(Non-Canon to Stars Dashing/Friendship is Magic When all Are One) Cruel Fate
By: RobotFox
It was late afternoon, almost evening. It was just another day in Canterlot, many hard working ponies were returning to their homes to unwind and be with their families. Many of them had pleasant days knowing that they either had a good time, played with their friends, earned currency so they could support their families. It really was a basic good day.
“But experiencing it for eternity…”
Outside the city stood a red, black, and silver thirty foot tall machine looking up toward the balcony where a lavender Alicorn stood up with her mane flowing through the wind. The machine everyday watched her do this for roughly a hundred years now. He knew what it was all about to.
The machine’s red optics, even from this distance, noticed the tears that she would shed…it was the same everyday. Even if it was raining or snowing, she would do this. And from day one…he watched.
Almost two hundred years ago he would’ve never understood why (and for that matter didn’t care) but thanks to an unexpected experience, he now understood. This machine knew what it was like to be organic, he experienced it, lived it, felt it, and knew what the life of an organic would lead to. He knew this as a machine prior but experiencing it…and seeing it, really showed him.
The Alicorn was unknowingly driven to a planned and unexpected fate and that was immortality. The machine always figured that was something of what organics desired to live forever, he knew others of his race often wanted to live longer, even though his race already had very long life lines…all things considered.
But now it would seem to be a curse. The machine knew this would be the case. He was very educated on biology and literature of both Equestria and planet Earth on this matter and it actually made a lot of sense to him. Even if he hadn’t come here, immortality never appealed to him, then again having an ambiguously long lifeline certainly never made that much of a thought. Even now, he was still relatively young for his race; in ratio to human beings he would probably be in his mid-twenties.
But there was a difference still…one day he would cease to function, there was an end. something that she will never face…and perhaps something she’s been asking for.
The machine continued to stare at her from the long distance as the Princess cried silently. He was unsure if the other Princess’ knew of this ritual of hers but he certainly did…it why he joined her fate…as best he could.
He remembered it all like it was yesterday…just like she did. It was about a month or so after her coronation. It was at this time she realized her forever fate and being active and very worrisome unicorn that she once was, she started dreading everything. At the time the machine didn’t know why in time he remembered that a white Alicorn once told them about their species immortality.
Again, if this was a few eons earlier he wouldn’t have cared but he changed…or rather he returned to who he once was. He cared for her just like all of them…but greed was a vice he had very well disperse with all thanks to this planet and it’s race…including her. He was at that point he broke the spell cast upon him so he could stay with her for as long he could, so she would always have a friend by her, at least for a longer time.
Together they saw all their closest friends die from age. Even one that the machine for a time once saw than a just a close friend. It was part of his life he would never forget, and he knew that she would never forget that part of her life either in her eternal rest. The machine smiled to himself, he did believe in there being an afterlife, but it was something he had to stop thinking about, his science knowledge getting the better of him…
“Life…” he uttered silently. The concept he always found a mystery. While being very knowledgeable in biology, science could only answer so many questions.
The machine looked back up and saw she had a hoof to her eyes, she must be doing the same thing he was…looking back and recalling a memory that she relished but also loathed.
“That’s it…” The machine said his sadden expression turning into anger. He quickly flew into the air and went straight for the mourning Alicorn. He growled along the way, he knew this had to stop. Immortality or not, this wasn’t healthy, he knew that much.
The lavender Alicorn kept weeping silently, hoping that neither of the other Alicorns or guards would disturb her, and this ritual really was what helped her put a false smile on her face everyday. Otherwise, she would always look back on her colorful and loving friends…her first true friends.
All of them were gone. One by one she saw them grow old and die. She remembered her shy friend getting together with a gentle stallion and starting a family. To this day she looks over their offspring for the many generations to come. She could also recall her unicorn companion of her group starting a very successful business and the same for one of her Earth pony friends. Another very bright and colorful friend of hers was a pegasus and fulfilled her dream being part of the now defunct ‘Wonderbolts”. She also recalled her very lively pony of her group who literally lived to make others smile.
