The Fall of Starswirl the Bearded

by Kinogirl

Strange Magic

Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro and all characters credited to Lauren Faust and the design team at DHX Studios

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Strange Magic

Luna spent the night flitting through sleeping minds, there had to be one, just one pony that dreamed of the night as something more than a time of darkness and fear. She had once asked her mother why the ponies slept in the night, was it because it was something they hated?

“No Luna, you are mistaken.” Queen Faust had said gently as she glided above the sleeping kingdom with the dark coat filly. “Ponies sleep at night, because they have toiled all day. The pegasi with the weather, the earth ponies growing food and the unicorns in their various occupations, they are merely exhausted. They like the night, fall in love under the full moon, or watch the stars together when they can. You will see in their dreams how much they love the night.”

“But that is a lie Mother, they do not love my night. It is something to be ignored at best, or at worse to be feared.” Luna whispered into the night. “They hate my night Mother. If they hate the night does that mean they hate…”

She closed her eyes, refusing to cry, she had picked a bad night to enter dreams. Come winter and Hearth’s Warming Eve they would be dreaming of beautiful frosty nights as they huddled together by the festive logs. Yes, there would be times they appreciated the night. Even in their dreams.

Luna heard the light hoofsteps of her sister and she quickly rubbed a hoof across her eyes to clear the tears. She rose swiftly into the air to lower the moon so Celestia could raise the sun. She left quickly without returning Celestia’s greeting. She did not wish for Celestia to know that she was upset; it would serve no purpose than to worry her elder sister on this important day.

Celestia frowned as she watched her little sister retire for the day. She had never seen Luna act in such a rude manner. However it was something she would have to discuss with her sister later, perhaps she would feel better after sleep, but for the time being the sun needed raising and there were many tasks that had to be completed before the coronation.

She gathered her magic and concentrated on the sun, lifting it up above the horizon and light flooded across the world.

---

Luna ignored everypony as she made her way back to her room. Perhaps it was rude but she was tired. Yes, merely tired, she would sleep and feel better. When she arrived at her rooms she found Sombra waiting for her in the shadows. He stepped out and gave her an apologetic look as he held a moon poppy in his mouth; it was slowly closing now the moon was retired for the day.

Luna remembered how he had been the only pony to marvel at her night and she smiled as she used her magic to open her door. She motioned with her head that he should follow her before she entered her study.

Sombra followed her into the cosy study that was decorated in midnight blues and purples. Glowing stars offered ambient lighting to cross the room. Luna sat down at her table and used her magic to turn up the light emitted by a lamp shaped like the moon.

“Please sit.” She said, indicating the cushion on the other side of the table.

Sombra sat down opposite Luna.

“I saw thee last night.” Luna whispered as she poured water from a silver pitcher into a crystal chalice.

Sombra took the moon poppy in his magic and levitated toward Luna, it opened when it was near her.

“Forgive me Night Princess, I should not have left my post.” He said solemnly.

“I do not blame you admiring my night.” Luna said as she poured water for Sombra too before accepting the moon poppy from him and tucking it behind her ear.

“You get better every night.” Sombra stated before taking a sip of water. “I think it’s not possible that you can outdo the night before, but somehow you manage.”

“You flatter me good knight.” Luna said with an amused chuckle as she levitated an apple to her mouth and took a bite.

“I would not compliment if it was unfounded. You know that.” Sombra said, the corner of his mouth turning up slightly.

“Oh yes. I remember well how you would criticize me as a child. ‘Lulu is so incompetent at shadow magic she might as well be putting on a show’.” She joked, imitating the squeaky voice he’d had as a colt.

“I was young and jealous. Old Sourswirl the Grumpy always favoured you.” Sombra said with a nostalgic smile.

“I am a royal princess.” Luna replied with a grin before finishing her apple.

“Of course nopony could touch Celestia.” Sombra said darkly.

“I bested her with shadow magic.” Luna said with a frown.

“Yes. My Princess of the Night excels where the Sun Princess fails.” Sombra said intensely.

“I wish you would not say such things.” Luna whispered sadly.

“What things?” Sombra asked with confusion.

“Celestia is my sister and I love her dearly. It pains me when you speak ill of her.” Luna replied firmly.

“Then let us talk no more of her and talk of you instead.” Sombra suggested in the hope of lightening the mood.

“Very well.” Luna agreed.

“What ails you this morning?” He asked.

