Twilight Sparkle had always regarded immortality as both a blessing and a curse. It was like chains of gold, gilded shackles. Seemingly enticing, but in reality, a grasp of which you cannot break free. Twilight missed her children. She missed her husband.
She missed her friends.
There were pictures of them, of course, countless photos and historical paintings and memorials and glass windows. A picture can speak a thousand words, but a memory priceless. She cherished their memories.
Sometimes she felt often like a star in the night sky. A soft, glowing glimmer of fiery aura burning valiantly against the unknown abyss above, a constant guiding light, leading her people through the darkness.
Bright, and lonely, in the way that only things that lived forever were.
The short description should be "a blessing and a curse."
Other than that, poor Soarin, and especially poor Twi. Beren died, but Luthien lived, and knew that she would see all her children by Beren died as well, along with all her friends among Men. This world is not made for immortality; we are meant to arrive, play our part, and then leave the stage, not linger on even after the final curtain should have fallen. Mortals simply aren't prepared for immortality, mentally speaking; we're not physically equipped to think about living forever, anymore than a fish is equipped to think about working as an accountant. Here's hoping that Twilight manages to learn that, and manages to square her account with love before too long.
Stop I'm crying so hard! I had to take a break in between because I couldn't see my screen.
Amazing feels... so many feels.
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Ahh, thanks for catching that error! It's fixed now!
Yes, the concept of immortality has always intruiged me. If everyone on earth was immortal, nothing would be achieved, as there would be no motivation or pressure to do so. It goes against the cycle of life.
I want to explore how Twilight deals with losing those dearest to her, and how she learns to move on and look at the bigger picture. Thanks for taking an interest in my work!!
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Aww thank you, you're always so supportive of my writing
I want preface this by saying this is all my opinion. So...salt and plenty of it? Maybe i am wrong? Who knows?
Considering this deals with immortality and its..nuances then being a treaty on how great...or horrible It is...
I would offer some thoughts that you may find interesting? Who knows? Just questions that fall into my mind as write my novels?
1. Would Twilight question Celestia on her choice? Question (oh my...not Twilight?) Weither it should have been her...or could have their been someone else....0someone better? hmm?
2. This I am putting in my story (well all of them...subtly really, some...not.) Have memory of Twilight being asked by her children why they have to die? You know?
The follow is a rant...feel free to skip...
Why is that when people write storys like these...not yours mind? They never write that the children (people with wants a desires of their own...oh my!) ask that pivottal question? Why not them? Why not everyone literally? Why...you. See Equastria has "Destiny and..." then these same kids could ask? If destiny exists, why do anything if say...Luna could almost conquer world (imagination and for arguements sake. So bare with me) and they innocent kids? Don't got it? Perhaps say...on another note? Fluttershy is just to kind? Essentially their is not enough bitter sweet conversations and reactions? Like where is the mom? Giving her immortality to her kids? Or Celestia instead "guiding" people herself? She spreads her immortality out across the world. (Magic).
Sure you might say...no one would handle that well...but, then they got along before with out her guidance (on small community level)? Maybe learn and grow beyond needing a demigod to shepard you and your kids kids...forever and forever? Maybe...for ounce...grow up and stand together? Truly?
End Rant.
3. Explore martyrdom found in the lone or group of immortals. How everyone deals with it? And unlike see above (great and or horrible it is...) it can show different people handle thing differently? You know?
I have never properly read a story that really goes after the idea that immortals likewise to mortals? Are different from each other? People tend to write them as fairly homo-cultural...thats boring. Imo...
So anyway...these are some of my ideas feel free utterly ignore this. I have just thought about the way people write this stuff often enough. So, When someone came to writing immortality fic that has actual nuance and...depth other then good or bad? Minor Rant :Or you know...everone blissfully ignoring that their kids might want to live forever?
Or that by not working towards immortality for all as one of a cabal of immortals you are condemning people to death?
For instance who is a immortal...one at that...to say that they know what is best? You know? Its like saying because I am old...I know better? Would not immortality be improved by having new blood then falling to stagnation...cough never read a story like that before cough...
I should probably write that last one...
End rant.
Ps. I actually have not read this chapter. My thoughts writing this were that I figure you will explore larger themes? Maybe? I will put it in my to read pile. I have seen your backlog and I like your creativity!
