My Little Pony - The Legend of Friendship

by Danieru

25. A New Life

Life has changed a lot recently. At least that's what Star Twinkle is thinking every day. It all happened so quick and sudden. He was just living his normal boring life and didn't expect much more. And that was perfectly fine for him. But in only one day, everything changed.

It all started at the Summer Sun Celebration. A normal day for Star Twinkle. He was going to work at the Iron Hammer, went home, waited till the celebration started, go to the celebration, wait till Princess Celestia raises the sun, go to sleep, done.

But then the mare in the moon returned, Nightmare Moon, who planned to cover all of Equestria in an eternal night. Somepony would have to take care of her. Star Twinkle had nothing to do with it. But then he saw how a group of ponies followed the purple Unicorn that he saw before. She knew about Nightmare Moon so maybe she knew how to stop her. They decided to work together to stop Nightmare Moon.

Again. It had nothing to do with Star Twinkle.

They talked about the Elements of Harmony, which sounded familiar to him. But him knowing about those elements or not wouldn't have changed a thing. Yet he still followed them into the Everfree Forest. A forest of which he knew, was dangerous.

There was no reason for him to go there. But he did. Why?

The group of ponies found the Elements of Harmony but they didn't work and Nightmare Moon defeated them.

She won.

If the elements were not enough to defeat them, then there was nothing else that could stop her. But that didn't stop Star Twinkle to play the hero and go between The six ponies and Nightmare Moon. He was clearly not right in his mind when he did that. He was about to be defeated just like the other six ponies. But he was saved from a bright light that engulfed him. A new Element of Harmony appeared. An Element that is completely unknown even to Princess Celestia.

Honesty, generosity, loyalty, kindness, laughter, magic and...

All this questions and thoughts are wandering in his head in a daily basis.

Star Twinkle was on his way to Twilight's library, in hope to find some answers in one of her books. But he was surprised by what he saw after entering the library.

Princess Celestia was standing in the middle of the room, talking with Twilight.

"Oh! Um...your majesty!" Star Twinkle exclaimed before bowing before Princess Celestia.

But the princess replied with a giggle and walked up to Star Twinkle, telling him that there is no reason for formality.
"I was just checking on my most favorite student and her friendship lessons," Princess Celestia assured.

“Wait, this is perfect! Now I can ask the Princess in person about the elements!
…
Wait. What am I talking about? I can't just talk to the princess! She's probably way too busy to talk with somepony like me...”

The Princess already attempted to leave the library so it was now or never!

“Good day,” she said before walking past Star Twinkle.

At first, Twilight hesitated to approach Star Twinkle because of his behavior from the day before but she decided that it would be better to talk instead of ignoring him.
“Is there some kind of book you need, Star Twinkle?” She asked not noticing at first, that he is not looking at her.

His head was turned around to the princess, who was exiting the library, spreading her wings in order to fly away. "Princess Celestia!" Star Twinkle exclaimed.

"Yes?" Princess Celestia replied while turning around surprised.

Star Twinkle was nervous to say more but since he came this far, he might as well go through it all the way. It was his only chance to get some answers after all.
"There is something I need to talk with you. In private...," Star Twinkle asked hesitated.

Princess Celestia saw that Star Twinkle's facial expression was more serious than ever. Even Twilight noticed the seriousness of Star Twinkle. It was practically filling the whole library.

"Very well," Princess Celestia replied calmly.

Star Twinkle then followed the princess in hope to get some answers. Twilight just watched how they both left the library. For some reason, Twilight got worried and felt left out but she knew that it was important for Star Twinkle so she didn't say anything and got back to her work in the library.

The princess and Star Twinkle both walked away from Ponyville. If they stayed in Ponyville, then everypony would have interrupted them after seeing Princess Celestia. That's why they had to go somewhere where nopony could bother them. Star Twinkle didn't mind the long walk as long as all his question would be answered.

While following the princess, Star Twinkle kept his head down, thinking about what he is going to ask Princess Celestia. She knew more about the Elements than any other pony. In order to think straight again, he needed to know something and she was the only one who could help him.

