Twilight Sparkle took Starlight Glimmer under her wing and offered to teach her the ways of friendship. Starlight was a truly precocious student, exceeding Twilight's expectations every step of the way. Now, a mere year after becoming her protege, Starlight has achieved that which took Twilight since fillyhood: She has ascended and become an alicorn princess.
However, when Starlight begins to question what this means for her dreams of an Equestria where everypony can look upon each other as equals, Twilight realizes that she may have made a grave mistake.
Cover art by Lunarina, used with permission: http://lunarina.deviantart.com/art/Princess-of-equality-525178614
Chapters (10)
Yez...
6689617
Roll Pinkie!
Welllll, if you look at it in a different way, perhaps Starlight Glimmer could be the Princess of Justice or something.
But really, thinking you know best again Twilight. Even Celestia had at least a thousand years of experience behind her. You just go in there and think you know best and the magic/friendship will fix everything. Bravo!
6689841 This is an author's interpretation of Twilight's character. Personally, I don't think she would do this. And I certainly don't think Celestia would let it happen either.
I love how she isn't hypocritical in this one!
Luckily, they'll figure it out.
Once both of them have some time and distance from the situation, they'll be able to approach it rationally. After all, just because Starlight is an alicorn, does not necessarily mean she's a princess; there's more to it than that. Twilight didn't even become a real princess until the end of season 4 when she finally got a castle and a kingdom.
Twilight Sparkle is a princess.
Starlight Glimmer is just some unicorn with really pimpin' wings.
You have my interest, good sir or ma'am.
Perhaps a continuation is in order?
6690825 see: incomplete.
Never fear, more is on the way!
I like this
I like this a lot.
More, please?
That is slightly depressing.
Awww, poor Starlight
Wonder if she's going to go through the same phase as Twilight did and start wondering what she is the princess of?
Oh Starlight, your journey has only just begun. Your first plan failed not because of your vision, but because your methods were flawed. You tried to make everyone equal by breaking them down, and nothing good can ever come of such destruction, but there is a another way... what if instead of breaking them down, you built ponies up? Equality doesn't have to cater to the lowest common denominator, it can also be about lifting others up, transcending limits, and as you uplift others so to do they reach out to others in an effort to uplift them as well. Go forth young alicorn and embrace your destiny!
This is a plot I haven't seen before, with a well-written Starlight and Twilight.
That this isn't more viewed is an atrocity.
Looks like things 't e so easily patched after all... not that I expected them to.
I'm really sorry for rambling, but your story premise really sparks my imagination. Good job!
You know, in the show, Starlight's initial motivation seemed kind of petty to me. Her friend got a cutie mark and moved away, she thought this put distance between them that wasn't just geographical but also emotional/personal. It was a childish fear and it made me wonder why no adult ever explained to her that her worries weren't necessarily true.
Now though, being an alicorn absolutely puts distance between her and other ponies. It's always going be the elephant in the room with people who already knew her, and it'll always make ponies that don't know her treat her differently. Some might be deferential, some might be toadying up to her for their own reasons, it'll be rare for ponies to be totally unaffected. If she turns out to be immortal, there'll also be that distance of time between her and any friends she does make.
It really does seem like a cruel joke to have her ascend and be visibly different from regular ponies. There's also that unspoken expectation that alicorns guide and protect ponies in some way.
I'm curious where this will go. My first hope is that her transformation does actually get reversed. If Starlight Glimmer really has some kind of ambition to do her part to make society more fair/equal, she might want to work from the level of the regular pony instead of from a pedestal.
Yeah yeah, Harmony, Destiny, whatever. "If fate means you to lose, give him a good fight anyhow." -McFee. What if she simply doesn't want her life to take that course? She ascended so now her options are serving the public in some fashion, like the princesses do, or be a recluse?
I dunno. Starlight clearly already tried using authority to impose her ideals on ponies. The ideas and methods were both terribly misguided. But as an alicorn, something similar could happen, simply because she is an alicorn. Ponies might just obey/try to follow her example just to please her, not because they, or she, have ethically matured in some way.
