“It is over, Starlight. Everything's fine… Please do not push me out again. It’s clear that you’re in desperate need of a friend.”
In the three years since her redemption, three tenets had cemented themselves in Luna’s memory. Her “mental encyclopedia” of sorts, imprinted upon her soul and guiding her day-to-day choices.
The first was, without a doubt, absolutely the most important. It was a promise whispered in the glow of Celestia’s setting sun, every evening in the first weeks of her return until it became chiseled in her heart, and she truly believed it:
She was Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night, Protector of the Dream Realm...
A Mother of Equestria.
No matter what happened, no matter how she felt or how her subjects felt about her, whether she felt so guilty about Nightmare Moon it weighed her to her bed, or later, when she almost felt the Tantabus was too much…
She was Luna. She was a Princess of Equestria.
And she would let herself be cursed to Tartarus before mocking what that title stood for and allowing even a single one of her little ponies to suffer under her watch.
Luna’s second tenet came as an indirect result of the first: communication is a weapon.
She hated it, for a time.
It couldn’t burn like a bolt of magic, nor was it always reliable. And if one were as terrible with it as Luna once was, perhaps they would find similar, personal reasons to detest the concept as well.
In the week following her return, Luna wasted no time returning to her nightly duties. It quickly became apparent that ponies would have repeated nightmares, regardless of how many times Luna smote them. She had known why, of course. She always did. Dreams simply made sense to Luna. She knew why they happened, what made them work, and most of all, she knew how to help the dreamer combat them.
But modern Equestria proved a greater challenge altogether. Needless to say, her Old Equestrian dialect made approaching subjects an… intense, internal affair. It was just so blunt and elaborate. It scared modern ponies off, or worse, made her as frightening as the nightmare she just vanquished. Luna couldn’t help herself though; she’d always been a slave to her emotions, and she got angry. Not at her subjects though, never them. But she quickly grew irritated at her inability to communicate with them, and it interfered with the first tenant as a result.
Luna came to the conclusion that she could simply fight the nightmares whenever they would crop up. Of course it failed, as she ran herself ragged within her first week despite having much success. To this day, Luna insisted that taking care of so many dreams every night was a valiant effort.
Though it was still folly.
Celestia noticed, as she always did. And in the span of a single conversation, Luna realized just how mighty a weapon communication was. From then until this very day, ponies only suffered nightmares until Luna intervened. In every instance, she helped them banish their deepest fears the modern way.
The right way. Luna would always mourn the loss of Old Equestrian, however. It was a beautiful tongue.
The third tenet was, without a doubt, the most difficult to accept, especially when it often contradicted her first: everything happens for a reason.
When she first arrived, Luna easily and thoughtlessly accepted her sister's philosophy.
It was clear that Celestia’s current student was important if she and her friends bore the Elements of Harmony, especially when she carried the sigil of the Tree of Harmony as her cutie mark.
Similar to how one would acknowledge the squawking of Canterlot nobles seriously, Luna absorbed the often-remarked platitude surrounding cutie marks like it was “old news,” as the foals say.
But to actually stomach it when one’s entire soul fought it every step of the way? It was one of the hardest things Luna had done since returning home. Risking the fate of the Crystal Empire on a gamble, on a “this was meant to be,” had been so outrageous that Luna couldn’t even bring to herself to speak with the young Twilight.
Allowing Lord Tirek to beat them was worse. By then, Twilight was now one of them, and Luna finally saw that Celestia’s wisdom was sharp as it ever was. With the Tree of Harmony making a move with that peculiar chest, Luna shared Celestia’s faith in Princess Twilight.
Nay, despite a wounded ego, Luna relented to giving Tirek a frighteningly close victory after just one sparring match with Celestia.
That didn’t mean she liked it.
Not when it conflicted with her first tenet.
Luna was a Princess of Equestria: a Mother, a Protector. What kind of a princess let their subjects be terrified? What kind of a parent stood by and let a monster hurt their children? She asked as much to her sister.
During their one sparring match, Celestia proved how much she hated it, both to her and to probably the entire castle at the same time. Luna never questioned her sister’s love for Equestria after that.
All three of these tenets ingrained themselves into “the modern Princess Luna,” as she discreetly referred to herself. They were simple. Straightforward and good. This new world made sense to Luna because of them, at least until today.
She had a certain fondness for Starlight Glimmer.
She was a Unicorn of great promise, both magically and morally. The Changeling affair proved to Luna that Starlight, too, was not only of paramount importance to the fate of Equestria, but one who was worthy of such status.
Her nightmares around the time proved to Luna how similar they were to her own, once upon a time. Guilt seemed to be a common thread between reformed ponies, and young Starlight’s was extra potent. Honed. Aimed at the self. Luna recognized it better than most ponies would. Talking was the cure. Hurting oneself was not.
In light of Twilight Sparkle’s destined path, it only made sense to see the timing of Starlight’s growth coincide with a pivotal moment in the Changelings’ history as something noteworthy. And Luna had Harmony to thank for directing Starlight toward Canterlot that one weekend. Because of her actions, any lingering rifts between Celestia and herself were fully mended, and their sisterly bond has been stronger ever since.
Even today was some vague, intentional will of Harmony’s making. Luna’s third tenet screamed as much to her, writhing hard in her chest in resistance to doubt.
Because never had she been called to the Dream Realm by day, to a very specific nightmare of a very specific pony, three times in succession. In addition to the night prior and this very dream, she had crossed paths with Starlight five times in a single weekend.
But for what purpose? She faltered in her second tenet every time, with Starlight pushing her out and waking up. Until this dream, she’d been failing her first tenet .
Luna’s doubts were banished before they could fester. She wouldn’t fail this time. This time would be different. This time, she could actually be of help.
She wouldn’t allow herself to forget her first tenet: she’s Princess Luna. The Ruler of the Night.
Starlight Glimmer was suffering. Luna only wanted it to stop—and, if she ever got the chance, to look Harmony in the eye and ask why this poor pony had to endure so much horror and heartbreak.
What purpose did it all serve?
Luna tried caressing her mane the way Celestia would, despite her inexperience with physical displays of affection.
Luna’s forelegs soaked immediately as Starlight wailed into them, shaking, apologizing over and over in a tearful babble for some imagined crime. Luna only knew what she was saying because she’d repeated herself so many times.
“It is over, Starlight,” Luna murmured behind her ear. “Everything's fine.”
Starlight gulped, gasping on a sob. Her breathing was faint and tremulous.
Whether she actually heeded Luna’s assurances were another matter entirely. She might be listening, but to her nothing’s “fine.” In her eyes nothing will ever “be fine” again. Luna felt a slight, distinct scratch upon her knee, and then a twisting inside of her.
“Please do not push me out again." Luna squeezed the back of Starlight’s head. "It’s clear that you’re in desperate need of a friend.”
The pony embracing her foreleg mumbled into it—a tiny sound, like a moan. She made it again and once more before finally mustering a voice strong enough to speak. “I‘m sorry Princess Luna,” she croaked, “I dunno what’s happening to me... And… an’ all I’ve done, is push you away!”
“Shh,” Luna hugged her tighter, nuzzling the top of Starlight’s head, behind her ear. “I only wish to help, my little pony. You will find no lingering animosity from me.” The poor pony’s scream rang hollowly in the crook of her foreleg before she tried gulping it down; Starlight gagged and coughed and tried pushing away but Luna held her tight.
“Don’t you dare deny yourself this.” She hoped Starlight didn’t hear the quiver in her voice. “You’ve had this building within for too long. It must be let out. Let it out, Starlight.”
And she did. Hard.
Luna had to scrape to find a bright side of this. At least she isn’t outright denying my help this time.
It already hurt to see one of her ponies in agony. But to find a strong mare like Starlight Glimmer reduced to such a mess by her own hoof was simply… heartbreaking. Soft, ragged panting signaled the depletion of her tears, and a million wounds still lingering open upon her soul.
“You probably think that I’m an idiot…”
“Enough of that!” implored Luna. “I would never think such a thing, Starlight Glimmer. You know in your heart that I wouldn’t.”
“Ugh, I know, I’m sorry!” she snarled.
Gently, as if handling a foal, Luna pushed herself away. “Do you really?” She bore into Starlight’s ruddy, runny gaze. “You are overwhelmed with fear, young one. Tis’ not healthy to contain so much of it. You risk letting it consume you.”
Starlight barked. “And I haven’t already? I’ve damaged my relationship with Twilight because of this. And Maud. And maybe even Trixie, for all I know!”
She was doing it again. “This is what I mean. You presume the very worst of your friends because fear rules your judgement. What you feel is not idiotic, Starlight Glimmer, but it is foolish nonetheless.” Well done, Princess. Deny a pony’s self-scathing insult, only to throw it back in her face a moment later?
“Yeah, that’s me. The foolish pony who never learns.”
Luna wilted. “Starlight—”
“I should have known.” She started a deliberate pace to and fro. “I should’ve known that I was the problem.”
“You are not a ‘problem,’ Starlight. You need only a little help.”
“‘A little?’” she hooted. “I’m probably the first pony in history to save something and ruin it at the same time!”
Luna swallowed, recalling the dreams she’d seen of the ponies closest to Starlight. Her heart went out to all of them. “Nothing is ruined,” she assured, “though if reparations are to be made, you have to confront the problem’s heart.”
Starlight whirled on her with a scorching glare. “Oh, save the psychoanalysis, Princess!” She jammed a hoof at the black box sitting by her right. “You think I don’t know what that means?”
“Star—”
“Huh!?”
Luna forced a smile. “Of course I do, Starlight. What I fear is you’re focusing on the wrong aspects of it.”
Her glare shot up to the ceiling as she scoffed. “As if there was anything right about all this? You said it yourself, Princess Luna! I’m what’s happening to me. Me. Nopony else.” She snorted, a smile suddenly growing on her face. “Like the creepy puppet show meant something else...”
It does. Despite every instinct screaming at her not to overstep boundaries, Luna was driven to kneel beside Starlight and close a wing around her. Her back muscles flinched as if trying to evade the affection.
It was the only sign Luna needed. Beneath all her anger, fear and doubt plagued this pony’s heart.
Luna took a breath—
“I wanna be alone.” Starlight turned away from the Princess. “Please Princess, you don’t have to waste your time with this broken pony.”
“I want to.”
Starlight hadn’t released her tension since Luna touched her. “Heh, not for long! I promise, you’re gonna realize just how hopeless I really am before you leave.”
“Is that a dare?” Luna gently accused, her gut swelling with pity. “Where is your unbendable confidence? Is today the day Starlight Glimmer revokes it because of some shadows on the walls?”
“Check your admiration, Princess. My ‘confidence’ is what got me here in the first place. You wouldn’t understand.”
“Beg pardon?” Luna reeled, visions of the Tantabus followed by Celestia’s tears—the second time Luna had ever seen them—flashed before her eyes. “Excuse me… I wouldn’t understand? You think I cannot empathize with what you’re feeling?”