"Is this okay?" Princess Celestia said stopping in the middle of an empty grass field outside of Ponyville.

"Yeah..." Star Twinkle replied quietly.

There was an unpleasant silence in the air. Nothing bad could happen just from a conversation with the princess, thought Star Twinkle. But still, he feared he wouldn't like the answers that he was about to get.

"You know what I want to ask, right?" Star Twinkle asked.

"I have a guess, yes. It's about the Elements of Harmony, right?" Princess Celestia asked.

"Yes. I was thinking a lot about this and I don't even know why... I have the feeling that if I find out more about the elements, then maybe all these thoughts will go away...So...What element am I supposed to represent?
And why was I chosen by it? I never asked for all this, after all!" Star Twinkle exclaimed.

"What would change if you knew the answers?" Princess Celestia asked back.

"So you do know something?" Star Twinkle replied surprised.

It was obvious that Princess Celestia knew something. He knew that since the first time they met after Nightmare Moon's defeat.

"I'm afraid I don't know much more than you..." she replied while avoiding eye contact with Star Twinkle.

Star Twinkle couldn't believe it. First, he thought that he was misunderstanding something. But no. He was completely sure what happened now. Since he knew that behavior from himself. Princess Celestia was either lying or Something was bothering her and she couldn't bring herself to tell him.

Wasn't she supposed to be the beloved ruler of Equestria? Yet she just now lied directly to his face. At least that's what Star Twinkle was guessing. Even now she is still avoiding eye contact. What could be so bad about his element that she had resort to lying?

Star Twinkle became more and more desperate but he wanted some answers. "Please, tell me. Something, anything!" Star Twinkle begged.

Again there was a silence between them but this time, it was longer. The princess was looking at Star Twinkle worried while he was looking in her eyes in the hope she would answer faster.

Eventually, Princess Celestia took a deep breath and looked at the sky while repeating something very familiar.

“There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery,”

This sounded familiar to Star Twinkle, grabbing his attention again. It was from way back, at the Summer Sun Celebration, right after Nightmare Moon returned. It was the story that Twilight read to her friends before they attempted to stop Nightmare Moon.
"That's...the story from that book!" Star Twinkle realized.

“After I banished Nightmare Moon, my sister, the elements lost their power and turned to stone...”

Yes. Star Twinkle heard about that from Twilight. When she and the others found them for the first time, they were only normal stones.

"But when the bearers of the Elements of Harmony appeared, their power returned..." Princess Celestia explained further until she was interrupted by Star Twinkle.

"But the book only said something about six elements. Where does my element come into play?" Star Twinkle asked confused.

"The sixth element was a mystery because unlike the other elements, this one completely vanished, leaving only five elements behind," Princess Celestia continued to explain.

She was avoiding Star Twinkles question but he didn't interrupt her and instead listened. Maybe she was going somewhere with this explanation.

"You see...the sixth element was special. It can only appear if the other elements are activated. And if the other elements lose their powers, then the sixth element will vanish since it draws its strength from the other elements. Only after finding the other five Elements, the sixth one appeared, making the Elements of Harmony complete,”

“Yes, I get it! There are six Elements. Five are known and one is a mystery but what about the seventh one?”
Star Twinkle's patience was slowly running out and Princess Celestia wasn't helping him much. He knew most of those things before so there was no reason repeating all that. And more importantly, something didn't make sense in her story.

“If what you say is true, then why didn't the elements work when Twilight and the others found them? They only seemed to work after my Element appeared,” Star Twinkle asked.

The Princess looked more and more bothered. As if she wanted to give him an answer but nothing what she said would satisfy Star Twinkle.

"I'm afraid, this is all I know..." she said, ending her explanation.

"What? But what about my element?" Star Twinkle asked confused.

“I told you everything I know about the elements just now,” Princess Celestia assured. "I don't know where your element comes from and I don't know why it did choose you," Princess Celestia assured.

“Great...” said Star Twinkle frustrated looking down on the ground.

Translation: This was all a big waste of time. Of course, his questions wouldn't get answered because that would mean that he would get what he wanted.