I imagine it might be more satisfying for the redeemed Starlight to have her (matured) ideas/ideals accepted on their own merits, not just because she's some kind of authority and above other ponies. I hope, if she does have to stay an alicorn, there'll be an interesting spin on how she behaves.
There's so much potential here, I'm eagerly awaiting the next chapters.
Wat?
Update please. My heart and soul is full of holes.
This is the best story I've seen in awhile.
...I dunno if I like this story. I mean, it's not necessarially BAD...it's jus it feels...very much like it's a "headcanon" Starlight, and not a "canon" Starlight.
She...clearly gave up on the "Equality" thing...because, it was never really about truly desiring Equality. It was about "I'm mad at cutie marks". And, even so...it was abundently clear she didn't WANT to be Equal. Like any communist society..."Some are more equal then others".
Seems to me Starlight has a fantastic way to undo the ascension, actually, even if Twilight has perhaps repressed it from her own memories.
In all the timelines Twilight went to, there was no alicorn Twilight there.
Simple option, go back in time like a week and stop Starlight from repairing the orb. Foolproof? No, the timelines might split off or something, but it's the best option.
I find it fitting too that she should go back to Equal Town. At least there, she's likely to find ponies who know her for her and take seriously her efforts to not treat them like a Princess.
(Also, if repairing one of Meadowbrook's items caused Starlight to ascend, you think creating eight items would mean Alicorn Meadowbrook...)
Well, if this 'verse is one where alicorn means immortal means capital-I Immortal meaning literally unable to die no matter what, Starlight's going to have a really hard time when she hears that three out of four Princesses were once locked away in Tartarus. Time to plan to make sure she never stays there, either.
She's gonna have to show off her wings to Equal Town ponies sooner rather than later, though.
Starlight seems to really be dreading the reveal to anypony besides those already in the know. Seems to me she needs to cool down somewhere away even from Equal Town.
That, or leave Equestria and go far, far away elsewhere. Equestria is not the only country in the world.
We have to wonder... Has Starlight learned nothing all the year?
Keep going! ;)
Huh, this kind of reminds me of one of my own stories.
7781277
Shameless self promotion?
7840762 Emphasis on "shameless".
Please, more... I beg you.
7906720 I just think you should know: I hadn't published a fanfic chapter in many months, and this comment reminded me that my stories can bring people happiness and inspired me to get back to work.
So, thank you!
I really am very eager to see how this story settles out. I mean that.
Well, it is good that Starlight has a companion, that is a start. But what will happen when Twilight shows up? I predict that there will be tears, shouting, and maybe a few lasers.
Beside that, I was reminded how intriguing this concept is, good job and keep on going.
Starlight always was one to foil Twilight's lesson plans, who wants to bet Twilight hasn't planned for "total misunderstanding"?
At least Starlight now has a confidant, that should help her paranoia.
Keep going! ;)
7920316 small tip: always respond to comments that aren't on the latest chapter in the chapter itself, otherwise they don't get the notification you replied to them.
Thanks for another awsome chapter I am really intressted in seeing where you go with this. I do hope that Starlight gets used to her eings in the end and accepts her destiny as aprincess. I am also quite intressted in wondering if she will get her own thron around the map table anyway thanks for updating I hope you update aging very soon.
7920316 don't worry about it. A warriors greatest weapon, is patience. - Zenyatta
Well, where Sugar Belle goes, at this rate by the time Twi gets to Our Town everypony there will know about it.
Poor Starlight. At this point, it might just be easier for her to find the Mirror Portal and hop through and be BFFs with Sunset.
You're late.
7953088 A wizard is never late, etc etc.
There are few stories with this premise, I require more... please.
anymore?
7958785 Thou art late, nonetheless.
8012564
Seconded.
Thanks for updating great chapter I do hope that Starlight will stay an Alicorn and I hope that both Twilight and Starlight and can fix their friendship I hope can update asap please because i can't wait for the next chapter
Harmony smiles on Twilight, she's taking a better path.
Keep going! ;)
I've wanted something like this for a while.
I need more!
I just realized that there's a problem there. The Crystal Empire, and therefore the Crystal Heart, didn't reappear until after Cadance became an Alicorn so it would be impossible for the heart to be involved in her ascension.
Please update soon the suspense is literally killing me