The Princess cried and cried hard, she couldn’t be part of that. All dreams and wonders she wanted to be part of were null and void. She was a Princess. Immortality would give the illusion that there would be plenty of life to live…but that was not true. She knew the old term that ‘Life is too short’ but now she knew that life could be too long.
*WOOSH!!*
The startled Alicorn broke out of her trace and just back in shock as she looked up to see a very familiar machine looking over her.
“Starscream.” She uttered weakly looking up and drying her tears quickly “What was that all about!” She yelled out trying to hide her previous state.
Starscream didn’t flinch or plan to answer “Twilight.” He began as he extended his servo for her to climb onto “Come with me.”
“Huh?” She looked at him confused but continued to dry her tears.
“You’ve been doing this for over a century in your time.” He said still keeping his head present as he continued to hover in the air.
“What…how did-”
“Twilight.” Usually he would add a snide comment but he knew that wouldn’t help anything “Don’t you remember why I gave up my pony form?”
Twilight sniffed and another tear came from her eyes “Yes…you did it to be with me.”
“Because I didn’t want you to be alone...” he explained gently. He then gently, but Twilight didn’t stop him, scooped her up and he flew them up above to kingdom and they both looked over country.
“They were my- our friends.” Twilight said sadly “They were my first friends. They taught me friendship, they…they made me who I am…”
Starscream turned away “In some ways… you all taught me things about it too.” He then turned back to her and place his arm out so they could face each other.
“Celestia says that we just should cherish the memories but…” she felt tears coming stronger.
Starscream in someway didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t know how to comfort someone who was hurting…for over a century no less. “Twilight... what if I found away to truly join you?”
“What? What d-do you mean?” she struggled to say
“I join your fate…”
“But you (sniff) already do.”
Starscream stayed silent for a moment to left her catch her breath “No…I will cease functioning one day, it may be millions of years from now…but my fate will be no different from theirs.”
Twilight shook her head “I didn’t ask for this! I didn’t want any of this!” It was a this point she grabbed hold of her Element of Magic crown and threw it down on the surface of his servo. “I...” she gulped “I loved them. They were much like a family to the very end…like you have been. I want to be with them…all of us…my parents…my brother.”
“…What do you want me to do?” Starscream asked.
“Huh?” Twilight bewilder by the question.
“What do you want me to do? You do know that I can grant that request…but I don’t know how the creator or Primus will take to this…”
“What Starscream! I…” She knew what he meant. Basically he was asking her if she wanted to die and…she in many ways did.
“Starscream…”
“You know I only want to take care of you. I don’t want you to suffer anymore…”
“…I want you to come with me…so we can be with the others…”
Starscream then opened up his spark chamber and showed her his spark. “This will show the end for both of us…”
Twilight looked into the beautiful light that shined through his body…his heart and soul. Starscream never showed this to her. She knew if she walked though it, they would both die and they would be together with all the ones she missed. She had small smile as she walked through, she would be with her friends and Starscream would be with them as well…
“NO!” She stopped herself, startling Starscream. She jumped off his servo and flew into the air “I can’t…my friends and family they could never forgive me for that…suicide…I can’t do that…no.
Starscream only had a confused expression as he looked at her and her saddened expression “I can’t go to see them…not like this…”
Starscream growled but didn’t yell “Twilight, you’ve been mourning all this time. I…don’t know how to help you…”
She made a crippled sigh “Do you want to stay with me?”
“Huh?”
“Do you want to stay with me? Till the very end…”
“That’s not possible…I live for a long time but…”
“Doesn’t mean that being an Alicorn is impossible…for you.”
“Wait what?!” The seeker stumbled “That’s possible?”
Twilight sighed again “I knew you broke the spell so you could stay with me for as long as you could but…you still would die and be with the others. I didn’t know if you were willing to give it up.”
Starscream stopped all his thinking. A simple question…not really. Deep inside he knew that he always had a small assurance that one day…it would all end. But what she was suggesting that it would remove that. However…he had changed…
“I am willing to serve Princess Twilight Sparkle…for all eternity…”