Starlight came in to check on me today. Apparently we’re both still recovering from the incident yesterday. She was wrapped in a blanket and still shivering slightly. I was still downing logs to try and warm myself up. Neither of us were happy. Both of us were still alive.
Starlight sat down across from me. Neither of us said anything for a very long time.
“I really am sorry.” she eventually said.
“I know.” I said back. Neither of us had looked at the other.
Another long moment of silence.
“Can you forgive me?” She asked.
“No. not yet.” I said. “Can you forgive me?”
Another long silence.
Starlight spoke again.
“I have deprived you of so much more than I thought possible. I’m so sorry.”
“You said that already.” I said back.
Starlight put her face in her hooves. “I don’t know if I can ever say it enough. Last time I made a mistake I was lucky enough to have very forgiving enemies. Maybe I still deserve to be shunned by them. Sometimes, when I call Twilight my friend, it just feels like a lie.”
“I know how you feel.” I said, somewhat sarcastically.
“I’m sorry for that, too.” She replied. “I didn’t mean to burden you with my whole life’s story, I just needed to somehow make you understand that I was sorry.”
“I think I understand that, too.” I said. “I still hate you, though. I don’t think I want to; it’s exhausting. How do I stop?”
Another long silence.
“I don’t know.” Starlight said. “I stopped hating Twilight because… I knew that continuing to hate her would deal damage to equestria, and… to myself. To everypony who knew me. And… maybe to forgive her I needed to forgive myself.”
“That cuts a bit close to home right now.” I said.
Starlight gave a humorless chuckle. “Yeah… sorry about that.”
I took another deep breath and spoke.
“Starlight, I think i’d like to start treating you like a friend, whether or not either of us deserve it. Would you consent to that much?”
I think I heard a wet tear fall to the floor.
“Yes.” she said. “Yes, I would like that very much.”
Gorgeous character epiphanies here.
It seems Emerald is learning more and more, I wonder if Starlight giving memories to Emerald changed anything though, like maybe Emerald learned Sympathy and Empathy for others now?
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Imho there's a difference between being functional and having the character completely defanged. Emerald isn't a villain, and hasn't done anything wrong, she doesn't need 'redemption', she needs to be understood and accommodated.
Otherwise it ends up feeling like some kind of harmony cult conversion and that feels all kinds of icky around degredation of identity :P
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Looking forward to it!
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There's a difference between being declawed and learning where and when it is appropriate to sheathe said claws. Also needing to figure out how to sheathe said claws.
They are accommodating him until he can change and adapt to fit in. Both sides now clearly understand each other.
You really would not like one of my characters, a water elemental that figured out how to summon himself with the catch that he becomes mortal.