Cheers!
Adding to what I said, what about people just coming up with other ways of living forever? Like is their only one way? And what of Twilights mistakes...did she like her mentor erase the history books?
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Wow that was a big comment, it took me a while to dissect that
But I think you've raised some really interesting ideas there, some of which i hope to entertain within my story. Twilight's relationship with her children's mortality is something that is going to be explored in greater detail in further chapters. It's not just seeing children and family and friends as side-characteral objects, things to lose to aid the story, but people with motivations and emotions and desires and questions, ones that even Twilight herself cannot answer. The reasons she does not give them immortality follows this same mindset, that people are born to play their parts, and immortality isn't natural, and it's not her place to give it out as she pleases, not even to her own children. That's simply life, its a given, you are born, you live, you die. Once you break that cycle, its impossible to go back. Perhaps Twilight is simply too scared to change the very nature of existence.
What also intruiges me is the difference between the types of alicorns Twilight and Cadance & Celestia and Luna are. Celestia and Luna were born alicorns, whereas Twilight and Cadance had to perform some heroic deed/ prove their worth to deserve to ascend and earn an alicorn status. Flurry Heart, however, is born an alicorn, suggesting she already has a divine right to 'rule', persay.
I understand the idea that if being immortal is so great, and if the only downside being losing those close to you, why not just make everyone immortal? Unlike Celestia and Luna, who were born with eternal life, mortals aren't familiar with the idea of living forever, Twilight will have lived the majority of her life thinking she will one day eventually die, and this is what she struggles with. She can't accept the fact she won't die. The fact that mortals are born to play their parts, the Element Of Harmony were all born for their roles, and when their time was up, they would die, and life would continue. So why would Twilight specifically been chosen to continue a new era, why couldn't Celestia and Luna kept on ruling? But also, if everyone was immortal, would anything really be achieved? Would people have motivation without the pressure of time? Would the world become drastically overpopulated, with no dead to make space for the living?
But my reasoning is that for a functioning society and in the context I want my story to be in, the point is that Twilight struggles with not necessarily the economic responsibility Celestia has put on her, but the emotional and symbolic responsibilities as well. She questions why it was her, and why Celestia would thrust such an emotionally tolling role upon a mortal who, in some ways, doesn't deserve the catches.
Twilight is known to most as a saviour, and most of her regrets are personal, so there wouldn't be much against her in the history books. She also has trouble with the idea of a successor, if she is to live forever, and knowing when to simply 'move on' to more divine states, as Celestia and Luna did. Becoming one with the force, if you will.
Anyway, sorry for the ridiculously long reply, and thank you so much for the follow!
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Naw, its cool. I ljke the well thought answer. In truth its more interesting then folks writing the thirtieth. (Immortality is bad/ good. Thing)
Ps. Love Love the questions your asking of your characters! It makes it a treat to talk with a author that thinks about theme and character.
Just because I am that guy. For one of my world's I have all alicorn's able to die. They are ageless and are largely quari of the universe. This in truth is for me...(because now I want to share a theme of one my story's) Is that every life can and should have value...though weither they see theirs or others...that way is up for the characters and story.
Or rather that for the odd immortal they seem so much like marble...so basically its my mission to get these goobers live life. Whst ever that means? Eating apple? Like for me I aim to show the worthiness of just being alive? That you need not have "destiny" written in the stars. To be valid? You know? This also not talk down to the mortals stories. But a humanizing of everyone and everything. Not a demeaning or a lording of those that have lived longer
Pps. For me in some my stories...because I like show differing ways of doings for sake...well, characters. The first generati9n of immortals is rather stagnant, mostly sleeping and to combat apathy and listless (for their is no divine in my worlds...as far as know ; )
The generations after can then ask the harder questions and socuetal would be better equiped to question weither life eternal is worth it?
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The idea of some lives, or some destinies being more valuable than others (say, for example, the Elements Of Harmony) has always intruiged me, and I think its funny how in every fantasy novel, or dystopian book series, they always follow the 'Chosen Ones', if you will, and really disregard the rest of life in the book as merely pillars to support the main characters story. I suppose this is the best way it would work out for an interesting read, but by creating OCs, and by writing stories about lesser-known characters, writers are bringing a ut more life and validity to these other characters.