"But I know one thing," Princess Celestia added.

This grabbed Star Twinkles attention again. Is Star Twinkle finally getting an answer? He was glad if there was going to be anything at all, that she would tell him.

"I know that it did choose you and that it brought you to your new friends," Princess Celestia said happily.

“Huh?” Star Twinkle said confused not knowing what exactly Princess Celestia meant.

“If I am not mistaken, your life was a lot more lonely before you got your element, right?”

“Well, yeah but...”

“My most faithful student was a lot like you before,” Princess Celestia said proudly because she knew how Twilight's life has changed too. “Always busy with her studies, never thinking about making friends. She always thought that making friends was a waste of time,”

Star Twinkle doesn't know how Twilight's life looked before. It did surprise him to hear that. She certainly doesn't look like a pony who doesn't know a thing about friendship.

But he was different. He had all the time he wanted. He didn't know the reason why he was alone. Maybe because other ponies thought he was cold or because they thought he liked being alone. He couldn't even blame anypony except himself because this reasons might as well be true.

Star Twinkle was in his usual mindset again but Princess Celestia didn't seem to notice and continued.

“And just like you, her life has changed since she met her new friends. And one of them is you...” she said with a warming smile that a mother would give her child.

Yes. He was part of this ponies too but he still feels like, he's the only one who doesn't belong to them.
His unknown element and the lack of his Cutie Mark were prove enough for him.

“You know about Twilight's friendship reports, do you?” Princess Celestia asked.

“You mean those letter she writes to you?” Star Twinkle asked, thankfully driving him out from his previous thoughts.

“Yes. Just yesterday, she sent me another one, regarding her connection with her friends and that Sonic Rainboom,” she said.

And hearing this made him sad again. He didn't talk with anypony since then. But he wished he did. But what should he have talked about with them? He didn't even know why he was upset in the first place.

“Have you read one of her reports?” The princess asked.

“No,” Star Twinkle replied.

Princess Celestia's horn then began to glow and a closed scroll appeared in front of Star Twinkle's face, startling him a little.

“This is the report, that she sent me yesterday. You might want to take a look,”

She was clearly asking him but coming from the mouth of the princess it more felt like an order and refusing would not be an option so he nodded and let the princess know that she should open the scroll.

Star Twinkle then began to read the content out loud.

“Dear Princess Celestia

Today I learned something amazing, Everypony everywhere has a special magical connection with her friends, maybe even before she's met them. If you're feeling lonely and you're still searching for your true friends, just look up in the sky. Who knows? Maybe you and your future best friends are all looking at the same rainbow,”

After reading the letter, Star Twinkle didn't know how to respond. This letter was clearly referring to Twilight's connection with her friends but once again, he didn't saw himself fitting in this picture.
“This was only one lesson, that Twilight learned from her time in Ponyville, together with her friends,” Princess Celestia proudly said.

“Well, I'm glad that she is learning so much here,” he said with a frown.

“May I ask you why you insist on knowing about your element?” Princess Celestia asked.

“I don't know...” he replied.

“Have you ever considered that you want to know your element because you don't want to be left out?”

"Wasn't that obvious?" Thought Star Twinkle. He always feels left out. That's why he want's to know all those answers. That's why he spends most of his time thinking about the events that happen lastly.

The frustration in Star Twinkle's head grew bigger and bigger until it finally got out.

“Of course I don't want to be left out!
I'm left out as much as a pony could be!
They all have a Cutie Mark.
They all know their elements.
They all have their Connection.
They are all-”

“Friends...” said Princess Celestia.

Star Twinkle stopped after the Princess said this word. He realized that it was the same word that he wanted to say in this exact moment. It shocked him to hear those words before he could even say them. “You want to belong to them...” said Princess Celestia gently.

Those words pierced his mind, removing any thought he had before, leaving him shocked with no thought in his mind left at this very moment.

“You want all this because you want to fit in this group of ponies. So that you can be the pony they want,” she said.

“The pony they want? But I can't -”

“Yes, you can't. You can't be the pony everypony expects you to be. And nopony expects that from you,”

Star Twinkle looked down on the ground but he listened carefully to the princesses words.