Like a scolded child, Starlight curled into herself. “I-I’m sorry, I d-didn’t mean—”
“No!” Luna boomed in the Canterlot Royal Voice, thrumming the entire structure of Starlight’s dreamscape. “Starlight Glimmer, I demand that you banish any negative notions this instant! I am not angry, nor am I frustrated with you! I only want…” She took a breath. “I only want to help you,” she finished, quietly.
Luna could not speak on behalf of any of Starlight’s friends, much as she wanted to. But she refused to let a second go by with this pony afraid of yet another friend.
The look on Starlight’s face reminded Luna why she was not a “pony princess” like her cohorts. The two pinpricks in her eyes, rife with fear, made that abundantly clear.
Celestia wouldn’t have done this. She would have been patient.
Luna couldn’t stand the sight of it. “I am sorry for yelling,” she confessed. This pony’s ragged cries were still fresh in her mind. “And for not saving you sooner, Starlight. I wanted to! But instead I watched because—”
“Because,” Starlight interrupted, gracing her with a sad, knowing smile. “Youuu wanted to know. What was wrong. With me,” she added with a scuff of the hoof. “I remember the naps I took at Sweet Apple Acres, Princess Luna—how I’d force myself awake whenever you started asking me things. I’m sorry for being so difficult when you’re just trying to do your job.”
She still piles blame upon herself. But at least she isn’t resisting anymore. Luna’s smile finally came naturally. “There’s nothing to forgive, Starlight. ‘tis only natural for a pony of your ilk to resist any outside assistance. I was once the very same.” Luna patted her breast.
“So, h-how’d you deal with it?” Starlight asked, her words laced with hope.
Wistfulness made Luna light inside. “‘tis a story you will benefit from, I think. These days it serves as an important reminder about the magic of Friendship. But in the weeks following the ordeal, there was only regret, and shame—similar to the kind you feel now, for your controversial decision.”
“You don’t even know the half of it,” Starlight, for whatever reason, tittered.
“I can empathize. This, I regret as much as I do Nightmare Moon. And for the same reasons as well.” Celestia’s cries echoed in Luna’s memory, stabbing her where it always hurt.
“What were they?” Starlight trotted closer, past Luna’s personal bubble.
She huffed with a smile, forgetting her panging chest. Starlight was definitely cut from the same cloth as Twilight: curiosity overrode their worries like a mug of that “coffee” Celestia loves so much. Except fears were magically dispelled instead of exhaustion.
Celestia…
“I’ve inflicted terrible suffering upon my sister,” Luna explained. Shame tickled the back of her throat. “Suffering which could have been prevented across both instances. If only I allowed myself to believe in her, in the love she had for me… H’oh!” she cried. Pain Luna was so familiar with swelled quickly and suddenly.
She shook her head. “Apologies, Starlight. As you may very well know, guilt is a wound that never fully heals.” Luna ducked behind a wing, blinking away tears in hopes that Starlight hadn’t yet seen them.
“Princess Luna?” she fretted, frightening her as a hoof caressed her royal person. How “bold,” to express a familiarity far too many ponies felt uncomfortable to show towards their Princess of the Night. “Are you okay? Y-you don’t have to tell me the story, you know. To be honest, I kinda got the gist of it already.”
Luna smiled wryly. Even if she was being honest concerning the “gist,” Starlight would hear the story anyway just so Luna would know she truly grasped it. Gists were open to interpretation, after all. Additionally, for all her brilliance, Starlight Glimmer missed “the point,” or “gist” if a personal stake held any sway over her judgement.
At least, that is what Celestia told her, who of course knew through Twilight Sparkle—a pony who, even today, grappled with the same flaws.
“Sit beside me, Starlight. I wish to be comfortable and the same for you.”
With a single flap Luna was on her bed, Starlight clambering up beside her. Only when Luna pressed her larger form beside the young pony’s, and hugged a wing around her, did she confess, “This isn’t a story I’m very fond of reliving. In truth,” she chuckled, “I would direct you to Twilight, but out of respect for my privacy I know she’d send you back to me!”
Starlight hooted, disbelieving. “Wow, what could be so embarrassing that it made Princess Luna pretend it never happened?”
Luna craned her head, smirking playfully. “Lower your sarcasm, Miss Glimmer. You know better than Twilight herself that we princesses are still ponies beneath the titles and regalia.”
“I know, I know! I was just kidding around,” she laughed.
Luna managed a short-lived smile, crushed by the weight of her second-greatest failure. “This isn’t embarrassing, so much as it’s unbearably sad. Nor do I pretend it never happened—quite the opposite, actually; I’ve never forgotten it.”
“U-uh, oh…” Starlight shifted in place. “I’m… sorry, if I offended you, Your Highness.”
“Oh, Starlight, you’ve not.” Luna tightened the wing around Starlight when she felt her start to inch away. “Nay, in truth, you’ve alleviated some of the tension.”
“Phew! Well, that’s a relief!” Starlight tittered.
Luna resisted interrogating the mare over what she was just thinking. “Did I not ask you to stop presuming my feelings towards you, Starlight?”
“Yes. R-right, sorry. S-sorry...”
The distress in her tone made Luna want to sigh. She inhaled deeply instead. If I don’t succeed, Starlight will soon walk the same self-destructive path I once did.
And nopony deserved that.
“Not long ago, my life was in a dark, dark place.” Beside the false bedroom’s window, a mockery of her prison shone brightly. “‘twas a place where emotion overpowered logic, where isolating myself from my sister felt like I was helping her, and that self-harm absolved me of my sins until the next time I dreamt.”
The pony beside her stiffened. Luna hoped Starlight was drawing parallels to her own behavior today.
“It got out of hoof fast, as these things always do.” Luna’s throat closed until she forced herself to swallow. “And if not for Princess Twilight’s wisdom, Equestria would be doomed.”
“Whoa…”
Luna rolled her eyes to the ceiling, trying to keep the flood at bay.
“So,” Starlight drew it out, “what did Twilight say? How’d she help?”
Luna’s mouth opened to explain, but it just hung there. Part of her wanted to explain, but the other likely wouldn’t last long before she truly started crying. “She didn’t do anything. Not with what I’m about to tell you,” Luna quickly explained.
“Oh, so your sister got involved?”
She nodded. “And despite my best efforts, it ended with Celestia furious with me all the same. Repeat this to nopony, Starlight, but she screamed at me. She cried. She said all these words to me, and the best I could do was bob my head like some brainless goose.”
Suddenly, Starlight nuzzled Luna just above her collar. “I can imagine why. She was worried sick about you. I’m worried about you, and this was before I even knew you!” She left her cheek resting against the princess.
Luna’s insides writhed. Nopony but her sister and Equestria’s foals have ever been so casually affectionate towards her, and only the former had ever been concerned with her personal well-being.
“You are too kind, Starlight Glimmer. But it pains me to admit that this wasn’t the only cause of Celestia’s ire.”
“Oh?”
“Indeed. My sister was certainly angry over my irresponsible behavior. But it wasn’t threatening the well-being of Equestria that sent her over the edge—the result of a ‘no harm, no foul’ philosophy Celestia’s always held.”
Luna smirked hearing a genuine laugh from Starlight. “You know, I’ve always wondered how Twilight became so… benevolent, I guess. Well, now I know! But what made Princess Celestia really angry?”
Any jubilance she felt was eviscerated by Starlight’s innocent question. “The fact that everything happened… everything I’d done to myself… was because she ‘failed’ me. She felt heartbreak and fury. Although I was the target of both, Celestia made it very clear she was most angry with herself.”
Luna sighed, growling. The weight of her memory was still unbearable.
“I felt terrible for making Celestia feel that way. From that day forth, I would never doubt my sister’s love for me again.” She hoped the “gist” was clear now.
“What?” Starlight croaked. “B-but, you were the one who avoided her! Why’d she feel responsible?”
Luna chuckled—it really did seem like madness to one who didn’t know the Princess of the Sun. “Understand the way Celestia sees things: if she’d succeeded as a sister, then I wouldn’t have been afraid of approaching her. I wouldn’t have presumed to’ve been ‘more work’ for her, as I casually labeled myself in the past. If I trusted her enough to have approached, then perhaps I wouldn’t have felt so horrible and guilty for so long. My tormentor might never have been conceived.”
There had been more that her sister had raved to the heavens that day, but Luna couldn’t bother to remember them. The point was clear.
Or rather, it should’ve been.
Luna dared not to look in Starlight’s direction after five seconds of silence passed.
“Do you understand me now, Starlight Glimmer? Guilt was not the problem. The Tantabus wasn’t my downfall, nor was Celestia my enemy.”
“It was you,” Starlight realized.
Luna caught herself from giving a visible start. “Yes,” she nodded with a smile. “I was my own worst enemy. My own doubts and self-loathing festered into seeds like the Tantabus and my sister’s imaginary wrath.”
Luna slid off the bed, landing on her forehooves before walking to the black box Starlight had thrown. “W-what’re you doing?” Starlight asked from her perch.
The box floated between them, wrapped in a midnight-blue glow. “This is your truth, Starlight. These… ugly, little baubles?” The Twilight marionette twirled on its strings, one wing extended, before Luna slammed the thing back into the dark hole it came from. “Illusions: crafted, painted, and puppeted by fears whose existence you repeatedly deny—to yourself, and your friends.”
“Fizzlepop was real,” Starlight protested. Luna found she wasn’t even looking at her, so much as she was looking through her. “Back in the hall, she was being real with me. She honestly wanted to be my friend… and I just ran away because I was too afraid I’d mess up a conversation over tea.”
Before witnessing Starlight’s dream transmute into a nightmare, Luna had already known when that would happen. “I know. I was in her dream before visiting yours.” Luna smirked seeing Starlight’s eyes light up. “Your conversation seems to have struck a chord with the two of you this evening, for both good and ill.”
She still heard Starlight’s voice coming from the puppet Fizzlepop’s wooden mouth: ‘Look! You disgust the princess!’What a sad, familiar story.
“Princess—”
“I cannot disclose the contents of one’s dream with another.” Starlight simply blinked. Luna cleared her throat. “Just… in case you ask,” she clarified.
Starlight relaxed, smiling. “No, no, you’re right. But I’m just curious: did my version of our talk in the hall resemble her’s, in any way?”
Her strained, awkward smile melted into a genuine one as Luna made her own. “I’ve seen the same conversation twice. Heard the same words, watched the same movements.”
“Huh,” was all Starlight said, grinning to herself. Only she knew what was running through her head.
With this, for this, Luna felt content. “This conversation deeply resonated with the two of you, I’d say. So much so, your perceived failures inflicted seemingly-irreparable damage to something both of your hearts desired.”
“What do I do? Tell me Princess, please,” Starlight asked, desperation propelling her from the false bed and practically into Luna’s snout, blue eyes wide with worry. “Tell me how to fix everything.”
