The Starlit

by Tzelael

Letters (#1)

Entering her private chamber, Princess Celestia removed a black veil and cloak from her body, setting them aside. Along with the veil was tossed a set of papers, an event program entitled "Melodious Score: In Memoriam." She collapsed onto her bed and heaved a sigh. She closed her eyes for a moment, her legs sprawled out across the bed.

"I hate funerals," her voice groaned, the corners of her lips weighed down. Her eyes opened up, staring at an open letter, a letter from Twilight Sparkle, to be precise. She did enjoy reading the correspondences with her protegé, soaking up all the hope and wonder that her most faithful student poured into that scroll of parchment. She lifted the letter with her magic, unfurling it and reading it over again.

Dear Princess Celestia,

First and foremost, I shall summarize my report on my time with the Starlit. My first mission entailed the pursuit of a mythical creature called the Sleepless Dreamer. The Sleepless Dreamer’s origins are tracked to Discord’s Reign of Chaos, where a magical accident brought on by a group of unicorn magicians (Some sources attribute this to a group called the Sisterhood of the Night) transformed a Royal Guard into a monster that feeds on the fear of ponies, not unlike how a Changeling feeds on love. However, unlike Changelings, the Sleepless Dreamer needs to devour the pony whole, keep them unconscious and is able to use a form of illusionary magic to subject its victim to nightmare imagery to feed it effectively. Amusement and laughter make the captive pony unpalatable, and will thus be ejected from the creature. Underhoof disposed of the Sleepless Dreamer by trapping it in a force-field where it was exposed to the light of your glorious sun, killing it permanently.

Secondly, there is a detail that concerned me, a casualty of our pursuit of this monstrosity. Melodious Score, the composer whose disappearance Onyx, a pegasus mare who apparently has high standing in the Starlit, connected to the Dreamer, suffered a fatal heart attack when Underhoof killed the creature. He was alive when I found him, but apparently when the creature started getting desperate, it tried to siphon off as much fear as it could from Melodious and killed him in the process. Send my deepest, personal condolences to the family, and hope they can forgive me, because I can scarcely forgive myself.

There’s a lesson to be learned here, Princess. Concerning the nature of whether the Starlit are worth the trouble, if monsters like the Sleepless Dreamer do exist, then the Starlit are necessary to keep everypony safe from them. They have a strange, inner culture with equally strange people, but I can’t help but think that I wouldn’t have been too different from them if you had sent me to join them sooner. As for what this experience has taught me about the magic of friendship, it showed me that sometimes, even when your friends aren’t anywhere near you, even when you’re cut off from them, they can often be your greatest source of strength, as a friend of mine once taught me to laugh at my fears. I just never thought it would have such a practical, literal application. I will keep you appraised on future events with the Starlit and continue to evaluate them while on their missions.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

Nightfall of the Starlit

P.S.: I’ve learned that I’m the only one of the Starlit that has ever received leave. Perhaps we should rectify that.

Celestia bit her bottom lip, her eyelids fluttering open and closed and shedding a single tear. "Poor thing..." She hadn't gotten back to the letter before, occupied with the arrangements for Melodious' funeral. Now, however, she was able to deal with the living. She summoned over an inkwell, a quill and a scroll of parchment, writing down her reply to her student.

Dear Twilight Sparkle, My Most Faithful Student,

Forgive the lateness of this reply, but there has been much to attend to. I thank you for your report on the Starlit and for continuing to look for the magic of friendship even in an environment that may prove less than hospitable for it. I sincerely hope that this will continue to be a trend in the future, even as you discover some of the more unpleasant truths behind the group you work with.

Concerning Melodious Score, you will be pleased to know that, once the body was moved to Canterlot from Ponyville, he was buried in the Royal Cemetery among other notable artists and musicians. He was given a beautiful and respectful funeral that occurred without incident. The Canterlot Symphony Orchestra is even arranging for a tribute to him in the form of a concert of his work, including some of the new songs that he composed while he was on retreat in Ponyville (which the family was eternally grateful that were found). If you are free in the next few months, perhaps you should attend.

Concerning your post-script, while I believe that is an excellent idea, that may be something you'll have to take up with Underhoof, for while the Starlit defer to me as their authority figure, they do not let me in on many of their internal affairs and may consider this an intrusion of their own policies. However, with this in mind, I would also like for you to try and get to know the Starlit themselves a bit better and learn about their own inter-personal relationships. After all, for such a group to work in such a sequestered manner away from all others, they surely have a unique perspective on the magic of friendship. Continue your evaluation of the Starlit as normal and offer to help.

Before I close this letter, I offer some personal advice. I realize that you're hurting from having to see somepony die, and frankly, I would be worried if you weren't. Remember, my beloved student, that it wasn't your fault. You can't save everypony, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Keep me posted, my prized pupil. I know you'll make me proud.

Your Mentor,

Princess Celestia

P.S.: If this letter reaches you before your time off is done with, then enjoy it while you can. If this letter reaches you afterward, then I hope you spent it with your friends. As you said, they are your greatest source of strength.

Levitating the scroll in her blue, magical aura, the Princess wrapped and sealed the letter, giving it a "For Your Eyes Only" label, then sent it through the fireplace where it would reach Twilight via Spike... Despite it being a private letter for Twilight, he'd probably read it. In fact, she hoped he would.

****

Sitting on top of a nearby building, Onyx stared at the tree-library where Twilight stayed the night. A yawn escaped her mouth, watching the sun set a second time since she volunteered to look after the young unicorn. How long had it been? Two days? Three? She wasn't sure anymore. She couldn't bring herself to sleep during a time like this. The fact that no one in the Starlit ever took leave aside, the Starlit weren't going to let their newest acquisition out of their sight for even a second that they might get killed. There are enough things hiding in the dark that would try. Almost in response to that thought, a voice called out from the ground, bellowing at the pegasus mare.

"Onyx, I bring word from Underhoof."

She turned down to the voice, the yellow-coated, brown-maned earth pony courier standing underneath a tree branch, his black box carriage across the river.

"Courier... Nice to see you. Sorry I haven't been around, keeping an eye on Nightfall, you know."

"I do. I bring a summons from Underhoof. All Starlit are being called to the Forward Camp."

"You mean the Shanty Town in the middle of the forest."

"The Forward Camp. You and Nightfall are to report there by tomorrow at midnight and no later."

"Geez, always the direct one, Courier."

"I live to serve, ma'am. When you and Nightfall are ready, meet me at the carriage."

The Courier turned tail and walked to the black box, Onyx leaning back. She stared at the Library, her eyes drooping as a tired smirk stretched across her face.

"Can't wait."