Brief Glimpses - An Anthology

by Ezn

Love and Duty

Love and Duty

A dark shadow in the doorway interrupted Rosemary's reading, and she glanced up to see a tall, cloaked figure standing just outside the door to her one-room schoolhouse. Gracing the pony with a smile, she put away her book and eased her hindlegs off her desk and onto the floor.

"Hello, my dear," she said sweetly. "Do you want something?"

The pony wore a hood, making it impossible to see her face, but a faint blue glow was visible through its fabric. Rosemary's old mind slowly worked through the unicorns with blue-coloured magic she'd had in her classes over the years.

"Only advice," said the unicorn, speaking in gruff, obviously magically-altered voice. "I was one of your students, Miss Rosemary, when I was younger. In the bad old days."

Rosemary laughed sweetly. "I imagined you were, dear," she said. "Nopony in my current class is quite as tall as you, and I don't think their parents would let them roam around this late at night. Now, what do you want my advice on? Would you like to take a seat? These chairs might be a bit small, but I can give you mine."

"No," the unicorn replied bluntly. "This will not take long. I just need you to help me decide something. I am... confused, and I need a guiding light – some principle to steer by."

Rosemary's old face creased into a smile. "An old earth pony like me can't be any good with guiding lights, but I think I can give you some principles."

The unicorn's hood shifted slightly, as if she was nodding. "Miss Rosemary, I need to know whether love is more important than duty. Does it matter more that I am loved than it does that I do what is required of me?"

"Well, young lady, I should think anypony worth her cutie mark would know the answer to that one. I don't know what your situation is like – a star-crossed love affair with some dashing stallion, I'm going to imagine – but love is always more important than duty, if you want to truly be happy in life. There will always be somepony else to do duties, but only you can ensure that you receive that love which is your birthright as a pony, a child of the celestial spheres."

The unicorn was silent for a moment, pondering this.

"Dear?" Rosemary asked, after an extended pause.

"Thank you, Miss Rosemary. I now know what I am going to do."

Rosemary smiled, her old eyes scrunching up. She barely had time to wave goodbye to the unicorn as she turned tail and galloped out into the night. She was glad to help somepony in need.

***

The next morning, Rosemary awoke to darkness.

Author's Note:

Originally written for Thirty Minute Pony Stories Prompt #80 ("Back in Session")

Comments

[PYROontheAIR]

Spooky. Was the pony the grim reaper?

[Nordlichter]

Ooooh, Luna... dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Cheerilee.png

[PresentPerfect]

Wow. I am really impressed by this.

[Protopony350]

That was absolutely WONDERFUL!

[Titanium Dragon]

1117420
It was Luna.