To my glorious and understanding Princess Celestia, in the 5th year of thy reign, my 18th letter
As per thy direction, I have returned to Star Swirl’s residence to review materials not transferred to the Canterlot library. I had hoped more would be gone, but yea say your staff had troubles with the timber wolves. Remind your staff that in the future, the banging together of pots and pans, or any other metals, will scare them off.
The residence itself remains intact and still growing. It was good fortune that some books were not transferred, for I now discover them to be keys. Where particular books are placed on certain shelves they actually open secret doors to small alcoves, containing more scrolls. It is most amazing to me, that a tree’s hollow core does not kill the tree. The life and future life of a tree is close to the bark, not the interior. Therefore with care, did Star Swirl build himself a home within a growing tree. Fortunately its proximity to the Everfree forest camouflages it from those who might ravage or steal from the wealth of information contained within. The regular appearance of timber wolves also secures it. We can well understand why Star Swirl would choose to live in this quiet place so unlike Canterlot.
I have found, and surprisingly learned, a spell for walking on clouds. Most useful, for me, an earth pony, upon my upcoming trip to Los Pegasus, on thy behalf. As per thy direction, I will use upmost discretion with the royal couple there and their problems. I have found some suggestion of a love potion in Star Swirl’s note involving dew drops from a rainbow, a Pegasus feather, and a puff of cloud.
The city of Los Pegasus was built to modify weather conditions in the far west, much as Cloudsdale does here. Run by Pegasi, they have faced many problems from lack of water sources to corruption in government. The establishment of a royal family was meant to stabilize and correct some deficientsies. With the cities’ abundant sunshine it could become a vacation resort; however, the local buffalo may find this objectionable with their stubborn adherence to their old ways. Still, some old ways may be best because they work.
It keeping with this, I was surprised when yea added love to our list of riddles. I would say as a loveless creature that I would be impartial to this discussion, but for thee. It strikes me odd, so it was not your intention to lock away my capacity to love within the statue of Nightmare Moon, only my love for her. I beg to differ, but I have no evidence to counter your argument. Yea say that love motivates me to be loyal, trustworthy, kind, generous, and humorous and that it is part of our friendship as well. If I have love in me that do this, it most certainly is not the focus love I once had for MY Nightmare Moon and thy dear sister Luna. It may be the love that one has for oneself, the un-focus love that preserves and seeks to give hope, however false or vain, for a future self, that all of us possess.
But that is only the most basic love, poets would argue that there are many levels and many types of love, more that we could ever recount in a thousand years of correspondence, may we be so lucky. To have thy love, I would be most lucky, but thee would be most unlucky to give me thy love, since I could not return thy affection. So now do I add luck to our list of riddles, as thou did add love.
With all my generosity, kindness, trustfulness, humor, and loyalty, Sumponeigh Knot Yew.