Luna blinked. A chuckle bubbled up as she groomed Starlight’s perfectly curled mane. “Worry not, my little pony. The answer you seek lies here,” she tapped Starlight’s forehead, just below her maiming, “and in here,” then upon her bosom.
As Starlight graced her with a wary smile, Luna demonstrated her point further with the pony’s ‘head:’ a black box floating beside them, closer to its owner’s level. “Heed my words, Starlight. Because you spend so much time listening to this, it distracts you from what is real.” Luna stole a glimpse of the ugly puppets tangled up in their dark little home. “And when you blur the line between fantasy and reality, the two worlds merge, and you end up the director of your own tragedy.”
Luna took pleasure firing a sliver of silver at the wooden Starlight, who she envisioned as a puppet of herself. The entire box erupted like a cardboard furnace, devoured in flame with a short, sharp whoof, akin to one blowing out a candle.
A flurry of ash danced to the carpet.
The Starlight of flesh and blood looked to her princess. It warmed Luna’s heart to see a smile still there, albeit an uncertain one all the same.
“Take notes from my experience as well as your own, Starlight: talk to somepony. Disclose your fears and dispel all doubts, lest you doom yourself to the same mistakes I’ve made.”
Starlight’s eyes, wide and glistening, filled her vision. “And that will fix me?”
With a hoof on her shoulder, Luna eased the Unicorn off her tiptoes. The broken horn was hard to miss, and even harder to ignore. “Unfortunately not.”
Too many fears and doubts were bared in Starlight’s dream. Too many for Luna to link to a single source.
For now.
“As of now, this is your most blatant fear. It affects your quality of life to a degree which has your friends worried.” Her eyes drifted to the ashmarks seeped into the carpet. “And tackling too much at once can leave you overwhelmed.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. Well, hopefully you like my face! Because…” Starlight drooped, hissing through her teeth, “...yeah, it’s a lot.”
Luna caressed the pony’s face until she reached her chin and lifted it to her. “Fret not, Starlight Glimmer. Helping my ponies is what I live for. Even if it takes us a hundred nightmares, I won’t stop until yours are gone for good.”
The promise rang warmly in Luna’s chest. This is what her cutie mark, her title, and everything in between stood for.
A chuckle fluttered up from below.
Starlight kept a foreleg lifted close to her muzzle. “Just be sure to give yourself a break!” she tittered. “Even I wouldn’t wanna see me every night.” She laughed harder. “I’m so messed-up, it’d take all of Equestria to make me better!”
Luna giggled out of politeness. The humor was lost on her, as it always was. Starlight’s laughter deteriorated into a distorted a whine in Luna’s ears—like the discourse of Canterlot’s staff when they were several corridors away from her and her ability to care.
Except Luna cared now. Her heart beat fast, watching this unique little pony. Everything Luna liked about Starlight was summarized in this single moment, where she drew back, eyes shut in bliss and tears beading the corners of them, howling with laughter, and a broken horn momentarily forgotten.
To simply muster up humor in the face of so much tragedy…
“I admire your strength,” Luna admitted.
She huffed at the abruptness of Starlight’s silence. “M’hy what?” she squawked.
Luna booped her nose. “Do not be so aghast, Starlight Glimmer. You’ve stood tall after being knocked aside so many times, it’s clear to me that your strength is unparalleled.”
Starlight’s mouth fell open, but she said nothing, no doubt stunned to hear such praise.
“And,” Luna kept her eyes ahead as she leaned in close, murmuring playfully, “if I may be momentarily unprofessional, I envy you.” Anxiety swarmed within harsher than her burning face, but Luna pushed herself through to the bitter, awkward end. “You’ve endured hardships on a more frequent basis than I, yet are likely the more pleasant dinner guest between the two of us. Wouldn’t you say?” Luna hoped Starlight would laugh at her own joke.
“P-Princess,” she, unfortunately, said with obvious discomfort, “you’ve got the wrong idea. I-I’m n-not—”
Luna lifted a hoof, sapphire-dusted eyelids drawn shut. She’s so humble. Especially with her nightmare fresh in mind. “You need not tell me what’s running through your mind, little one. Your dreams speak for themselves. I know that praise can make you uncomfortable. But do not mistake my words for such. ‘tis a fact of your soul, Starlight Glimmer.”
“I…” Starlight gulped, shaking her head. “I don’t…”
“There are few ponies who could endure the emotional hardships you have.” Luna peered from the corner of her eye, exchanging a glance with the jagged remnants of the poor pony’s horn.
Starlight shied away, facing the space between her forehooves.
“Hey.” Luna bumped her shoulder. Starlight met her eye, surprised to find their muzzles inches apart while Luna ached to see her freshly-moistened gaze. “Deny it all you want, my friend. But there isn’t a pony in Equestria who’d find the strength to go on feeling what you do.”
She began to shake. Luna’s words must have touched her deeply—clearly she was in desperate need of hearing them.
“Truly, you are a strong pony.”
“Thank, you,” she uttered stiffly.
It was disheartening that this was all she had to say. But there were nightmares to smite, ponies to help, and Starlight needed far more than what was likely perceived as hollow praise.
“Seek friendship, Starlight Glimmer. I believe Fizzlepop Berrytwist is a good place to start.” She gave a wink. Remembering that mare’s dream, Luna hoped she and Starlight realized how similar they really were.
She took a deep breath. “Thank you, Princess Luna. For everything.” Her voice was hoarse, but not quite so stiff as before.
Luna smiled, feeling affectionate for her subject. She wanted nothing more than to hug Starlight. But having responsibilities meant sacrifices had to be made, and she didn’t want to overstep her boundaries with a pony she clearly made uncomfortable.
“I’ve done nothing, yet,” she told Starlight. “I’ve given you the tools. Now your fate is in your hooves.”
The prospect paled her complexion. “R-right…”
Luna kept a smile on the widened eyes of her subject. She continued doing so with an eye on her as she turned, midnight-blue wings almost touching either end of the false bedroom.
“Be good to yourself, Starlight Glimmer. Farwell.”
“Bye, Princess…”
Luna dissipated herself into a silver cloud, which shot like a bolt fired from a crossbow at the moon outside the window.
She hated to leave Starlight in her current state. But the rest was up to her, as it was with everypony else.
Upon reaching her and Spike’s throne once more, Twilight stopped dead in her tracks after bringing a mug full of air to her lips, where she drank deep the lukewarm, energizing liquid known as air.
She rolled her eyes—just how much stupider could she get?
Twilight Sparkle: Princess of Friendship, unable to keep track of how full her stupid coffee was. What hope was there for Starlight if she failed at something this basic?
Imagining herself with a full mug, Twilight erupted her old one in a pinkish puff of magic, into the same yellow porcelain but filled with more coffee! She resumed her quick little canter around the Cutie Map.
Twilight drank deep, gagged, then drank again. Magically-transfigured coffee simply never tasted as good as Spike’s, but it got the job done. Another caffeinated gulp popped the crystalline walls blurring by into definition, their deep, violet edges sharpening alongside her foggy mind. It woke up, ready for another mug-long bout of hard thinking.
Hurried clip-clops maintained a quick, steady rhythm for Twilight to think to. It was the perfect background music! Just, tip-tap-tip-tap-tip-tap. It was so simple, so efficient, so distractingly monotonous!
Twilight took another sip before refocusing on the notepad held before her: Helping Starlight Glimmer - Plan T, it read.
Its pages were filled with one detailed step after another, with plans ranging from three of those to over thirty. Only half of this second one’s were used, crammed corner to corner with ideas about as refined as her very first magical thesis.
But that was fine!
Plans “A” through “H” took up her original notepad, and they were solid. Foalproof, even. Starlight probably wouldn’t even need to go that far! And if she did, then she will. And if all twenty-six plans failed, Twilight would make up a new alphabet to accommodate.
“Whatever it takes, whatever it takes,” she rattled off under her breath, like a prayer. “Won’t fail again, won’t fail again.”
Letting Starlight down was, well, it just wasn’t going to happen. Twilight would move the planet—that is to say, cobble together some science so she could do so—if that’s what it took to help her friend.
My amazing, generous, caring, inconsiderate, difficult, stubborn, suffering friend...
Curse Starlight for threatening their friendship. Curse her! Twilight would have no problem marching to Flutter Valley herself if Starlight wasn’t so against it…
Twilight inhaled, deep, sharp and quick. Her trot’s pace never faltered. Unlike her anger, which ebbed and flowed like waves, washing over her, the undertow threatening to pull her beneath.
How dare Starlight threaten such a thing? Twilight had spat one moment, then, almost within the same breath, she uttered, No, no, she knows I’ll do something worse than the time I freed the Pony of Shadows.
Something about going to Flutter Valley truly terrified Starlight. So much so she dared to hold their bond hostage. Could she be right about this? Was there any reality beneath her clearly-outrageous fear?
Not even Celestia knows what those “witches” are capable of. Neither she, nor Luna, even knew of their existence, or the foal’s story they inspired… yet.
Twilight realized she still hadn’t told them that Starlight had awakened. Or of the current situation.
There was always tomorrow.
Odds were that Starlight was probably right. She actually had good intuition when her mind was clear. With her track record, Twilight would probably end up making everything worse. Maybe she’d further advance the evil machinations of those “big and scary” beings, as Fluttershy described the one she saw.
But they were half a world away, and far beyond her concerns now. Starlight was what mattered. Yet, here Twilight was, having a nice run in the map room while simultaneously faltering in her planning! She only had three more hours until the sun was up!
Twilight racked her brain for some kind of “Plan T.”
T… T…
What else would Starlight respond to? If “S” failed, then what could top a Friendship Chi Neigh Tsang Massage Group Therapy Session?!
“Ugh!” Twilight groaned, breath frosting before her.
Slowing to a stop behind Rainbow Dash’s throne, mug and notepad absentmindedly orbiting around her, Twilight pondered the possibility of one of her friends brainstorming some ideas. Surely they had their own insight, as well as a desire to help Starlight Glimmer. Fluttershy was the pony she spent the most time with, besides Twilight of course, so maybe she’d have a better idea of what Starlight would—
An eruption of noise and porcelain startled her with a yelp.
Twilight twitched away, crying out as she found the blood of her shattered yellow friend staining the second planner an ugly bronze.
“No, no, no!” she cried, picking it up in her hoof’s grasp. The thing dripped with coffee, completely waterlogged. Twilight stiffened a quivering lip and glared upwards, grimacing at the perpetrator.
Of course horns don’t just “fail,” nor was Twilight one to blunder such a simple levitation spell. But she was also in the middle of her eighth coffee that evening, and running on just four hours of sleep from the night prior.
“Oh, come on, I’ve spent nights studying longer than this. When I was a unicorn, no less! So what’s up, horn? Huh? Why’d you fail on… on… me?” Twilight breathed, watching the faint, white cloud be born and die upon her words.
