”
“Huh? You’ve lived here, and have never seen it before?” the Earth pony asked.
“I, um... kind of spent all my time at home," Luster said with a blush. “I need to look at it from a fresh perspective, it seems.”
She looked over in the distance where her home was. Twilight’s old castle that she left Luster’s mother Starlight in charge of. Whenever Luster was here in Ponyville she always tended to stay there in her room studying, isolating herself from this small town and the ponies within it.
“You lived there?” the Earth pony asked. “Cool! What’s your name?”
“Luster Dawn.”
“I’m Honeytart,” the Pegasus said, shaking her hoof.
“Blade Runner,” the Earth pony with the roller skate cutie mark said. “It was nice to meet you, Luster. Sorry, but we got to be going someplace. Maybe we’ll see you around.”
They walked and flapped off. Luster looked down slightly.
“Guess they didn’t like me,” she said.
“I wouldn’t say that, Luster. Everypony in this town has things to do. You’ve only made an acquaintanceship with those two. That’s how a friendship can start sometimes. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t become best friends with them or somepony right away. I was annoyed with practically all my friends when I first met them,” Twilight said. “But then they became my true friends. If you find true friendship… the result is this…
She sang once again. “The bonds grow deeper lasting longer. And the Greatest Spell you’ll know is how the magic of friendship grows.”
Pinkie Pie led them to Sugarcube Corner with Little Cheese on her back. Once they reached it, the Party Pony took over the song.
“And no matter how much time goes by, the party will still be here with some fun new games to try.”
Her son got off and ran to Pound and Pumpkin Cake who were waiting outside along with Pinkie’s husband Cheese Sandwich, who was riding on Gummy. Pinkie Pie’s pet alligator was not so little anymore. He was now massive, large enough for both Pinkie and her husband to mount.
The cake twins ruffled Lil Cheese’s hair. Then Pumpkin Cake levitated a cupcake with her magic while Pound Cake blew a party straw, and Lil Cheese whistled.
“But what’s the party for right now?” Luster asked.
“Why… to show you a good time!” Pinkie said. “You got to have fun with friends in order for it to be a real friendship.”
“Yeah!” Little Cheese said, stepping forward and taking Luster by the hoof. “Come on, let's have a one-minute party!”
He gave her to Pound Cake who forced her to dance, while Pinkie and Cheese Sun sang a song unrelated to the one coming in lines to Luster.
“Here in Ponyville we two party lovers who also love each other, work to make every creature smile and laugh. What is life without fun? Boring! You don’t wanna spend your days all bored, because that’s not fun! So, live a little!”
Luster grinned as Pound Cake spun her under his hoof. That brief moment filled her with joy, just like when those other ponies greeted her, and she did something she could not recall doing very often. She laughed.
“You laughed!” Pinkie said excitedly.
“Well, yeah. Cause this is fun!” Luster said.
“That is one of the Elements of Harmony. The one Pinkie represented - laughter,” Twilight said. “I remember when we went into the Everfree forest in search of the Elements of Harmony and she made a bunch of scary looking trees disappear. Now, Rainbow Dash? If you wouldn’t mind showing us to Cloudsdale?”
The Pegasus grinned. “Follow me!”
Twilight, Spike and Fluttershy all spread their wings. Twilight lifted Applejack with her magic, while Spike gently grabbed Rarity. Pinkie Pie blew up a load of balloons which she took. Meanwhile, Luster used a flying spell her mother had taught her a year ago when she was on summer break. They flew up to Cloudsdale where Twilight and Rarity cast cloud walking spells on everypony and Spike.
“Welcome to Cloudsdale, the greatest city in the sky,” Rainbow Dash said.
There were places like a weather factory surrounded by storm clouds, a rainbow waterfall. Luster had never had the opportunity to see the places Pegasi lived.
“Sure, the weather and rainbows are amazing, but this is the best place!” Rainbow Dash said as they arrived at the Wonderbolt Academy.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash!” somepony in a blue outfit and goggles shouted.
Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes at him and cleared her throat.
He grinned nervously. “Uhh… sorry. Captain Dash! Ma’am!”
Dash softened her look to a smile. “You guys better not be lounging around when your captain is away on Friendship Council business!”
“No, ma’am!” the Pegasi said.