“Nothing, I am perfectly healthy.” She replied, hoping to avoid lying by skirting the truth.

“In body perhaps, but not in mind. You are saddened greatly and I wish to know why in the hope that I can raise your spirits.” Sombra said sincerely.

“It is nothing.” Luna insisted, shaking her head before levitating a cupcake from the cake stand and eating it in one bite.

“I know you Luna.”

“It is…” Luna began, but trailed off, biting her lip as she contemplated revealing her findings to her most faithful knight. “I noticed last night that even in their dreams ponies do not picture the night.” She said quickly, and she realised that she did wish to discuss this with somepony and Sombra had always understood her more than anypony else. “They like to imagine the day, but my night is not for them. Do they hate it so much that they would shun it even in dreams? Do they hate me?”

“Oh Luna, how could anypony ever hate you?” Sombra asked, aghast at the very thought.

“I represent the darkness of the night, of course they hate me.” Luna said with an edge of bitterness to her voice.

“You represent the beauty of the night, our protector against that which would threaten in the dark. Even if they fear the night, they do not fear you. They do not hate you for you are their princess.” Sombra said in gentle, soothing tones and it made the Night Princess feel all the better.

“Thank you.” She said with a smile, but she then succumbed to a big yawn. “Now you will forgive me, but I must ask you to take your leave. I should rest before the coronation this evening.”

“If you and Celestia were wise you would oppose Starswirl’s rule, but I understand if you feel unready to take on the responsibility.” Sombra stated, and paused a moment as if waiting for Luna’s protest, but it did not come and so he continued. “I merely think that you’d do best not to allow him to become too comfortable in the role, he might not want to give it up when the time is right.”

“Starswirl has been loyal to our family for many years, why would he turn on us?” Luna demanded.

“Not turn on you exactly, but he will not want to relinquish control. It’s pony nature.” Sombra counselled.

“Mother trusted Starswirl, Celestia trusts Starswirl and I trust Starswirl.” Luna said firmly.

“If you insist.” Sombra said rising to his hooves. “I will see you at the ceremony, Your Highness.” He added with a bow.

“Fare thee well good Sir Knight.” Luna replied.

With another bow the unicorn left.

Luna stood and crossed her study. She levitated the moon poppy from behind her ear and sniffed it for a moment, she loved its scent and she was certain Sombra knew they were her favourite flower. She levitated a book from the top of her bookshelf; it was held closed by magic locks only she could unfasten. She opened it and flicked to the first empty page. She lined each page with blotting paper from her desk and then carefully placed the moon poppy between the pieces of paper. She closed her diary, fastening all the locks then lay it down flat on a shelf before placing some heavy books atop it.

With that task complete she entered her bedchamber, where with the thick curtains drawn, it was as dark as she liked it. She climbed into bed and under the twinkling starlight that drifted across the ceiling she fell asleep.

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General Butler knocked at the door, but there was no reply. He knew his instructions if this were the case. He very softly opened the door and stepped inside, moving as quietly as one could with hooves on stone. The mage was still asleep, a moving lump beneath the blanket.

It was dark in the room despite the fact the sun had been up for an hour. Moving with the breakfast tray balanced carefully in his mouth, General Butler made his way toward the bed stand. Moving by memory since he couldn’t see the floor, but the old mage was habitual and believed in a place for everything and everything in its place.

However the mage had not been as neat as usual because something caused General Butler to trip over, the breakfast tray crashing to the ground with so much noise. He looked back to see what he tripped over and was certain he saw a dragon’s tail whip away out of view.

The curtains flew open, flooding the room with bright sunlight.

“What is going on?” Starswirl demanded.

“F-forgive me Your Eminence.” General Butler stammered as he cowered on the floor, Starswirl was known for his temper. “I tripped.”

“Over what?” Starswirl demanded, standing over the cowering butler and raising his bushy white eyebrows.

“I…it was a dragon tail.” General Butler said quickly.

“No dragons in here.” Starswirl growled. “Clean up this mess and have fresh breakfast brought to me by the time I’ve finished in the shower.”

“O-of course, Your Eminence.” General Butler stammered, still cowering on the floor.

“Get up and act like a stallion.” Starswirl growled. “Honestly all you young bucks are made of jelly these days.”

