Compatī

by Corejo

Prologue - The Journal

Compatī (Cohm - pah - tee)

cum + pati, latin.

“To suffer with.” It is the origin of the word “compassion.” Beyond sympathy—beyond empathy—it isn’t to simply walk a mile in another’s shoes, but to walk that mile side by side with them, to feel alongside another person both the good and the bad, the joys and hurts of life and what comes with it. And I think that’s beautiful.

~Corejo

’Twas a fine Sunday evening that I found myself resting upon a velvet cushion in the back nook of Ponyville Library.

Twilight Sparkle had invited me over to discuss stellar radiation, and of course I could not say no to one so enthusiastic about her most recent academic fixation. Rare were the moments I had time to chat with Sister’s star pupil when Equestria was not in peril, and rarer still did I have the opportunity to, as they say these days, “talk shop” with somepony other than Sister.

I found her innocence and perspective on the world a welcome break from the norm, even if it meant entertaining her… eccentricities. Which, naturally, meant watching her sidetrack herself with her overbearing need for cordiality.

Regardless, with a little smile on my face, I folded my hooves, took a sip of coffee, and continued watching Twilight fret over her assortment of astronomy literature.

“Or maybe you’d rather read Grazewing’s Guide to Gargantuan Galaxies.” Twilight hefted a book levitating beside her. She gasped. “Oh, where did I put Star Gazer’s Anthology of Astral Anomalies?”

She raced for the next aisle from my little corner nook, where an avalanche of books sounded from around the bend. “Ow…” came Twilight’s voice.

She returned with the aforementioned book, plus one open-faced atop her head. ’Twas unapparent if she knew it was there; however, she wore a winning smile as she placed Astral Anomalies on my lap.

I closed my eyes and smiled. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle, but I believe this is sufficient reading material to choose from.”

We both looked at the stacks of books surrounding me. It could well have passed for a fortress had she kept at it. Was this how Sister felt all these years teaching this mare?

Twilight flitted her wings and lowered her head. “Eh, heh… Right.”

“Truth be told, Twilight, my reading interests are not solely focused on the night sky. I entertain myself with a myriad of studies.”

I pulled the least astronomical-looking book from the pile. Modern Linguistics for the Absolute Beginner. I shifted my head back to double-check the title before raising a brow at Twilight.

She stepped back and gave me that sheepish chuckle of hers. “I-I’m just gonna go, uh, sort some of these books.” She lifted half the surrounding stacks and took off down the nearest aisle.

I chuckled. ’Twill be a sad day indeed when young Twilight loses that innocent charm of hers. I set Linguistics aside and glanced over the remaining pile, where a brown-and-gold spine stood out from the brighter blues and greens. Curiosity bid that I take it, and I was greeted by a strangely familiar red-and-yellow sun emblazoned on the cover. ’Twas heavy. I could already feel the weight of knowledge it carried within. I opened it, and to my surprise it was not a textbook.

Dear Princess Twilight,—

I shut it. ’Twas a letter book—a diary of sorts. I glanced back the way Twilight had fled. No. I would not invade her privacy. Setting it aside, I perused my remaining options. Not a moment later, however, it glowed and began vibrating. I started to my haunches and fanned out my wings, ere leaning in for a closer look.

“What a strange enchantment,” I said, hefting it in my magic.

“Oh, hey,” Twilight said, returning from the nearby aisle, eyes on the book. “Sunset Shimmer’s writing to me.”

Sunset Shimmer? I almost dropped the book. A shudder ran down my spine as a deluge of memories best left forgotten spilled out from the darker crevices of my mind.

That sun on the cover. ’Twas her cutie mark. I… I felt myself shaking, and it was all I could do gently lay the book down before Twilight noticed.

She snatched it up and leafed to the middle, where she diligently scanned line after line. The silence of the library crept back in, to the point that I pitched my ears forward.

“Is something the matter?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh, no. There’s just this thing called a ‘movie’ she saw, which is sort of like a pre-recorded play, and she needs to gush about it.” She smiled, and a little blush rose to her cheeks. “Apparently, one of the lead roles is really cute.”

“I… is that all?”