“Good, cause you guys are gonna need to stay in shape if you want to be as cool as the Wonderbolts from my generation were!” she said pointing her hoof.
“We will work hard, ma’am!”
“Good. Now, assemble the others! I want to put on a little private show!”
“At once!”
Rainbow Dash turned to Luster.
“You just watch and see what we flyers can do when we put some teamwork together!”
“Teamwork?” Luster asked. “Is that another form of friendship?”
Rainbow Dash nodded. “The Wonderbolts back in my day weren’t my best friends, but they were friends, nonetheless. We worked as a team for our stunts and performances just like all of us worked as a team to save Equestria.”
Soon they were sitting in the stands. Rainbow Dash began to flap her wings while the others sat down and watched.
“No matter whether you’re with your best friends… or a team for that matter… there can always be-”
She flew up into the sky and through a set of hoops while singing. “Big Adventures waiting, obviously. As long as we’re still here together. We’ll be flying happily.”
She flew through the hoops at great speed, and was back in front of them again in the stands until the new generation of Wonderbolts flew by. Then, Rainbow dashed forward, leaving a trail of rainbow behind her momentarily. She caught up with them, forming a straight line before the other four broke apart, then flew up higher so that her silhouette appeared in the sun.
The new Wonderbolts flew spectacularly, performing great maneuvers and aerial acrobatics. They moved so fast! Luster could hardly believe her eyes, and Rainbow Dash left a rainbow whenever she flew at top speed. Though eventually even the amazing Pegasus was left panting slightly.
“Good work troops! I think that’s good enough for today! Rest your wings!” Rainbow Dash said.
“Yes ma’am! Thank you, ma’am!” the four members of the Wonderbolts said as one, saluting her with their wings.
As they left the Wonderbolts Academy and Cloudsdale, Luster asked Twilight, “Where to next?”
“My old School of Friendship,” Twilight said.
“Oh, where my parents are,” Luster said with a small smile.
“Yes,” Twilight said, grinning nervously just as Luster did when she’d come into the throne room. “Oh, I hope Starlight’s not gonna be mad at me for failing to teach you friendship till now.”
Luster sniggered as she flew. “I doubt my mother could ever be mad at you, Princess.”
They all landed in front of the walkway over the pond in front of the school, resuming their song as one. “This is where the magic happens. This is where the magic lives.”
As they walked up to the door, Silverstream suddenly emerged from the pond, the fins she had turning to talons.
“Hey, look who it is!” she shouted excitedly. “Welcome back, professors!”
“Thank you, Silverstream,” Twilight said. “We’re here to show Luster the school.”
The hipprogriff eyed the unicorn. “Luster? You’re Headmare Starlight’s daughter! How come I’ve never seen you here before?”
Luster smiled. “Guess I tended to avoid anything with the name friendship in it. I just got so annoyed with it, I never actually set hoof in this school.”
“Well, time to change that!” Silverstream said as she opened the door.
Starlight and Sunburst were inside talking. They looked in the direction of the entrance to their school as the door opened. Sunburst still wore his usual wizard-like garment with the stars on it. Starlight had taken to wearing an outfit as well -a black dress with burgundy sleeves and a light blue collar. As the group entered, the couple waved. Twilight nervously stood beside Starlight as both she and Sunburst turned to their daughter, who smiled.
“Hi Mom, hi Dad,” she said.
“Hi honey! We didn’t expect you here!” Starlight said as she approached Luster and hugged her.
“What brings you back home?” Sunburst asked.
“It seems I’ve… failed to teach Luster something at my School of Magic,” Twilight confessed. “She needs to learn more about friendship. So… I’m sending her back home for it. You two will help supervise her progress, and she will send letters to me as well.”
“Just like you did for Princess Celestia back in the day, huh Twi?” Spike nudged her playfully.
She nodded. “Yes, just like I did.”
“Well, if you’re going to learn about friendship here. Why don’t you come meet some of our students?” Starlight suggested.
“Come on.”
Luster stayed near her parents as they led her down the hall. She caught a glimpse of her Aunt Trixie leading a very small griffin somewhere. Trixie looked over in their direction.
“Luster!” she said. “Coming to visit Auntie Trixie, are you?”
“Here to learn about friendship,” Starlight said. “Seems Twilight couldn’t get the message through herself.”