“It is true. You don't have a Cutie Mark. You don't know what element you are. And you don't have that Sonic Rainboom connection. I asked you what would change if you knew your element before. No Cutie Mark or Element will change your friendship with your friends. You lack all of those things but you still have friends who accept you, the way you are and for that, you should be happy,” the princess said with a bright smile on her face.

Being himself didn't help him this far in his life to get accepted by other ponies. But now...Did he have to worry about that now? He got friends now. But all he does now is thinking back to the days where he was alone.

“I know friendship is something you're not accustomed to yet and you might think of it as a little complicated and unused but would it hurt to try accepting friendship in your heart? What's the worst that could happen?” Princess Celestia asked.

That was a good question. After all what he did so far and the way he behaves most of the time, he was surprised that they still call him a friend. It may be the least he could do after six ponies were ready to accept him and give him a chance. Maybe if he could stop for one day being so stubborn, then maybe he could see something that he is missing this whole time.

“I guess you're right...” Star Twinkle said in concern.

But the princess replied with a giggle.

“There you are Star Twinkle!” Exclaimed Twilight who approached Star Twinkle and the princess.

“Ah, Twilight my most faithful student,” Princess Celestia said after seeing her beloved student.

Twilight was surprised to still see the princess in Ponyville and of course bowed to as soon as she saw her.

“I didn't know you were still here,”

“I was about to leave right now actually,” Princess Celestia assured.

“Did you wanted something from me?” Asked Star Twinkle.

“Yes! We still haven't agreed where and when we should meet tomorrow,”

“Tomorrow?” Star Twinkle wondered, thinking what could be tomorrow.

“You know, the Grand Galloping Gala,” Twilight said.

In all this time Star Twinkle completely forgot about that. In fact, he wasn't even sure when the Gala was held. Thankfully he already had the white suit, that Rarity made for him, way back.

“Yes, I'm expecting all of you tomorrow in the castle,” Princess Celestia said before she spread her wings and flew away in direction of Canterlot.

The Grand Galloping Gala...Maybe this was exactly the occasion that Star Twinkle needed to spend with his friends in order to understand friendship better. But that reminded him of something from yesterday.

“Uh, Twilight?” Star Twinkle said grabbing Twilight's attention

“What is it?” She asked

“I just...wanted to say that I'm sorry, for not telling you all that was wrong with me yesterday...”

It took Star Twinkle some willpower to say this words but for him it was important. He wanted somepony to hear these words to make him feel better.

Twilight didn't seem to have harsh feelings for him and accepted his apology right away.

“Don't worry about it,” she assured.

They then both walked back to Ponyville. Star Twinkle began to tell Twilight as best as he could why he was so sad about yesterday and Twilight listened carefully.

He turned around for a moment and took a look at Canterlot which was visible from Ponyville in the distance. The Gala was the only thing in his head right now. Spending time with his friends at the Gala was maybe exactly what he needed right now.

“Oh! Look!” Twilight exclaimed pointing at something in the distance.

It was a rainbow.
It was near Canterlot and barely visible but both ponies could clearly see it.

“If you're feeling lonely and you're still searching for your true friends, just look up in the sky. Who knows? Maybe you and your future best friends are all looking at the same rainbow,”

Maybe the words in Twilight's letter were true. For once, Star Twinkle at least wished they were true and he looked at the rainbow with a bright smile, hoping that things may change from now on.

Meanwhile, at a little further away from Ponyville another pony looked up to the sky and watched at the rainbow in the distance. His head was covered by a gray hood but the lower half of his face was revealing that he was making a sad or rather serious face.

He didn't spend much time looking at the rainbow and turned around slowly.
He didn't want to look at it and walked away from the rainbow.

Almost as if he was not ready to look at it yet...

Author's Note:

Only one chapter left from season 1!

And the last one will be the Grand Galloping Gala, where Star Twinkle will try to improve in terms of friendship.
As best as he can...

Don't forget to leave some kind of feedback or criticism.
Every opinion is appreciated ^^.

Hope to see you in the season final chapter!