//------------------------------// // On the future of infinity (Epilogue) // Story: On wishes unfilled. // by jnzsblzs //------------------------------// Clover walked out of the room, and back into his own. There were a number of corridors between the two, but he didn’t remember crossing them. He opened his doors only to find his companion Serendipity. “Clover! You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” Without a second thought the sky-blue pegasus embraced her. “Not quite,” he sighed. “More like the thing that make ghosts hide under beds.” Though Hearth's Warming Eve has brought many wonders to all of their lives, in Clover’s opinion none could compare with the warm embrace of the Pegasus mare. “So, she’s back.” She broke the embrace but kept herself propped up to eye level with Clover by placing her forehooves on the front of Clover’s barrel. “Which one?” “Celestia?” “Yes.” “And she knows.” “Yes… I mean what? How do you know?” “I have my ways.” She smiled as she playfully tapped his nose, then got down to all fours. “Not that I needed them. This is Starswirl we're talking about. Everyone at court knows.” “I should tell them not to disturb her.” Clover tried to go for the door, but Serendipity held her back. “Based on how you look, I don’t think anyone who sees her will have any doubt about that. Any idea what she is going to do now?” “Tonight? Bawling her eyes out. Without question. Tomorrow? Something horrible.” Clover had a sudden idea and promptly walked over to his personal telescope “Which is?” Serendipity’s question registered in his brain but it was hard to allocate any resources to it, as he was looking for something on the Moon. Soon enough he found the new feature, he guessed might have formed after the events of the discussion. A crater, huge, but still too small for the naked eye, under the muzzle of the mare. It looked almost like a teardrop. He didn’t have the time to ponder too much on it, his partner was understanding of his eccentricities, but her patience had its limits. And he was yet to explain Princess Celestia’s plan. “She intends to… erase Princess Luna from the… collective memory of ponykind? I guess. It wasn’t very clear what or how she was going to do, but she seemed absolutely determined.” “Do you think she would actually do that?” “I’m not sure” he shook his head. “I don’t know them as well as Master. But she is a proud one. And her word is a bind she doesn’t give or break easily. But I do think she is going to eventually relent.” “Why?” “You know how she always tells anypony who asks if she doesn’t feel lonely, that her eternal companion is Equestria?” “Yes.” “Well, I was just wondering; how long can a concept replace a living, breathing, actual pony? Her sister is the eternal companion she's either looked over or took for granted, but how long can that go on now that they're separated? My guess is… not forever.” After a few seconds of contemplation, Serendipity spoke up. “Funny you say that. I have a similar theory about Luna. Us younger siblings have a lot in common. When I was young I often copied my siblings' interests to connect with them. And that made me think. With Celestia being so devoted to “her little ponies”, what if it wasn’t the common ponies’ adoration Luna was after?” “I guess that makes sense too. Let’s hope this rift will heal in time. But tonight? Tonight’s for tears." “No.” she grabbed his left foreleg intending to drag him away “Tonight’s for Friendship. Come on, Starswirl would have wanted it. Even for those two. Especially for them.”