Trixie sniggered softly. “I heard Luster was your top student. Ah well, guess even the Princess of Friendship can’t teach everypony about friendship the right way.”
Twilight scoffed back at her old rival playfully.
“Well, come meet some of the students,” Starlight said as she led them into a class room past two mares, a yellow Earth pony with a red mane and bow as well as a scarf, and a white unicorn with a purple and pink mane. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were now grown up just like Spike. They were no longer the little fillies they’d been when Twilight lived in Ponyville. They waved at Twilight and the Mane 5 as they approached.
Inside were several ponies, as well as a larger black griffon and a brown Kirin with red eyes, a matching horn and a puffy blue mane. There was also an orange Pegasus with small wings leading the class. She took role, calling out the names of the students as she pointed to them.
“River Song,” Scootaloo said, pointing to the Kirin as Luster entered the room.
“Here,” the Kirin replied with a friendly smile.
“Iggy!” Scootaloo pointed to the smaller griffon that had been with Trixie moments ago.
“Here,” the little griffon said with a nervous smile.
“Well, that’s every creature accounted for,” Scootaloo said before looking off to the side. “Oh, Headmare Starlight!”
“Hello every creature,” Starlight said. “I have somepony here I would like all of you to meet. My daughter, Luster Dawn.”
Luster smiled and waved her hoof. “Hello, everypony… er creature.”
“My daughter has been away in Canterlot studying magic under Princess Twilight. But it seems she has not yet learned the importance of friendship.”
There was silence at this. Then the Kirin named River Song laughed.
“You lived in a Castle of Friendship, your mother teaches at a School of Friendship, Princess Twilight was the Princess of Friendship, and you haven’t learned the importance of friendship? Ha!”
Luster bit her lip. “Y-yeah… ever since I was a filly it was always friendship this and friendship that. I just wanted to become a gifted spell caster like my mom and dad. I wanted to someday become famous like them. I thought friendship was a distraction, but now… I want to give it a try.”
River Song smiled and got up from her desk. She approached Luster, speaking in an enthusiastic manner. “Well, look no further! I have a feeling that you, Georgia, and I are gonna be great friends!”
“Georgia?” Luster asked.
“That’s me,” the black griffin said, raising a claw. “How about you come hang out with us after our lessons are done today?”
Luster blushed slightly, she looked at Princess Twilight, who nodded. Then, smiling, she said, “You really want to hang out? Okay.”
“Yay, new friend! New friend!” River Song exclaimed, padding her hooves to the ground excitedly.
Luster smiled. Starlight then looked at Scootaloo.
“Would you mind accompanying us as we show Luster around the school? I think it would be best to have all three of the very first friendship tutors with her for this.”
“Okay,” Scootaloo agreed. “But who’s gonna watch my class?”
“I will!” Silverstream volunteered.
They walked out, then the two mares that had been waiting outside the classroom, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle joined in.
“The magic of friendship has six elements to it; kindness, laughter, generosity, loyalty, honesty, and of course the thing that gives it power… magic,” Sweetie Belle said. “They can be easy to do, but betray one even for a moment and it can damage friendship.”
“Honesty is always important,” Apple Bloom said, looking at Applejack. “My big sister is the most honest mare I know! You have to always tell the truth to a friend, even if the truth might hurt. Lying, even if it's for a good reason, can never lead to good things happening.”
“My sister’s element is generosity!” Sweetie Belle said. “Not only is Rarity the most beautiful mare there is in Ponyville-”
“Was the most beautiful mare! I can hardly qualify as that anymore with this gray strand!” Rarity said, running a hoof through her mane.
“You’re still very beautiful, sis!” Sweetie Belle said. “And you’re willing to give to those in need, which can also coincide with kindness.”
“And you are very kind,” Rarity said, smiling at Sweetie Belle. “Compliments are an example of that.”
“As are simple gestures,” Scootaloo said. “Loyalty of course means you don’t abandon your friends, and stay true to them. Rainbow Dash would never abandon her friends.”
“Ah shucks!” Rainbow Dash said, patting Scootaloo’s head.
“And last, there’s laughter! Which is the part that makes friendship fun, like I said before!” Pinkie said.
Luster sighed, shaking her head. “Wow, this is a lot to take in…”
“Indeed, but perhaps it would be best to actually witness one of these things in action,” Rarity suggested.