“...Haaah,” she sighed. It was like a dragon breathing smoke.
A bad feeling settled in Twilight’s gut.
Not only was it the summer, not only did her castle magically heat itself when it was cold, but usually, in her own experience, when Twilight saw her breath it meant it was cold.
The Map Room was as warm and comfortable as it’d ever been.
Goosebumps prickled underneath her coat. Chills shocked her body several times over, and made Twilight tremble with more than a caffeine overdose. Above, the tips of Golden Oaks’ fingers stretched into her peripherals—earthy brown, sanded smooth by Applejack…
...and coated in a glassy film. Ice. The memories strung below glistened upon it, bedazzling the roots with little pink, orange, and blue stars.
A double-knot of dread twisted within as Twilight traced their path, turning, her eyes running down to the great, oaken stump hanging from her ceil—
Twilight froze. She blinked her heavy eyes three times but what she saw was still there, existing in the same room as her.
Something huge was standing above the Cutie Map, now somehow activated and displaying her country. One paw had been suspended above it, ready to direct a single, extended claw down to someplace in Equestria.
It was unlike anything Twilight had seen before. She couldn't tell if it was some sort of ogre, or a distant relative of the Humans.
Wait... No! No, they're not real. This isn't them.
Are you crazy, Twilight? Run, get help, this isn’t a friendly visit! Twilight's heart felt torn between her options, her instincts screaming to run while rational thought scolded, No, you don’t know that. Be friendly. Approach her.
Twilight's hooves remained rooted in place.
As her thoughts battled on a decision, the creature’s finger descended on a holographic mountain in the north.
“gRiFfOnStOnE,” it, she, uttered in a voice which shocked Twilight’s soul into the afterlife and back.
Her finger shifted, “MaNeHaTtAn,” and halted on the eastern coastline. It moved again.
“ThE sMoKeY mOuNtAiNs!” Her spine was somehow bent in a loop. If unfurled, was she... she was enormous. Her legs alone were as long as Discord, one of them bent at a ninety degree angle.
Twilight swallowed, over and over, air squeezing, wheezing faintly out her lungs. “lAs PeGaSuS.” The monster's face was cloaked in shadow and an eruption of orange hair.
“HoLlOw ShAdEs.” From within her shadowy veil, flecks of rubies glowered at the Cutie Map.
“AnD oUr ToWn…” Her dagger of a face, tapering to a near-pointed chin, cracked in Twilight’s direction. “YoU’vE sEeN mUcH oF tHe WoRlD, pRiNcEsS. cHaNgEd It—YoU aNd YoUr CuTe LiTtLe FrIeNdS.” A distorted chuckle shocked the very air. “StArLiGhT aS wElL. hOw’S sHe DoInG, bY tHe WaY?”
Fire ignited inside of Twilight’s belly, burning away all her terror. “You stay away from them. You stay away from her!” Twilight's anger was strong, unwavering, just like Celestia’s would be. It almost made her forget the sudden rush of terror twisting in her chest. “What are you doing here? Come to torture my friend some more? Well, you’re gonna answer to me first.”
The Witch of Flutter Valley hadn’t moved a muscle since turning, even as she roared with otherworldly laughter. “HoW fRiEnDlY! cElEsTiA hAs TaUgHt YoU wElL! wHaT, nO iNtRoDuCtIoNs? No, ‘WhO aRe YoU?’ or ‘hOw DiD yOu GeT hErE?’”
Twilight breathed, slow and deep and trying to calm. “I know what you are,” she said lightly, then exhaled, “and I know who you are.”
“Do TeLL…” purred the witch.
Twilight searched back to what she once treasured as a foalhood storybook. Within the anthology, she had feared a magical story about a brother and sister outsmarting a trio of dark magic-wielding earth ponies.
“Well,” she swallowed, “you’re one of the Ladies of Flutter Valley. A witch, for lack of a better word, though... I'm not sure that appropriately encompasses the scope of your power.” She still wasn't certain of that, but just this thing's overwhelming presence in the Map Room, one of the most magically-saturated places Twilight's ever felt...
“vErY sMaRt." Twilight hardened her heart; there would be time for that later. "NoW wHo Am I?”
Twilight’s gaze danced about her big, lanky figure, her orange mane brushing against Golden Oaks’ roots, altogether avoiding the little red lights she had for eyes. Don't be presumptuous. One false move and that could be it for me. I'm all alone, none of my friends nearby... “You’re Draggle," she answered tightly, "the Foolish Lady.”
“aH, yEs.” Draggle’s paw, black with dirt, pressed upon her malnourished breast. She was nothing like the Draggle Twilight knew. “i ReMeMbEr ThOsE dAyS. BaCk WhEn We CoUlD sUsTaIn SuCh InDiViDuAlItY," she sighed, like a howling wind.
She obviously wanted Twilight to comment on that, think about it, because, why would she pause for so long otherwise? “Did you control my magic?” She glanced at a coffee-colored patch of ice between Rainbow’s throne and Spike’s.
“nO.”
Relief flooded through Twilight. It looked like Starlight really was overreacting! These creatures were powerful to be sure, but that didn’t mean they were the source of all magic in Eques—
“i JuSt SmOtHeReD iT.” Twilight choked on an airless gasp. Her caffeinated heartbeat skipped several beats.
“Nopony should have that power. Nopony," she snapped, completely forgetting who she was talking to.
“H’aH,” Draggle hissed, “i HeAr YoUr InSiDeS, sQuIsHiNg AnD cLeNcHiNg WiTh HoT bLoOd—DeLiCiOuS aDrEnALiNe! aRe YoU aFrAiD oF mE nOw, PrInCeSs TwiLiGhT sPaRkLe? I cAn HeAr ThAt YoU aRe~"
Twilight glared through her bangs with teeth gnashed at the intruder. “How about you stop wasting time and get to the point already? Why’re you here?!”
Draggle grunted. “AfRaId, BuT nOt Of Me. WeLL, tHaT wOn'T dO...” Like a spider, but twice as fast, the witch twisted her body over to Twilight on all fours, “...hOw AbOuT NOW?” she howled, ringing within the vastness of the Map Room.
There was only Draggle’s face, unveiled at last, whose skin reminded her of a sandy beach—pocky and rough and so dry that pale, pink cracks lined the defined folds of her cheeks and forehead.
Twilight could only gape. She forgot her voice, her words, and everything that made Equestria the beautiful cornerstone of Harmony it was now known for.
She was at a loss for words.
Draggle shouldn’t speak, yet she did, despite having a mouth of black lace, stitched closed by someone who wanted her quiet a hundred times over. The feeling of a needle piercing one's lips over and over so they couldn't talk or even eat... Twilight whimpered and looked away, but something willed her gaze into Draggle's.
It was not red, her gaze, but hazel. One eyeball pointed left, the other ‘northeast,’ to the thunderbolt on Rainbow’s seat. Like Derpy’s in a way. Draggle didn’t bat an eye, nor did she look at Twilight. Ever. She never would, not with those small protrusions sticking out of her eyeballs, aimed at Twilight with their crimson luminescence, like a horn ready to fire.
One protrusion opened up to a pit full of little white… chips? Teeth? They’re alive? Twilight drew close with macabre curiosity. What? The closer she got, the heavier her jaw became. What in Equestria—?
It screeched, lunging at her and snapping.
Twilight scrambled away, screaming as Draggle pulled away. “ThAt’S bEtTeR.”
The princess scrambled to emulate Cadance’s breathing exercise, hammering her foreleg faster, harder against her breast as Draggle crunched her body into a bipedal posture, pigeon-toes and ape-like paws almost brushing the floor. Her face was obscured once more, thank Equestria.
“i LoVe BrEaKiNg ThE mIgHtY aNd ToPpLiNg ThE TaLL.”
Twilight was completely at Draggle’s mercy. Has she come to take her horn too? Kidnap her, lure her friends into a trap? “What do you want from me?” She hated how terrified she sounded.
“To Do WhAt I hAvE tO, jUsT lIkE aLL oF yOu.” Draggle reached up and lowered two, claw-like fingers into the front pocket of her overalls. “I pRoMiSe yOu ThIs, TwiLiGhT: yOu WiLl NoT gReAtLy sUfFeR tOdAy. nOr WiLl YoU sUfFeR tHiS wEeK, oR tHe NeXt.” Her fist retreated, clutching something. “BuT sOoN, aLL WiLL fEeL rIgHt WiTh ThE wOrLd. AnD iT wILL pRoVe YoU wRoNg iN a WaY fAr WoRsE tHaN yOu CoUlD pOsSiBlY iMaGiNe."
"WhEn ThAt DaY cOmEs, I hOpE yOu ReMeMbEr ThIs MoMeNt, and StArLiGhT's.”
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut, even folded her ears to protect herself from Draggle’s haunting words. “I’m not listening.” What of this witch warranted trust? Starlight and her dang “deal” came to mind; Twilight only had a vague idea that they twisted their words to abuse loopholes and drive ponies crazy, like they did to her friend. “You're just saying anything you can to throw me off. Well, I don’t believe a word you’re saying. I won’t!”
“nEvEr?”
“Never.”
“NoT eVeN fOr StArLiGhT’s HoRn?” Twilight’s heart did a full-stop. “wErE yOu NoT cOnSiDeRiNg A dEaL wItH uS iN eXcHaNgE fOr It?”
Her eyes boggled open, and not just because Draggle somehow knew that. Right there, held a foot from Twilight’s snout, the source of the misery which plagued her dear friend, was clutched between Draggle’s thumb and index finger.
It was small, conical, and possessed a spiny base which Ladies undoubtedly wielded the power to reattach.
Twilight’s chest lurched as it was wrenched away, Draggle lifting it to her shadowed mug. The pair of glowing, red specks analyzed it like Rarity would a gemstone. “wOuLdN’t It Be GrAnD tO mAkE StArLiGhT hApPy AgAiN?” Want and desperation burned inside of Twilight. “i HaD aN aRgUmEnT wItH mY sIsTeR, tWiLiGhT. sHe SaId tHaT a TrUe PrInCeSs Of FrIeNdShIp WoUlD dO aNyThInG tO hElP a FrIeNd, BuT i DiSaGrEeD!” Twilight rolled her head, whimpering like the pitiful, useless princess that she was. “sOmE pOnIeS aRe JuSt ThAt SeLfIsH! cAn YoU bELiEvE iT?” To her left lay a coffee-stained notepad filled with poorly-conceived ideas.
Ideas that would never make Starlight happy for long.
Not if she didn’t have her magic.
“Alright, Draggle. Okay,” Twilight sighed. The weight of defeat was egregious. Even though Draggle was deadly-accurate, Twilight hated it with all her heart. “What do you want for it?”
If this is what being the Princess of Friendship was all about, Twilight would be remiss if she was too afraid to meet Starlight’s standard. At least she’ll be happy again. No matter what they want, no matter what I sacrifice, Starlight will be smiling again.
