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// Epilogue 
// Story: Projecting Forth Whatever Beauty 
// by Tineid 
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A grey old unicorn with a salt and pepper mane atop his head peered out of the room he'd been hiding in. He'd felt the magical shield pass through, and hoped the Changelings had been driven out. People passing by cheered and informed him they were all saved thanks to Princess Cadence and Shining Armour. He breathed a sigh of relief and shuffled his way down to the castle kitchen. Some ponies thought he would have accomplished more coming from Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, but becoming head chef to the princess herself was a fine use for his magic, he thought. Of course, at his age he had to pass most of his duties on to his most talented apprentices. They did him proud, and most days he spent thinking on the past while he watched them work.

He couldn't help clean the mess those Changelings had caused in the kitchen, so today he was reminiscing about his school days. The one glance he had of Queen Chrysalis had, oddly enough, reminded him of a classmate back then. Their faces were vaguely similar, but obviously the Queen wasn't even a pony.
It was one of his biggest regrets what he'd done back then. He'd seen that filly (something Pond her name was) was in pain, but he was too afraid of ridicule to reach out to her. Instead he just hung about the library when she was in there, hoping his presence would help somehow. The silly things a colt thinks. He thought his chance to help had come when he found a secret door in that library, with a lock his magic easily dealt with. Behind it was a stone book. He had thought the book might be able to give her the magic she so desperately wanted.
He snuck the book into her room, but never expected the results. She didn't try to accomplish anything with her new power, just tried to become popular. Of course she did. He was a foolish colt to think she would do otherwise. He stole the book back and replaced it in the secret chamber, but it didn't help. That wasn't the way to end the spell. She paired up with that Caleb fellow. They had nothing in common and as time went by he seemed less and less in love with her, so it likely ended badly for them. But not before they ran off together. Somehow got away without even Celestia being able to find them.

Things could have been better for her if he'd been a friend to her instead of a coward. He should have talked to her about the books they had both read. He should have told her that her crooked horn was kind of cute. He should have reached out to that filly and told her she was just fine the way she was. It was the truth. She just couldn't see it.