They walked into the Courtyard of the School of Friendship. There, on top of the tree, an orange dragon slightly smaller than Spike, received a coffee from her changeling friend. Unlike Ocellus, Smolder had not grown much since her days starting at the School of Friendship. She had a rare case of slower growth among dragons. But Smolder didn’t complain, an advantage to being a small dragon was that, for a while, she wouldn’t have to worry about becoming too large to enter buildings or even crushing them.
When Ocellus brought her the coffee, Smolder was looking through a sextant with a notepad in her lap.
“Oh, thanks. I was starting to get tired. But I think I'm finally getting the hang of that thing. It will be great for navigation when exploring foreign lands!”
“I'm glad, but you should probably take a break. You’ve been at it for hours,” Ocellus said.
“Yeah, you’re probably right. Thanks again!” Smolder replied before flying off.
Luster smiled. “That was nice. Just watching that makes my heart feel fuzzy.”
“Those two have been friends since they first started school here back when I first opened this place,” Twilight said. “They're another example of how-”
“Our friendships weave together stronger, the bonds grow deeper lasting longer. And the greatest spell there is. What the magic of friendship gives.”
Next, Applejack led Luster to her family farm.
“We’re not going to be around forever. Everypony leaves this world at some point. But our mission remains, the magic of friendship that will defend Equestria. And it's something true to pass on down to generations yet become.”
As she approached the farm where her brother Big Macintosh and his wife Sugar Belle were working, their son Big Sugar jumped out of a barrel of apples and hugged his aunt.
“We didn’t expect you to be back so soon, Applejack!” Sugar Belle said.
Applejack chuckled. “Turns out Twilight’s Friendship Council business had to be moved to Ponyville.”
“Well, we’re having hayburgers delivered here for lunch,” Sugar Belle said.
“Yep, you want some?” Big Macintosh asked. “The delivery pony is fast. Ah, there he is!”
There was a flash as a light-yellow Earth pony with a hayburger cutie mark ran up at amazing speed. Luster’s mouth fell open as she recognized him.
“Galloping Hayburgers! Cooked and delivered in just ten minutes no matter where you are in Ponyville!” The Earth pony said as he handed Big Macintosh a sack.
“Thank you, Gallop,” Sugar Belle said as she handed a few bits to the delivery pony who was about to run back the way he came. “Hold on, we might have another order!”
Gallop looked and saw Applejack and Luster. Twilight and all her friends approached as well. Gallop gasped at the sight of the group. Luster thought for a moment he was shocked to see Princess Twilight, but instead, he exclaimed.
“Sweet Celestia! You’re Rainbow Dash!” he said, looking at the Pegasus.
“That’s right!” Rainbow Dash said.
Gallop J. Fry grinned. “I can’t believe it's you! You’re the best flyer ever! Hey, if you want a hayburger or anything, I’ll run and get one right now for free!”
Rainbow Dash grinned. “Aw, shucks! There’s no need for that! But I think we could all use a little lunch right now, so I’ll definitely take a hayburger!”
“I believe I will as well,” Rarity said.
Princess Twilight and all her friends agreed. Twilight looked over at Luster.
“How about you, Luster? Care for a hayburger?” Twilight asked her student.
“Um… sure.” Luster said, not entirely eager as she looked at Gallop.
The fast-food pony looked at her. “Hey, I know you! Didn’t I beat you in a race once and then rub it in your face?”
Luster frowned. He remembered her. This was the pony she’d first tried to befriend at her mother’s request, and it hadn’t ended well.
She merely nodded.
Gallop sighed. “Your name was... Luster, right? Look, I’m sorry if I was a bit of a jerk to you back then. I shouldn’t have been so cocky. Let me make it up to you, you can have your hayburger for free.”
“Really?” Luster asked.
“Yeah!” Gallop nodded before looking around. “Okay, eight hayburgers coming up. I just got to dash over to Yelena.”
“No need!”
A large yak pulling a cart full of Hayburgers ready to grill behind her walked up.
“Oh, Yelena you finally managed to catch up!” Gallop said to the Yak. “Just in time for a break!”
“You’re the speed, I’m the muscle,” Yelena said.