In a flash of white light General Butler disappeared to be replaced by an exact replica made of lemon jelly, a similar colour to his coat. Starswirl blinked, what happened? One moment the silly stallion had been cowering on the floor and…

There was another flash of white light and General Butler was back.

“Just…just get this cleaned up.” Starswirl muttered before walking off to his bathroom.

General Butler looked up as the mage left, and shook his head as if to clear it. He was certain that Old Starswirl had a long red dragon’s tail with a little white tuft on the end, but when he looked back it was just his old bushy white one. General Butler put it down to the stress of the situation before he quickly set about clearing up the mess from the fallen breakfast tray.

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Starswirl applied shampoo to his mane and luxuriant beard. He had hoofponies willing to do such menial tasks for the soon to be king, but he’d spent a hundred years tending to his own hygiene, he wasn’t about to let other ponies start doing it now. Normally he used his magic to run a comb through his mane and beard to tease out the tangles, but not this morning. This morning he found himself running his fingers through his mane and beard to tease out the tangles.

He froze. Since when did he have fingers?

He moved his forelegs down so he could view them. He no longer had hooves, the right had become a lion’s paw the left a bird’s claw of some kind, and somehow Starswirl knew it was an eagle’s claw.

“What in the name of Faust!” He exclaimed.

No, he would not let transformation rule him! He was the master of transformation! He’d perfected transformation spells!

He closed his eyes and concentrated; with very little effort those strange appendages were hooves once more. He checked the rest of his body to be sure, but everything was in place. He gave a sigh of relief before finishing his ablutions.

By the time he emerged from the bathroom he was feeling a lot better. He even found himself humming lightly as he went out into his study where the clumsy butler was setting his breakfast out on his dining table now he was up.

Starswirl sat down and eagerly levitated the silver dome away from his plate, licking his lips in anticipation. But then he frowned as he let the silver dome clatter to the floor.

“What is this?” He demanded, pointing a hoof at the contents of his plate.

“Your Eminence’s breakfast.” General Butler said carefully, Starswirl was unhappy, but he wasn’t sure about what and had no quick fix for the situation, he’d have to wing it.

“Are you trying to be funny?” Starswirl demanded. “What is on the plate?”

“A boiled egg and bread soldiers as Your Eminence ordered.” General Butler replied.

“No. I wanted pancakes and lots of sticky syrup, some cotton candy…” Starswirl began.

“C-cotton candy?” General Butler asked incredulously.

“Is there an echo in here?” Starswirl demanded. “Yes, cotton candy. Like the foals have at the fair. And why is this milk white?”

“Because that’s the colour of milk?” General Butler said uncertainly.

“Because that’s the colour of milk without any chocolate in it.” Starswirl corrected. “Take this back to the kitchen and bring me what I ask for.”

“Yes Your Eminence.” The confused pony said with a quick bow before collecting everything up once more and left to get the High Mage’s new order.

Starswirl felt restless. It had to be nerves; today was a big change for him. He was no longer merely an advisor to the ruler, he would be the ruler and that was something else entirely. He stood and began pacing his study, letting his thoughts wander for a minuet. He stopped, his ears pricking up as he heard something…no, it was nothing. He began pacing again. Yes! There! A dragging noise? He stopped, and it stopped. He started walking once more, there was definitely a dragging noise coming from behind him.

He turned quickly to see what it was, and a pile of books on a nearby table went flying. He turned once more and that’s when he caught the flash of red tail, much like a dragon’s tail. He took aim and fired a bolt of magic toward it; no dragon would enter his rooms uninvited.

He let out a growl of pain as the magic blast sent a shock wave through his body. Had he misfired? No, no the tail had been hit, there was a black scorch mark on the red scales. He reached out gingerly with his hoof and touched the tail. It was his!

“No, no, no, I am the father of the amniomorphic spell, I control transformation! It does not control me!” He growled and he concentrated once more to push his body back into its proper shape.

Starswirl was beginning to feel wary, something just didn’t feel right today and he could not put it down to nerves. He needed to feel his normal self, dress the part of Starswirl the Wizard before he had to don the royal robes for the ceremony.

He pulled on his wizarding robe of light blue moons and yellow stars against a blue night sky and pulled his hat onto his head. The familiar tinkle of bells with every step he took helped to calm him somewhat. Yes he was feeling his old self once more.

General Butler returned with a new tray that he lay on the table.