And that’s good enough for me.
Raucous laughter rattled in the spacious Map Room. “I’m AfRaId i DoN’t FoLlOw,” said Draggle. “eXpLaIn yOuRsElF tO mE!”
Twilight assumed nothing, even if this monster was messing with her. “You know why I'm doing this. And I’m telling you that I accept: I’ll make a deal. If there’s something of mine that you wanted… if all this was to use Starlight to get to me, well, congratulations.” Hatred smoldered Twilight’s glare and drumming heart. “Here’s your chance.”
Draggle hummed, then spoke in a low, echoing voice, “VeRy InTuItIvE, pRiNcEsS.” Twilight opened her mouth, ready to ask what they wanted. “SaDLy, I aM gOnNa HaVe To DeCLiNe.”
“Wha-huh?! Buh-buh-but you, you make deals with ponies, just like in the storybook!" Twilight cried, no better than herself as a foal, denying that Celestia wasn't an actual goddess, like all ponies her age. "You have to accept my deal, you can’t just dismiss it!” Starlight… She was no different then than she was now, because...
“nO wE dOn’T.” Draggle leaned down. “nO i DoN’t.” Her massive head craned past her knees, down to Twilight’s. “AnD yEs, I, cAn.” Her worms shrieked a long, ear-ringing cry, as Twilight realized then that she was still a naive foal.
Because she was too trusting.
She felt like the biggest fool in all of Equestria and she didn’t know why. Draggle spoke like it was so obvious, yet everything seemed a thousand times more complicated than it was five minutes ago.
From Starlight’s horn, to the initial plan to bring the Elements to Flutter Valley (which Twilight decided would be “Plan Z” no matter what), to just who these creatures were and what they even wanted or where they came from...
Twilight's heart sank to the blackest pits of Tartarus. “But… But the story… the deals you make…” She'd failed.
Statuesque Draggle chuckled, low and evilly.
“dOn’T bELiEvE eVeRyThInG yOu ReAd, PrInCeSs.”
Her palm slid between them, presenting a small, pink horn.
“We OnLy EvEr MaDe A dEaL wItH sTaRLiGhT gLiMmEr.”
And Draggle’s hand squeezed with a stomach-churning CRUNCH.
The sound shot Twilight in the heart, sapping whatever strength remained from these last several weeks.
She collapsed to her knees, empty. Contents like powdered sugar sprinkled from Draggle’s slowly-tilting fist: a trickle of fine pink dust. Within a moment, the remnants of Starlight’s pride and joy dusted the polished floor.
Her eyes prickled. Her lips trembled. A white, frosty cloud brokenly formed before her.
“tHe ReSt WiLl FoLlOw, As Is OrDaInEd. UnTiL oUr FiNaL mEeTiNg, pRiNcEsS. gOoD lUcK.”
Draggle blinked out of existence—no noise, no light. She was just there, and now she wasn’t. The cold kiss of Twilight’s spilt coffee ran underneath her knees. Melted ice wept from Golden Oaks’ roots onto the map, a halfhearted dribble upon the image of Equestria.
It flickered defiantly before falling dark.
End of Honesty - The Broken Life
Next Time: (Laughter) The Broken Heart - Starlight Glimmer heeds advice and ignores others. Friendships are made and mended back together. A Changeling Gourd Fest is attended.
8773101
Except with Shadow Tempest, there was actual long lasting effects from what she did, as well as the trauma all those ponies got. The time travel thing might as well not have happened, for all the effect it did.
Plus, with time travel, I treat it the way DBZ does it. You can't destroy a timeline. It will always be there. All that happens is you go to an alternate timeline. (The whole Trunks thing) Twilight would have been perfectly safe if she stayed in her present because nothing would have changed. Only Starlight would have ended up in the alternate timeline.
Do I see a hint of Starlight x Luna here?
8773375
Not at all. There's no shipping in this story whatsoever.
8773383
I know. I just like the interaction between the too, and any other time it would seem like it could develop into something.
Good job.
8773403
I'm glad you liked it.
However, does a princess who cares for the well-being of her subject really suggest they could get together? That kind of logic could apply to any positive interaction, really.
But I digress. I am happy you liked that in particular.
8773406
I know. It's just the way you wrote it. How no other adult pony except her sister have ever been as affectionate to Luna as Starlight, how most ponies don't show the familiarity that Starlight is showing. Plus a few other things. It just makes it seem like so much more.
Like I said, in any other story something like what you wrote could have evolved into much more.
8773439
Oh, I see what you mean. I'm sure you know this already, but when writing that it was how I interpret Starlight and what she would do if in a similar situation. She's not usually comfortable with displaying such blatant physical affection, but she forgot that because she empathizes with Luna. Self-harm is almost completely unheard of in Equestria, after all.
I'm trying to think of any villian I've read about on this site that has made me as uncomfortable as the witches do, and I'm coming up blank. Everything about them is so utterly wrong, and the worst part (and best part from a writing standpoint IMO) is that their grotesque appearances are not even top 5 most terrifying things about them.
8773821
I appreciate your praise! Though I am wondering, what are the five things more horrifying about them than their appearance?
8774132
You know, I had a bunch of reasons when I wrote that, but I suppose they can all be grouped under this. You ever had it happen that every other thing you read about our universe seemed to be ways it could annihilate us at any given moment? They're like one of those things given personification. If it tickled their funny bone they could end the world and nobody could stop it. All it took was one meeting with one of them to crush any thought of being able to fight them in Twilight's mind. And since I have no idea why they do these things for all I know they're actually the good guys in some horribly twisted grand scheme of things way.
8774193
That's the feeling I was going for actually. You're just completely helpless in their presence. And you're right: if it would give them a laugh they would destroy the world. It probably would! However, despite having all the power in Equestria at their grubby fingertips, they do nothing. Why? Their mysteriousness, I feel, is what's most frightening, because you just don't know what their game is.
8773275
This is exactly what many people fail to realize.
8774454
Technically speaking, those timelines already existed. Always have, always will. Starlight was just fulfilling her part in those ones to keep things going the way they were. You can't blame a pony for the existence of something that has always existed. It was meant to happen in those particular timelines. If not Starlight, somepony else would have gotten things rolling. Destiny's a b**ch that way.
8774454 8773439
I agree with the both of you! As you can see in this story, the takeover was so traumatic, on top of someone actually being killed on the streets of their very capitol, that it's almost like a social taboo to talk about it. It was a big deal, and Fizzlepop has that on her conscience for all time.
Starlight deals with the same, although her's is more emotional considering she didn't even know what she was doing. She was lost in anger, and that, in a way, can be worse on the soul. She was like a baby with a gun. However, I don't think dooming Equestria in "several timelines" is canon, and thus not a factor in my portrayal/interpretation of her, since the show itself states that it was a singular timeline whose history was being rewritten over and over again.
Zecora describes it to Twilight as a river being diverged in a different direction repeatedly, not branching off into multiple streams. That is why the Cutie Map remained - because Equestria itself knew that what was going on wasn't meant to be (destiny and all that), and thus it gave Twilight a sort of tether involving that map as a way of hopping through time until she corrected it.
8774532
I believe more that the map allowed it to play out to help Starlight. It already showed it could have taken the scroll at any time. There was no real danger ( Not that Twilight would know the real reason) It was fulfilling it's duty of fixing a friendship problem. It helped establish a friendship between Starlight and the Mane 6.
Remember what Starlight says later. When it comes to the map, it's always about friendship problems. The map used an extreme measure to help Starlight. To finally reach her. Remember how the Mane 6 hadn't remembered what the maps main duty was in the Shadow Play.
8774582
I totally agree. To take it a step further, I think what happened was destined to be, because not only did it want to help Starlight but also teach Twilight what it really means to be the Princess of Friendship, which she had to learn in that moment, without the help of magic
8774607
And to push it even further. I think the reason the map even sent them to the village was to help Starlight, who had the real friendship problem. The rest of the villagers didn't really have the Friendship problem. That was just a happy side effect of getting the ball rolling with Starlight, because helping her would lead to the rest of the ponies happiness anyway.
After all, when Starlight left, they had no problems keeping their friendships.
Which means the map knew that helping Starlight would bring her in as an ally to the Mane 6 eventually. Leading to her helping the Alicorn Sisters. And Equestria in the season 6 finale.
Which means The map is thinking about the long game.
Or maybe I would just like to believe that's how DWX and Hasbro Are Doing it.. Further hinting that there is more to the map than any of the ponies know.
8774629
As you'll see hinted in my story, I believe the map is an extension of Equestria itself. That means it's also tied to cutie marks, which in turn are all tied to destiny.
It was no accident that the Mane Six got their cutie marks at the same time.
Nor was it coincidence that the Tree of Harmony bears Twilight's cutie mark, or that her mark includes five white stars for her friends.
It isn't random that the Elements of Harmony banished Nightmare Moon and banished Discord at one time. It did so on purpose, for when the REAL Elements of Harmony would come forth and bring true Friendship across Equestria.
To summarize an inevitable ramble: everything happens for a reason. This is why Starlight thinks such things in the first chapter, and the philosophy applies to this story as well.
8774643
I just looked back at Starswirl's journal, and I think they might be hinting at something else in the show.
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/8/88/Illustration_of_Pillars%27_artifacts_and_Tree_of_Harmony_sprouting_S7E25.png/revision/latest?cb=20171029153631
See how the gem colored the same color as Twilight's cutie mark is in the trunk, like Twilights was in the show? Plus the other gems representing the other elements are in the branches, like in the show? Except there is a seventh gem, which is also on oNE of the branches......
The color of the gems in the book even correspond to the colors of the gems in the tree and their positions. Here is a pic of the actual tree.
derpicdn.net/img/2017/10/8/1555756/large.png
See how all the colors match and are in the same places on both trees. Except that 7th green gem in the tree in Starswirl's book.
And it's looks like they may have been planning this from the beginning. Look at this picture from when they first got the elements in season 1. There is cleary a 7th element.
mlpforums.com/uploads/post_images/img-3571170-1-eoh_zpscozliikp.png
8774681
There's definitely a seventh Element, and I agree I think it's Empathy. Starlight fits it perfectly - her experiences allows her to connect with outcasts because she understands them. As the show's gone on, particularly in season 7, she knows people enough to know how to get them to understand each other: like in A Royal Problem and To Change a Changeling and Shadow Play.
Part of me doesn't think it's one of THE Elements, but rather an extra that, like the Elements of "friendship" only recently coming to Equestria, it has been "forgotten," and I think Starlight will have a hand in bringing Empathy back to Equestria. Because all of those Elements of Friendship? They're necessary, yes, but with empathy we lack the deeper connections that lead to a strong friendship. Part of the reason why so much conflict happens in Equestria is BECAUSE of a lack of Empathy.