Yeah that's really interesting concept and I'll have to go check that out later
Also, I think it would be really interesting to read a story where it doesn't follow one particular characters or group of characters, because by giving a character a perspective, you're automatically giving them a certain amount more validity than other characters. I wonder what would happen if you made the playing field completely even, with no one character having more authority than the rest. A world of all immortals is also really fascinating- how would they deal with not only the emotional changes but economic and social changes?
This is so deep but still sounds like a story and not overly philosophical. It's great really.
:)
Thanks! And also thanks for favouriting Angels Of Blue!
Ps- welcome back!
Makes you wonder if Prince Blueblood’s relation to Celestia was similar to Twilights relationship with her own descendants. I wonder what would she see and who would she meet if she were to actually seek out her descendants.
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Hmm. That's an interesting idea. I suppose by now she has to many to keep track of. Ponies with royal blood but not necessarily the magic.
This was so incredibly beautiful. Not just the story but the way it was written gave me goosebumps.
You're incredible, and so is this story!
:)
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Thank you
Every moment she ever had with Princess Celestia has probably been given whole new meanings through that now shared context. I wonder how her relationship with Flurry Heart is going. At least there she has a fellow immortal to share her woes with, when they aren’t separated through sheer distance and individual duties.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN MONOTONE?!
This successfully made me cry, and boy did the tears spring up fast as soon as I saw the last name Sentry.
The message was so upfront, but also found ways to dg themselves deeper into the story and just life in general.
This is so good!
:)
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Yeah, that's an interesting point. I'd like to explore the idea why some alicorns are immortal, and some aren't. And maybe we'll get to see a sort of Cadence/Celestia relationship with Flurry and Twilight, seeing as Twi is Flurry's aunt
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I'm glad you enjoyed it!!! 
Awww thank you
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That’d be interesting. Even politically it would be interesting to see if the Diarchy transitions into a sort of duel monarchy. Where instead of being two princesses ruling from the same city as a centralised state it begins to morph into something else entirely under two political centres. As ponies, local governments and maybe even metropolitan cities begin to determine which of Canterlot or the Crystal City are easier to travel to, to have disputes resolved and decisions made, there can form a bloc of the states and cities aligned closer to the Crystal City in the north and a bloc more closely aligned with Canterlot in the south. A gradual divide that Twilight might be entirely content with in the short term, but eventually starts to exasperate the eventual fracturing of Equestria.
Awe... it's a new era.
:)
Spike….
Like most stories centred on the subject of Twilight's immortality I've been hesitant to read this since I knew it was probably going to be an emotional gut punch. I seem to have picked the perfect time to finally do so, and I'm glad I did. It hit even harder than I expected, and it was beautiful from start to finish.
I think I noticed a few doubled words, or awkward phrasings in the earlier chapters, but I'm not sure anymore; the emotional ride didn't lend itself to remembering such details, and if there were any in the latter half I didn't see them through my tears.
This story is beautiful in its sorrowful way, and I'm incredibly glad to have read it, even more so to have been able to do so in one sitting. Thank you for writing this, and thank you for sharing it.
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Thank you so much, it really means a lot to me that my writing can have an effect on people, so thanks for taking the time to offer your amazing feedback!!
As for the odd phrasings, I usually tend to write chapters for these sorts of stories on my phone, as they usually aren't that long (~2000 words), so there definitely will be some typos and mis-phrasings in there! I will go back and re-read when I have time, to snuff out all the mistakes.
Glad you enjoyed!
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That would explain any typos, and the doubling I think I saw. I may very well go back and see if I can't find the things that stuck out to me tomorrow. And thank you again for the impactful story.
Howdy, hi!
Oof, this was a goodie. I really enjoyed the characterization you did for Twilight. You really nailed showing the weight of her rulership, her decisions, her burden of immortality, and her grief. The opening with Soarin really nails the themes and tone of the fic, which set the rather somber prose over everything.
This was a good read. Definitely at the top in terms of immortal Twilight fics. It was enjoyable if heartbreaking.
Thank you very much for the read!
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Thank you! And thanks for the follow!
This is a wonderful story
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Thank you!