“Thankfully the unicorn who makes cotton candy was in the courtyard ready to make treats for all the colts and fillies and was able to provide us with some.” General Butler said proudly as he revealed the plate of sticky pancakes, cotton candy arranged in a bowl, and a glass of chocolate milk.

“Cotton candy?” Starswirl demanded. “Do I look like I am five years old? Where is my egg? Where are my soldiers? And why is there chocolate in that milk?”

“I…but…you…but…” The butler stammered, Starswirl had a temper, but he wasn’t senile, or one to play tricks. He might grump and groan when you got something wrong but he never created reasons to yell at you. There were usually enough reasons with Starswirl.

“Just leave it and go.” Starswirl growled. “I want to be alone this morning for quiet contemplation. Nopony is allowed to disturb me, is that understood?”

General Butler nodded and hurried from the room.

---

“When will we get to see the king?” The Duke of Muleton demanded.

“Starswirl is not the king yet.” Celestia said, trying to soothe the irate mule.

“He will be and we wish to pay him homage.” The Duke said haughtily.

“And you may do so, after the coronation ceremony. The feast held afterwards will give everypony the chance to speak with the king and pay him any homage they see fit.” Celestia informed the Duke.

“You Equestrians….” The Duke sneered as he clomped away.

“Oh dear, I hope I didn’t upset him.” Celestia said in dismay.

“Permission to speak freely Your Highness?” The pegasus guard at her side asked.

“Commander Lightning Shield, you served Mother well for many years and have vowed to protect my sister and I, never feel you have to ask for permission to speak in my presence.” Celestia assured him.

“Thank you Princess.” Lightning Shield replied before speaking his mind. “The Duke is just sore ‘cause he thinks Muleton has priority to trading rights over all the other countries. He thinks getting in early with Starswirl, I mean His Majesty will make sure he gets his hooves on the riches Equestria has to offer. To be honest I think he’d sooner see us all dead and him take over than have to keep kowtowing to you alicorns and such. But that would be a little pointless.”

“Why?”

“Well not like he can start a dynasty being a mule and all, who would inherit from him?” Lightning stated.

Celestia put her hoof to her mouth to suppress her giggle.

“Perhaps you speak a little too freely Commander.” She admonished for she felt she aught to as a princess.

“Just saying as I see it.” The pegasus said with a shrug.

“Then you think we should watch him?” She asked with serious concern.

“Maybe not constantly, but I wouldn’t eat any food he gives you.” Lightning advised.

“I will bear that in mind.” Celestia replied. “Have you news of Starswirl?”

“Still not letting anypony enter. Last I heard he’d put a magic lock on the doors.”

“Oh dear. I should go and speak with him. He may be my wise old mentor, but he is still a pony and even he can come down with a bout of nerves.”

“Would you like me to come with you?”

Celestia considered for a moment.

“Perhaps it would be best that you see the Duke comes to no harm. Perhaps steer him away from the griffon delegates, I doubt they would be best pleased if he speaks to them as he did to me.”

“Will do Your Highness.” Lightning Shield said with a salute.

“Thank you Commander.” Princess Celestia said with a nod of her head before leaving the Receiving Room where she’d spent most of the day attending to impatient delegates who wished to see the old mage before he was crowned.

When she reached Starswirl’s rooms there were two guards stationed outside the door, but they weren’t needed if Starswirl had placed a magical lock on the door. She smiled at the guards and they didn’t move to block her as she stepped up to the door. Despite the fact that Starswirl now outranked her, she was closer in shape to the pony they’d been trained to obey. She pushed the door, but it was indeed locked and a quick inspection of her magic made it clear she wouldn’t be able to counter them. She lifted her hoof to knock.

---

Starswirl stood at the shrine he’d hastily constructed as the objects in his room floated about as if they had a mind of their own. He wasn’t willing it to happen, but he could feel the magic flow from him. How was that possible? No, he could not have unicorn dementia, he was in complete control of his power, as he always had been. Wizards like him did not succumb to the travails of old age!

He looked up at the picture of Queen Faust in all her regal glory. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, placing his hooves together as if in prayer.

“Please give me strength to get through this day.” He whispered.

He felt the weight of the world beneath his hooves and everything in the room obeyed gravity once more. The door suddenly flew open and Celestia stumbled in.

“Master Starswirl?” She asked in concern.

He didn’t reply, just stood at a dresser with a couple of candles arranged each side of a portrait of her late mother. He had his head bowed and was concentrating hard on something.