What do I mean by "forgotten"? Well, I think the Elements of Harmony petrified themselves to stone and became useless after Celestia did the unthinkable, and banished her sister. This was clearly destiny, but on a personal level I think the Elements reacted to this in a way of symbolically representing the death of Harmony. That's why the Season 2 premiere is called "The Return of Harmony" - because despite her struggle, Twilight fights for her friendships and proves the essence of what friendship is all about.
Equestria Girls has been quietly painting this picture in its own progression, of the Mane Seven's powers:
Equestria Girls 1 - the Humane Six, thanks to the presence of Twilight's Element, allows them to tap into their pony selves' special bond and "harmonize" for the first time
Rainbow Rocks - The Humane Six develop the ability to tap into this at will when they literally harmonize with each other, through music, as a genuine band (of friends).
Friendship Games - It seems the barrier between the Humane Six and the Mane Six blurs as time goes on, because now they can tap into their pony's "magic" when they embrace the appropriate Element. Sunset does too, when she empathizes with a magic-crazed Sci-Twi and offers her the same chance of redemption Princess Twilight gave to her.
Legend of Everfree - Incorporating the parallel universe theory in a cool way, the Humane Six discovers their magical destiny in a forest called Everfree, and obtains a set of crystals which catalyzes this connection. At this point, the magical connection between the two groups has deepened further because of the tear in the statue's base, leaking magic. Now the Humane Six have "powers" which are all shared traits of their pony selves:
Sci-Twi can levitate, Rainbow is fast, Applejack is strong, Fluttershy can speak to animals, Rarity can conjure diamonds (similar to her gem-finding spell and her overall sense of creativity), Pinkie can make things explode if she throws them (her spontaneity and ability to defy logic), and Sunset can tap into people's memories, which she's used to achieve a better understanding of them. This is clearly meant to represent Empathy, which is obviously connected to Starlight Glimmer.
I've wondered where this universe came from, and why we've not seen a human Sunset OR Starlight.
My theory? I think Starswirl created this parallel universe when he made the mirror. As for the latter, and this may be hard to swallow, but maybe Sunset IS actually from the human world originally, and she's the parallel Starlight. Maybe Celestia saw she was unique from her pony counterpart, or maybe she ran through the mirror at Canterlot High as a little girl, and Celestia raised her.
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And it fits, especially since that Rainbow power thing. A rainbow has 7 colors, and it is odd the elements in Equestria are missing that 7th color to match theat number.
Which is what I think the Crystalis story is leading to. Some big threat brought forward by her that can stand up to six elements. But not with the addition of a seventh. Maybe it backfires on her and Starlight saves her, causing Crystalis to rethink how she she thinks and finally reform, triggering Starlight getting the seventh element so she can finally join her place with the other six and beat the threat.
Maybe the threat Chrysalis mistakenly unleashs is Tirek. Learning from experience, he finds away to counter the six elements. But he doesn't think of the possibility of a seventh added to the mix. A seventh Rainbow power and element.
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I think Starlight is going to reform her because she can empathize with why Chrysalis does what she does, and she'll forgive her when she tries to take revenge on her because Starlight was in the same place.
8774888
Added a little more to what I wrote in my last thing. For how I think it should go down. Crystalis mistakenly releasing Tirek.
Add in Crystalis asking Starlight why she saved her. And Starlight replying that she's been where Crystalis is. Losing everything because of another pony and blindly going after her for revenge, no matter the consequences. But having another pony teach her that there was another way, so wanting to return the favor by giving Crystalis what she herself was given: a second chance and an understanding friend. Cue Chrysalis realization and the triggering of the 7th element appearing to Starlight.
Can I like, steal your writing brain and put it into my own head? Please? It wouldn't hurt a bit. Well...maybe it would but I'd promise to be gentle. All joking aside you really did nail the emotions in this chapter. You manage to describe things in a way that's long-winded and intense without feeling stilted. How...I have no idea but I want it. Again I'm going to stop joking.
Nice use of a turning point, or whatever you'd call it. Giving Starlight a little bit of hope while you absolutely crush Twilight's. This story just took a nasty turn. Now it isn't just about Starlight's recovery, something else is at play here. I'm intrigued to see where this goes. Twilight was maybe a little aggressive with the witch at first but she does blame them for everything that happened. Still, she knows now how much she has to fear them. Considering that one of them just waltzed right into the Castle of Harmony, sat on the Cutie Map of all things and smothered Equestrian magic in the area. They are going to be a force to be reckoned with.
It makes me wonder what they want with all of this. They were perfectly content to sit in Flutter Valley until Starlight came to them. They knew it was going to happen, possibly for centuries or longer. That is a monumentally long time to wait. Especially when time can be torn asunder. Starlight has proven that herself. Now it's just a question of how much they predicted and how much they caused. I'm sure that will be answered soon.
So Fizzle and Starlight really did have a talk, then dreamed about it. Interesting. I'll need to read that chapter again to really find the split between dream and reality but I'm sure I will eventually. Luna has a very interesting characterisation in this chapter. I enjoy the use of her three tenants. It's an archaic way of thinking that suits her to a tee. Did you happen to use the "Mother of Equestria?" thinking because of her slight preference for foals? And Starlight, who has a very foalish mind and outlook at times, or was that just an accident. Either way, I liked it.
The scene between her and Starlight was cute. I enjoyed how Luna used both words and imagery, courtesy of this being a dream, to get her point across. The parallels between Celestia and Luna, then now Twilight and Starlight are interesting. One thing that could maybe have improved this scene would be for Luna to actually show it to Starlight. Then Starlight can draw the parallel herself by thinking back on her fight with Twilight. Just a small suggestion. I liked the scene as it was.
If I have one small suggestion, and again it's just a small suggestion. It might be an idea to cut down on the description of small things like coffee. Not massively, but it would help to provide a nice contrast for whenever the witches show up, or a dream happens. Even if you tone down on it subtly, and only for scenes where you want to make the contrast between dream and reality, or the witches versus what Equestria should be like...beautiful, understandable and even humble. The witches take great pride in their ability to unnerve with just their presence, reflect that in the writing by putting more oomph into their appearance than a cup of coffee. Idk that's my best example and I might be talking nonsense. I've already said you write far better than I so take it with a grain of salt.
This was fun and honestly makes me want to write Starlight and Luna in a small scene now. I'm sure my brain will figure out one in the next five minutes then bombard me with twenty more by morning. Oh well. Good luck with your re-writes and again with Equestria Daily. Your writing is certainly distinct and interesting so keep it up. I'm having a lot of fun with this story and I'm excited to see where it goes. Even if I have to wait a few weeks for progress I'll definitely try and read the updated chapters as they come. Good luck again and as always, have a nice day!
*Cackles* Oh, Twilight, you don't even understand how little you matter. Only in Starlight's twisted calculus. And once she gets her Element, not even then. You will be well and truly replaced, and then it will be clear that you really ought to have died of that disease!
*Cackles*
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Your comments make my day, Eclipse
Honestly you do a great job at doing emotions too. Like I said before, the Starlight's varying grief in the beginning and climax of Motherhood kept me gripped.
If you wanna know how I myself do emotions, it's all in word choice and pacing. I've learned from my pre-reader that telling people how badly a character feels in detail doesn't help anything but bog the pacing and spoil the readers' personal investment. Rely on dialogue and body language to tell the emotions. Take this passage from the chapter:
Saying "Luna wilted" established all you need to know to know how Luna feels in this moment: she pities Starlight, and this carries through her "You aren't a 'problem,' line. Meanwhile, Glimmy does a "deliberate pace to and fro," meaning she's milling about in a short, repetitive back and forth. I didn't need to say, "she muttered under her breath," to further emphasize where her mind clearly is. Even if I'm visualizing Starlight muttering under her breath, it's a pointless extra detail because the reader is already using what I've given them to interpret Starlight's voice here.
Emotion is further conveyed with the last line: Luna swallowed, recalling the dreams she’d seen of the ponies closest to Starlight. Her heart went out to all of them. “Nothing is ruined,” she assured,
Sometimes less is more. Since we know how much Starlight's closest friends care for her, we can only imagine what Luna saw in their dreams. 'Her heart went out to all of them' followed immediately by "Nothing is ruined," emphasized this. Even Luna "assuring" Starlight this can tell us emotion, as she's trying to calm Starlight down when, as we know how her brain works, I'm sure Starlight quickly brushed off her words as an empty platitude.
It's all in your use of language.
*taps fingers together with an evil grin*
All in due time, my friend. I'm happy those who've commented on the witches fear them. It means I've done my job. There's definitely something going on with them, considering they can seemingly do anything yet they do nothing to just completely dominate Equestria.
This is what I mean when I revised last chapter with my pre-reader. One of the things that I changed was making the split clearer - you'll see that much better at the beginning, when you go back. Another scene I majorly changed was when Fizzlepuppet cites that passage from the textbook about a pony's connection to Equestria (I turned three paragraphs into five pages on gdocs lol)
When writing that, I had it in my brain that the Two Sisters are seen as the "Mothers of Equestria," since they protect and guide their subjects, and share a relationship with them far more personable than a traditional monarch.
To elaborate: from Game of Thrones, Robb Stark once said, "Being lord is like being the father of thousands of children, and you worry about them every night." That's how I see the relationship.
However, if the other way is how you interpret it, the same meaning essentially applies but it goes even deeper in a way I didn't see at first! Luna has a protectiveness of foals, it's where her heart shines brightest since they, in a one on one meeting, is when I imagine she's most comfortable. Her maternal instincts shines brightly when young ones are involved, especially with the time she accidentally ruined the field trip.
She displays a level of comfort with Starlight that's largely unheard of with her, because, like Tempest, Luna can just relate to Starlight, and she knows it's a mutual feeling. Starlight's foal-like state of mind adds to her approachability. You see it here in how Luna reacts to Starlight's behavior and mannerisms, she feels comfortable enough to attempt showing Celestia-levels of affection, like mane brushing and wing-hugs.
You're right, Luna should have done this. If she did this, then her words could have had an even bigger impact on Starlight (since she's actually seeing it with her own eyes, which is not only more effective for the average person than just being told, but especially for Starlight, who usually misses the point until it's right in her face).
Unfortunately, Luna broke her first tenant by not doing this. She's still too ashamed to relive the memory, much less actually see it again. She didn't want to cry in front of Starlight, and she was more intent on delivering her "point." Luna didn't even allow herself to consider showing this memory, that's how personal it was for her.
I'd like to heed your advice but I'm not sure where exactly it implies. I didn't exactly describe the coffee extensively, but my point with that was to show where Twilight's mind was in that moment. She didn't even realize she ran out.
Well, I'm glad that I'm making someone's day with them. They take a lot of effort. Hehehe
Huh. I'll take some of that onboard. Thanks. And yeah you said that already but I started reading back on the earlier chapters of SoM and I swear my eyes wanted to up and run away. They were so... bleh. I write so much better in the later ones, like Starlight's big breakdown. That was fun. Hehehe, I'm fixing it though.