“Well, I’m glad you could catch up finally, because we got eight hayburgers coming up right here!” Gallop shouted as he ran into the cart and in a flash began making the orders, putting together hay, bread, and condiments. He then put each one on a plate and passed them around to the ponies. All of them but Luster handed him bits. They then sat on tables, with Twilight and her friends sitting at their own, while Big Macintosh, Sugar Belle, and Big Sugar sat at another, while Luster sat her own with Gallop and Yelena who were on their break.
“So, I haven’t seen you since we were kids. What’ve you been up to?” Gallop asked Luster.
“Oh, I went to study magic at the School for Gifted Unicorns,” Luster reminded him as she levitated her hayburger.
“Oh yeah, I teased you for focusing too much on magic and not enough on athleticism. Sorry about that again.”
Luster paused for a moment, then sighed. It was probably best to let bygones be bygones.
“Seeing how fast you moved when you arrived and how quick you made those burgers, you sure got fast like you wanted! And I’ve gotten really good at magic just like I wanted,” Luster said.
“So, are you all done at the School of Magic?” Gallop asked.
Luster nodded as she swallowed a bite of her hayburger. “I’m gonna be spending time here studying a new form of magic. At least… new to me- Friendship.”
“Friendship?” Gallop repeated.
“I’m gonna try and make friends; the Princess says it’s the greatest spell there is. Some students at her old school and I are going to meet tonight at sunset and hang out. I think their names are Georgia and Riversong.”
The yak named Yelena gasped. “Georgia and Riversong! Those two Gallop and Yelena’s best friends!”
Luster was stunned, she dropped the hayburger onto her plate. “Really, you two are friends with them?”
Gallop nodded. “Guess if you’re hanging out with them, you’re hanging out with us. Well, we better get the rest of our deliveries done, Yelena!”
The fast-food pony sped off with the yak walking far behind. Luster watched them go. Once everypony ate their lunch, they resumed Luster’s friendship tour of Ponyville. This time Rarity led, showing Luster to her boutique.
“With every friendship we win, beautiful things come from it. Ponies and other creatures will do generous things to help each other. The friendships can blossom into something deeper as well. "And we’ll never stop believing in the generosity of the friendships we’ve won.”
As she approached her original home base shop and knocked, Yona, now a very large adult Yak, emerged with her pony husband, Sandbar. The friendship they’d had developed grew into true love. Luster was surprised for a moment, seeing a pony and yak actually married. But she shrugged, it seemed love could happen between any creature, whether they were the same species, or even same gender. She’d heard of such things before. Though it seemed strange, it was not up to her to judge.
The last stop was at Fluttershy’s cottage. Which was filled with more animals than ever. Deer, snakes, and all other kinds.
“And because the love that I feel for every single living creature, is something that is real. Friendship happens so naturally.” Fluttershy sung.
A bunch of bunnies jumped upon Luster as though they liked her. Then when Fluttershy approached, the bunnies went over to her. Luster lost her smile momentarily at losing her new friends, but they weren’t in any way lost forever. Just going over to somepony else. One of the bunnies remained on Fluttershy’s head, and a portal opened, showing Discord who grinned at Luster before flying off somewhere.
Twilight flapped her wings and sang once more.
“Oh, and how I used to wonder… what friendship could be.”
Gathering together on the hill overlooking Ponyville, the Mane 6 finished their song together.
“This is where the magic happens. This is where the magic lives. Our friendships weave together stronger, the bonds grow deeper lasting longer. And the greatest spell you’ll know is how the magic of friendship grows.”
“How the magic of friendship grows,” Twilight concluded as she nuzzled Luster a final time.
"Thank you, Princess," Luster said. "I feel like... like I might enjoy friendship after all."
"Good," Twilight said. "Now go."
The sun was now setting over Ponyville, and Luster’s new friends were gathered at the bottom the hill, waiting for her. Her student ran off to the four new friends she’d made. Gallop, Georgia, Yelena, and River Song. One less than Twilight had made when she’d come to Ponyville so many years ago, but that didn’t matter. Five, six, seven, friendship was strong no matter how many it was among. The Future Five then walked to Ponyville while the Mane 6 and Spike watched proudly.
Today was the dawn of a new era for Luster, and the beginning of her true journey. Twilight could only hope that it would go well as she watched her student wave goodbye and walk off to spend some time getting to know her new friends.