“Starswirl?” She said a little louder, stepping closer and noticing the mess in the room.

It was as if the old mage didn’t hear her, he was lost in a world of his own, still garbed in his wizard robes when he should already be in his royal robes for the ceremony.

“STARSWIRL?” She yelled, adopting the Royal Canterlot Voice that she seldom used because it was so loud.

His eyes snapped open, in the reflection of the glass that covered the portrait he could see his eyes. They were no longer pony eyes. They were the eyes of some beast, the whites a sickly yellow and the pupils themselves red. There wasn’t an iris in sight. He let out a groan of annoyance that scared the princess who was carefully approaching him

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’ll come back.” Celestia said backing away, worried about her mentor, perhaps the stress was too much for him.

“No, it’s okay Tia…please come in” He said, daring not to turn around as he placed his hooves on the dresser and closed his eyes.

Celestia approached Starswirl, looking around at the mess and taking note of the fact that he still hadn’t turned to her. He must be in a panic; sometimes unicorns could have magical surges that could cause a mess when they were too anxious to think. The more powerful the unicorn the bigger the outburst. Perhaps it was best not to rush him. She decided to start on a subject that didn’t concern the coronation.

“Luna didn’t greet me this morning. She seemed…possibly angry, but I’m leaning more toward upset.” She observed.

Starswirl’s eyes snapped open as he frowned, what did Luna have to do with this? He was certain Celestia would have said something about the mess; his best student had always been the most observant pony, seeing things that others could not. To his relief Starswirl found his old blue eyes staring back at him.

“You know Luna, she does have these dark moods at times.” Starswirl said, finally turning to the princess. “I’m certain she’ll be in better sorts after she has slept.”

Celestia frowned for a moment, certain that a long sharp tooth was protruding from the right side of Starswirl’s mouth, but no, she was surely mistaken.

“Well what is it my dear?” He asked expectantly.

“Sorry?” Celestia replied.

“Was it only Luna you came to talk to me about, or is there something else on your mind?”

“There’s nothing that worries me apart from the fact that you’ll be late for your own coronation if you don’t make a move.” Celestia chided.

“I won’t be late.” Starswirl assured her.

“You’re not even wearing the right robes!” She admonished. “Allow me to help you.”

Before Starswirl could protest she levitated his hat over to the pony head he liked to place it on and lay his wizard robe over the back of a chair. It was strange but Celestia had never seen Starswirl without his robes, as far as she knew he never removed them. She never considered that his cutie mark would be a tornado. Funny, she would have thought it would have contained stars or at least a moon, something more magic orientated. A tornado seemed better suited to a pegasus, but perhaps that’s why Starswirl wore his robes constantly, he made his own destiny counter to that fate had bestowed on him.

“But…” Starswirl protested.

“Once the crowning ceremony is over you can come and change into your wizard robes, but for now you must wear this.” Celestia stated as she took up a red robe trimmed in gold and placed it around Starswirl’s shoulders. “You look very regal, Your Majesty.” Celestia said bowing so low the tip of her horn touched the ground.

“Honestly Tia, I wouldn’t ask that of you and Luna. We all know I’m not really a king, just keeping the seat warm.” The old mage said uncomfortably.

“But you are our wise master and that deserves more adulation.” Celestia stated as she continued to bow.

“Someday you two will be ready and you’ll wonder what you ever needed old Starswirl for in the first place.” Starswirl said with a laugh.

“We will never stop needing you Master Starswirl.” Celestia replied as she stood up straight.

“Now enough of this, I’m blushing harder than a school filly on Hearts and Hooves Day. You have to get ready yourself.”

“Of course.” Celestia said with another bow. “I will see you at the ceremony, Your Majesty.”

“Your Highness.” Starswirl said with a nod of his head, as he made sure the robes completely covered his body.

Thankfully Celestia left without further ado, leaving Starswirl alone. He raised his left hoof; he’d had a feeling like pins and needles down his leg only moments before. He felt a tight knot in his stomach when he saw it was an eagle claw again. He managed to force it back to normal before turning his head up toward the portrait of his predecessor.

Dear Faust…what’s happening to me? He thought, tears pooling in his eyes.

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Author's Note:

I love this chapter as it gives us both humor and a tad bit of sadness.

Also meet the Captain of the guard (my father) adding him in made sense in my mind.

Thanks again to Gempire for rewriting the story.