Less is more is an interesting one because you want to find the balance. Sometimes it's okay to use one word and sometimes you really wanna hammer things home. You strike that balance pretty well in my opinion.
I'm not sure I fear them more than I want to smack them on the head with their own spindly limbs. Then again, I am crackers. They interest me though. I want to see what they'll do and why they're doing it. They sorta remind me of Queen Glimmer in some ways, from One Final Future but they're so much more imposing. I like what you've done with them.
Isn't it funny how you can approach stories in different ways? The author can have one way or even a couple, and the readers can have over a thousand. I dunno why but it just instantly clicked for me that Lulu likes to mentor foals. Not in any sort of weird way but she just connects with children. In a weird way, I've made Starlight do the same thing. I just see her as finding foals easier to talk to because they are so blunt and resilient. Especially the CMC. She doesn't have to worry about offending them as much as she does the others because the eyes of foals are much more in tune with intent rather than what you say. The way I put it to someone else was that they can connect with the one little part of her that no one else can, the part that didn't actually manage to grow up.
Luna may favour foals for the same reason, resilience, lack of judgement etc, Or she enjoys interacting with foals because they probably haven't changed much. Adults have all these annoying taboos and classes that have evolved in her 1000 year absence. Foals might play the same or similar games, have the same or similar dreams etc. And I'm rambling now. Oops. In a nutshell, GO LUNA!
Blech, I wrote that part when I was absolutely exhausted. I'd been editing all day and then your chapter popped up. Sorry. The coffee scene was fine. That was honestly something I would write. I think I just started adding words in my exhausted state...or I probably read the same line 4 times and jumbled everything around so that it sounded different and longer than it was. Sorry.
8771214
Behaviourist psychologists may disagree
The question was "are there observable correlates of being stuck in mindset other then messing up?"
I honestly don't know about the empathy part: she is definitely biased towards outcast-like guys, but at the same time she didn't realize that her friends wouldn't like being mind-controlled, or that ponies in her town are, lets say, in sub-optimal condition.
It's a valid conclusion from her observations (exactly the behaviour to expect from guys who don't care) that's preferable by Occam's Razor unless she has additional evidence about situations where someone behaves like this and cares, which she most likely hadn't (she had no other friends and her parents probably didn't care).
You can explain her blasting Twilight's head off in a dark alley like this. Her actual plan looks too complicated and strangely optimized to be explained away just by anger and ad hoc stupidity.
8780969
My point is there are, but I didn't explain it well enough.
When Starlight has a personal, emotional stake in something, that's when her judgement is diluted and she doesn't think straight. When she gets an idea in her head, she runs with it and doesn't look back until the aftermath, where she feels terrible upon reflection.
Her brainwashing her friends was one of those instances, where Starlight relapsed. She was so afraid of disappointing Twilight, and internally she was definitely afraid that failure would damage her new friendships, that in her mind Starlight felt it was alright to use magic on them. And it wasn't just, "Oh hey, this is hard. Better use magic!" That isn't how her brain works. At first she was willing to tackle them all at once on the first impression that it would impress Twilight. Meanwhile, she hasn't even stopped to consider why the friendship lessons intimidate her outside beyond the gut reaction of "they freak me out." The situation worsens when Starlight, who at first thought she had this all under control, quickly lost control with the mane six contradicting her original plan. This, in of itself, along with everypony piling on her, freaked Starligh out enough to need a moment alone. Listen to her dialogue when she's making the spell: she doesn't stop to consider what she's doing, she keeps piling on spell after spell with logic like, "Oh they won't even notice that one" and "Everypony wins!"
Even when she saw what she did to them, Starlight was still in the mindset that this was alright because she was mentally focused on the benefits (i.e. "Everypony wins!") Dude, I love Starlight, but that's because she is messed up in a well written way. You can understand why she is like this, because her same mindset issue was what made her into a dictator (i.e. she thinks she's benefiting others when in reality she is benefiting herself, and she can't tell the difference between the two when she's caught in such a mindset).
She was so focused on giving ponies 'real' friendship because she believed that cutie marks meant they would never have that. She ended up brainwashing them as well as herself into believing this philosophy until Twilight pointed out the obvious, wherein after Starlight felt horrible over that for an entire season.
Yes, it isn't only when Starlight has a lapse in judgement, but her "mindset" issue goes hand in hand with guilt. Throughout season 6, Starlight is consumed by guilt for what she's done, even if she doesn't need to be. Except she doesn't think about it that way, because like I said it isn't how her brain works. Although her Our Town friends have forgiven her, we can tell she still feels terrible in episodes like The Crystalling and No Second Prances. In the latter, Starlight still hasn't connected with anypony; because her magic is "the one thing she's good at," she relies on it to make a good first impression - even with Big Mac, in her mind she's helping him talk more when deep down, she's just that desperate to make a friend. Her outburst in the center later makes Starlight feel like she's the problem, and this leads her to thinking that everypony secretly knows about her past and is judging her for it - even though no one but the mane six and Spike are aware of it.
In The Crystalling, Starlight's outburst to Sunburst ("You feel so horrible for what you did that you can't make any friends!") tells us that she feels so terrible about her misguided worldview, it's stopped Starlight from wanting to approach other ponies. While I don't know how she exactly feels in this moment, I can relate to Starlight in feeling like you shouldn't bring yourself upon others, even though that is completely illogical since these people don't even know you.
On top of that, Starlight says things like, "I still can't believe you're letting me stay here," and, "Yeah, weird right?" in response to Sunburst clarifying Twilight's purpose in reuniting them. The latter heavily implies that Starlight, despite wanting nothing more than to actually reconnect with her first friend, feels awkward about the whole thing and is trying to make light of it by calling it "weird," even though Sunburst is merely perplexed by this. The former is Starlight still feeling as if she is intruding on Twilight's hospitality and friendship in the face of everything she's done.
These may seem like minute details, but the all come together to paint a clear picture of how Starlight feels about things. She is truly her own worst enemy. The same thing is happening in this story - deep down, Starlight is destroyed over the fact that she's lost her horn, but she doesn't even dwell on the emptiness she feels because that would mean acknowledging that she feels even a modicum of regret, which in turn means she regrets saving Twilight, and in her mind that's unbelievably selfish. Thus why she's assuring everypony that it's fine, even herself.
If you want more current examples of this behavior, A Royal Problem and Shadow Play shows these aspects of her character. Starlight knew exactly what needed to be done in order to get Celestia and Luna to empathize with each other's struggles (walking a day in each other's shoes). Remember that at first, Starlight was calm and confident that the mission would be fine on the belief that the princesses are ponies just like her. But because Twilight piled more onto her fears, Starlight deteriorated until she was dreaming the worst possible scenario (as she does in reality,) and she's sobbing in her own little bubble saying things like, "I'll never trust my gut again!"
And in Shadow Play, Starlight accuses Twilight of possibly banishing her had Starswirl been around when she was a villain. Now, we know Twilight. We know she's a kind and understanding pony, and we know she offered redemption because she understood Starlight was a misguided soul who needed help. Same thing happened with Stygian - once she saw the monstrous veil pulled back, Twilight saw he was a pony who needed help and just dove in to save him, not even thinking about the original plan.
Honestly, Starlight's accusation pains me to think about it! Because Twilight has always cared about her, and would have never considered such a thing even if Starswirl was telling her to. Starlight knows Twilight well enough to know this, but she's caught in the emotion of it all. How she's seeing Twilight handle the Pony of Shadows hurts because she feels like his story mirrors her's.
It's easy to call Starlight's revenge plan stupid because as viewers we have the knowledge that the fate of Equestria really DOES hang in the friendship of the Mane six. But we hear it for ourselves, that just sounds ridiculous to her. I feel like you're taking her being lost in anger too literally. Starlight isn't exactly blind with rage that she's lashing out. She's just so angry she is shifting all of the blame for it on Twilight, since she is the "reason" why her life was destroyed.
The same exact thing is happening to Chrysalis. Like Starlight, she lost her people to a sappy purple pony, but she had only herself to blame. Instead of accepting said pony's forgiveness, she's blaming her and is now plotting revenge.
It's eerie how similar their stories are.
8781002
Another way to say this would be "Twilight can only empathize with other ponies, and other peoples can go hang." See also The Times They Are A-Changeling, Party Pooped, and Gauntlet of Fire.
We as viewers know no such thing.
8782685
Way to completely take several instances from the show out of context
Twilight's had no contact with Changelings outside of the wedding. Could you really blame her?
The yaks weren't in need of help.
The dragons weren't in need of help.
Yes we do. Watch the episode again. Watch the season 4 premiere. You may not like it but destiny is clearly a thing in this universe.
I shall give this a read when I get the chance.
8781002
That claim is kinda having the same problem as "mindset". There is a very finite and limited set of ways to "think straight", but infinite set of ways of "not thinking straight": to say something like this is as unspecific as to say "she does something". "She did X because she doesn't think straight" doesn't carry additional useful information about the world, it's purely a tool of political argument, like "that guy is an idiot (not thinking straight), don't listen to him, listen to me".
Although from your set of examples I may have a good guess about what do you mean under "mindset" label: Starlight may think that, unless she shows top notch performance on all scales and is the most useful individual around, no one would like her (and, as a consequence, she sees every guy who does something better then her as a threat of replacing her). That indeed generates really a lot of observations:
A few small remarks:
She has actual misdoings to feel guilty about, not worldview.
I don't think that there is any deep meaning in these phrases. She has legitimate reasons to be surprised that she's staying there, not on the Moon or in wooden box below ground level, and she's just expressing gratitude. And becoming friends on command is actually weird and she's filling up silence in awkward conversation.
You've kinda given her good reasons to do so: Twilight has greater chance of getting funny ideas otherwise.
That is not enough and is not the main point: kindness should not be, well, kind to everyone. Starlight was insanely dangerous, but also potentially insanely useful as an ally, and, after she gave probably the best signals of good intentions she could, Twilight kinda had some reasons to maybe take the risk, but it is far from sure thing (that's the reason I like "Cutie Remark" very much: it's very nice and optimistic in best FiM tradition, but at the same time character's actions make surprisingly lot of sense for FiM season finale). The right answer to misguided soul who is dangerous like that but is not useful is "avada kedavra" and "I'm so sorry" (in exactly that order for safety). Which leads us to a funny "Shadow Play" failing: Stygian is not very useful, so they have to make Pony of Shadows not very dangerous. And not dangerous villain in villain fighting episode...
That was exactly the point of the piece you cited (which was part of argumentation for Starlight not wanting her town back even in a bit modified form).
They kinda are, sans Chrysalis being actually good leader for changelings and her not having any psychological issues that woudn't allow her to just kill everyone.
8782732
Yes, very easily. It is no great feat of abstract thinking to separate a people from its military, and especially from its warlord.