“Mmm, looks like it. But she did also say to tell all my friends ‘hi’ and that she hopes they’re doing well. So, you know, Sunset Shimmer says ‘hi.’” She giggled.

I laid myself down and refolded my forehooves. Sunset Shimmer says “hi.” I did not know how to take such news, but I knew in my heart that she would not address me in such a manner. She may well not address me at all. Or rather, I feared in what ways she would address me.

“That is… wonderful to hear,” I said.

“Princess Luna?” Twilight stared at me with that same concern Sister oft did when she caught me ruminating. “Is everything okay?”

I felt the pout form on my lips before I could stop myself, and the shame that came with it bid that I look away. “No, but it is my concern, and I wish for it to remain as such.”

“Are you sure?” She creased her brow.

I felt her heart reach out to mine. As Steward of the Dreamscape, I could see and feel the dreams of our little ponies whenever their souls melded with mine in sweetest slumber. Though Twilight was not asleep, her daydreams and their accompanying emotions fell within that domain, albeit faintly. When I blinked, I saw darkness—myself lying alone in a derelict Castle Everfree.

“There are many duties I must see to myself.” I considered her unfaltering gaze. The tether that bound her subconscious to my soul pulled taut. “If I require your assistance, I will be sure to ask.”

That seemed to mollify her. She looked aside, then smiled tentatively at me. “I’m here to help, Princess. Whatever it is. We all are.”

“Thank you, Twilight.” I stood and strapped on my saddlebags. “For now, it is getting late, and I must see to the dreams of our little ponies.”

She raised a hoof, hesitant on letting me leave so suddenly. However, she lowered it and nodded.

“Goodnight, Princess.”

“Goodnight, Twilight.” I felt her gaze on the back of my head as I reached the library door, and a dozen scenarios thrummed on her tether in a symphony of nightmares. Thankfully, I left that suffocating room unmolested.

An evening sun kissed the far horizon in a watercolor spray of yellows, pinks, and oranges. ’Twas early autumn, and a light breeze sent the fallen leaves skittering along the ground like foals scampering home after an evening’s play. The Nightmare Night season lay just around the corner, and its festive spirit inveigled me to smile, as fleeting a gesture as it may be.

Though I always tried separating the symbolism and metaphor of the Dreamscape from my interpretations of the waking world, the coincidence of finding that book on the eve of a new moon brought a chill to my withers.

Forever had the moon followed its cycle through the night sky, and with my return the new moon became my symbol to the ponies of Equestria that I was reborn, that I was no longer that being of nightmares. To continue that cycle was to relinquish my rightful place in the sky for a night. ’Twas my humility, my promise, my repentance.

But with that reminder came the subtle nature of the dark, the dangers the ponies of this age did not know thanks to Sister’s wise rule: where the full moon was synonymous with insanity and revelry, a new moon heralded chaos, the occult, and worse.

The Dreamscape called to me, and so did my past demons. Fate deemed it necessary I pay Sunset Shimmer a visit. I knew not what the future held in store, but I knew a long and winding road lay ahead.

For myself, and for her.

Author's Note:

Onward and Upward!

Comments

[Ice Star]

Very lovely prose here. I await more!

[diablo4000]

I love this story and hope this one far longer then the orginal. I' hoping for a bitter sweet ending , but let's see what happens.

[ssokolow]

OK, this feels more relevant to the synopsis, but, if anything, the time-skip between chapters 1 and 2 steals away the sense of "This must be relevant, because we're starting on it" that chapter 1 got as a freebie.

Also, the way it's composed makes this feel more like a prologue than a numbered chapter. (Primarily the combination of it being a single scene, seeming to go by more quickly than its word count would indicate, and the note you end it on, which occupies that "relevant, yet distanced from the driving conflict" balance point that prologues tend to end on.)

[Orrm]

.... I apologize but

I CANT UNDERSTAND JACKSHIT

[Corejo]

9580852
Uh, what?

[ZanarNaryon]

Oh you have my attention! I have not read the original story so I have no idea whats going on but im very curious aobut it, especially about how Sunset and Luna would know each other since Luna wouldve been on the moon for most of Sunset's life. Tbh sunset and luna is an interesting dynamic to explore in general, im invested