But they were in need of understanding, of someone who would listen to them. They didn't find that in Twilight.
Spike was, in the very first moments of the episode. Twilight's response? "Oh, that's super-interesting, and not at all concerning to me as your caretaker or friend!"
I've watched both, several times. I've also watched To Where and Back Again.
8783151
I think you're taking what I mean by "mindset" by its literal, real-world definition. "Mindset" is just the phrase I've used to describe Starlight when she's not thinking clearly and she's "missing the point," as Spike calls it in Every Little Thing She Does. Starlight misses the point all the time - she missed the point about friendship because of what happened to her; she missed the point about the Friendship Lessons; she missed the point of her "friends'" betrayal; she missed the point of why she herself swapped the princesses' cutie marks, and other little things. These have all occurred because Starlight, to some extent, was overwhelmed with the idea of something she feared coming to pass. It affected her judgement because she just doesn't let herself take a step back. She just dives right in.
Sort of and absolutely not
This mindset only applies to 'Every Little Thing She Does.'
For the "sort of:" Starlight doesn't stroke herself off over her abilities; she's the last pony to do that considering her beliefs that one's talents doesn't make them superior to anypony else. In the previously mentioned episode, Starlight takes pride no in her magic, but making Twilight proud. You're right in that she piles pressure on herself with believing she has to be perfect. But it isn't because she's afraid of someone replacing her. Plain and simple, Starlight is afraid of making her friends disappointed in her. Deep down she feels that if she does, then they wouldn't like her.
It's ridiculous, but that's what happens when Starlight is "caught in a mindset." Even weeks and weeks later she remains in the mindset that she's walking on thin ice around the ponies who've forgiven her, and she has to prove herself to be worthy of them. Of course we know they've forgiven her and now trust her and see her as a friend, but as we know, Starlight doesn't feel that way because she still hasn't forgiven herself.
I like your observations, but some are misunderstandings about Starlight's personality and motivations.
I assume you're talking about Our Town. Starlight only kept her cutie mark so she could do the removal spell. She didn't flaunt her talent though, she still adhered to her philosophy.
Starlight wasn't afraid of being shown up by Twilight. That's just not where her mind was. She was furious at being exposed and at everypony "misunderstanding" her. Twilight being good at magic was just her bafflement, since we know Starlight's been cut off from society for years and thus doesn't know anypony who could be as talented as her in magic. It's a very uncommon skillset.
Twilight wasn't unimpressed, and Starlight wasn't later pleased. Honestly I don't know where you got either of these impressions. Twilight did find her perspective "ridiculous," but that doesn't mean she didn't empathize with Starlight. It was this moment where she realized that Starlight was just a hurt filly who desperately needed a friend.
When did this happen in the show? Specifically the "flipping out" part.
Just saying the "weird labor" wasn't meant to be labor. It was a bonding exercise with friends. That was the point of the Friendship Lessons, which Starlight really missed the point of.
I meant that Starlight feels guilty because of what her misguided worldview caused.
Isn't that basically what I'd said?
It wasn't becoming friends on command, but just reconnecting. And Starlight's hangup throughout this subplot was feeling like Sunburst would want nothing to do with her. 'tis making light of it by calling it weird, among other remarks throughout their interactions that seem like lighthearted self-jabs, but hint at how she really feels. Starlight does the same thing when referencing her past - she does so in a jokey manner so as to alleviate internal tension.
That was only when Twilight told her she was going to meet the witches herself. Outside of that her mind has been where I said it's been.
I'll be honest, this viewpoint saddens me You, and so many others, project this coldly logical and mean-spirited "mature" lens over what seems like foolish sentimentality on Twilight's decision.
You are free to see it how you want, but Twilight isn't the kind of pony to think that. She wasn't thinking, "Well Starlight's dangerous I should kill her but she's talented, I should try reforming her instead." That's, in essence, how Celestia approached reforming Discord when Fluttershy herself demonstrated to Twilight that that isn't the right mindset to approach someone. They're people. They have wants and needs like them, even Chaos Incarnate.
Twilight handled Starlight the same way. She didn't give a damn about how useful she could be; she saw a pony who was misguided and scarred by an event from her foalhood. She wanted to help Starlight, because that's just who she is.
8782732
Seriously, it’s not worth acknowledging anything that guy says. He’s basically a moron who thinks he’s right about everything and can’t be convinced otherwise.
8784406
Yeah, didn't respond to the nonsense in his next reply. No reason to
8784519
Exactly.
8783309
Twilight's actions were foolish and sentimental. That doesn't make them wrong; it means that here, as in so much else, she lucked into doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.
The purposes of punishment are supposed to be, in no particular order, deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, retribution, and restitution.
Given that the timeline was ultimately put right and even if the other timelines continued to exist (which is doubtful) there would be no practical way to reach and help them, the only people to whom Starlight would need to make restitution are her villagers (for obvious reasons) and Twilight herself (for the stalking). Starlight had already returned her villagers' cutie marks and left them all the material stuff in Our Town that she had abandoned, and Twilight never demanded restitution for being stalked.
Neither do either Twilight, Spike, nor the Our Townsfolk seem to demand retribution, so there is no point in the state harming her for the sake of preempting their later revenge-seeking. No one else knows of any harm they suffered in the altered timelines, and so can't seem revenge for it.
Incapacitation (mishun's paramount purpose) would amount to either the death penalty, banishing Starlight, or breaking or inhibiting her magic. I highly doubt the death penalty ever entered Twilight's mind - even at her most fanciful and paranoid (Bird in the Hoof, Lesson Zero), she never imagined that Celestia would kill her. Equestria probably doesn't have the death penalty, for very good reasons. Banishment amounts to making other countries deal with her and is a coward's choice, and Twilight has lost her own magic enough times to never wish that helplessness and loss on anyone.
Starlight is impossible to deter. Place an obstacle in front of her and she will not only take it as a challenge, but bull through it in short order.
As for reformation, Starlight had already repented of her actions with little prompting and of her own free will. No more needs to be done other than the offer of absolution.
By process of elimination, we arrive precisely at Twilight's chosen course of action. There is, of course, nothing to say that Twilight actually thought about any of this (if you want to be generous you could fit in such a thought process in between Twilight and Starlight ending the time spell and Twilight gathering her friends to announce her plan for Starlight, but this would still be a post hoc rationalization of her actions on her part). The writers just found it convenient to put her in her "foolishly sentimental" mode for that moment rather than her "myopic and judgmental" mode that she's usually in for comedy's sake. It's jarring, but what can you do? Characterize consistently? Or heaven forbid, characterize a character in a position to judge others with a modicum of wisdom or the barest sense of equity? Bah.
8785230
Great writeup. I agree with everything you said - especially about, while not the thought process, the natural reasons as to why absolution was Starlight's naturally obvious path.
However, I completely disagree with one thing: that Twilight was being foolishly sentimental. I could ramble on and on, but to make a point simple...
This is what Starlight didn't need. Twilight saw that beyond her perspective, Starlight just needed to be taught real friendship. She didn't exactly have bad habits that needed reform (in regards to her worldview, which was the problem at hand). Twilight knew this, she wasn't being stupid. She knows from experience (Discord) that forgiveness, when anyone else would decide to be judge and jury, was more effective and beneficial to the criminal. She understands the magic of friendship, the power it can have; Twilight didn't "luck out," because Starlight Glimmer made it very clear that she just needed a friend and a second chance, and Twilight was more than happy to fulfill both.
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You've used it before as something that explains her behaviour, not as descriptive notion.
She most certainly doesn't do it all the time (I'm quite sure she doesn't miss the point when going number one), or even most of the time. She does it under very specific circumstances that are to be uncovered from mysterious "all the time".
Unlike for revenge plan derivations, I wouldn't say that it is true "beyond reasonable doubt", but it removes the need for quite a bit of ad hoc explanations.
She was investing insane amount of effort into perfecting her magic before meeting Twilight.
"They not liking her" manifests in reality as "they spending less time with her", and (as a direct consequence of total time being constant) spending more time with someone else. That's exactly "replacing her".
Yes, "Our Town". Actions > philosophy: people (and ponies) don't usually act on philosophy, they come up with actions using another process, and then think up philosophy to explain why these actions were awesome, or to influence others in preferable direction. Starlight was clearly a leader in her village, although, to be fair, she didn't instated herself as their infallible guru explicitly, so her cult was on low side of cultishness by our Earth standards: ponies had no problem to openly question her.
Twilight says that "it's ridiculous" -> Starlight immediately starts her slow scroll ripping show -> Twilight says that her friendship was important too -> Starlight immediately stops.
Vietnam flashback!
You were using it as an evidence for global hypotheses about Starlight's character. It's follows well enough from local situation.
That "not" was a mistype Kindness should be kind to everyone.
Why is it mean-spirited? Isn't making bad gambles with multiple lives at stake actually mean-spirited?
Suppose there is one existentially dangerous pony X out of 1000000 ponies in Equestria, and Twilight has 2 options:
You may notice that for second option to be preferable p should be no more than one millionth --- that's bucking low (I know that number of saved lives is bad utility function in general, but for this limited toy example it looks ok).
I will not argue with "sad" part --- situations where the best thing you can do is to kill someone who could be your friend under different circumstances are sad. We should steer the future towards regions where such situations are rare.
These words weren't present in Twilight's internal monologue, obviously. Brains are not too bad at picking up things like that "automatically", though (and that was my consideration for Pony of Shadow --- if writers made him dangerous it would cause big negative reaction from audience because people have intuitive grasp for such concepts). See chapter 2 from here for example.
These are not mutually exclusive things
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Are there any chances you could point me to the source? I remember reading something very similar long time ago, and I can not remember where exactly
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Pick up a criminal law textbook. It should only run you about $200 used
Finally able to read this chapter.
Really loved the conversation with Starlight and Luna. Especially when Luna revealed how the Tantabus incident affected Celestia. While I liked the episode I definitely felt Celestia should of have been involved in some way.
Well dang except to give Twilight a warning was the only reason the witch showed up to show Twilight how hopeless it was to get Starlight's horn back?
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Yeah, the pacing really flies now.
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Watching Twilight's spirit crumble is its own reward.
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You're absolutely right. Keep that detail in mind!
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thumbs.gfycat.com/OblongOffensiveGull-max-1mb.gif
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I mean, it's pretty clear that to the Ladies (and of all the cosmic schemers they are the most likely to be right), every event in the universe is only important to the extent that it contributes to delivering Starlight to Flutter Valley. This has the nice side-benefit of confirming that Starlight is the lynchpin around which the world turns. How's that for an ego boost? It turns out Twilight and her friends, whose importance so offended you in The Cutie Re-Mark, were only a means to your end.
(This is the implication behind the discussion up thread about the Map's machinations as well.)
Why did you make chapters twelve and thirteen so long?
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Because a lot happens in them. You can bookmark the chapters if they're too much in one sitting!