One step beyond the horizon
Music, balloons, drinks, food and smiles all over Canterlot. Everypony was dancing and laughing, ponies and dragons alike. The recent war seemed like a disagreement which was long forgotten by both factions. Pinkie Pie and Moondancer were dancing as Twilight tasted the sweet snacks from a table, until a light yellow earth pony approached her. Twilight noticed her presence, not too glad to see her, but she talked to her just by mere courtesy.
"Twilight Sparkle, you know that I don't like you" said the earth pony, "but that doesn't mean I don't respect you or your relationship with Princess Celestia. You're a hero to all of us, and I thank you for risking your life for us yet another time. But we're not any closer to become friends and don't expect any kindness coming from me."
"That's perfectly clear to me from the very first day we met, Trusty Link" replied Twilight, "I don't need kindness from you, and you are the last pony I would like to add in my friend list. But I respect you too. At least, Princess Celestia has a sincere pony next to her that can still consider as a friend. You're always with her, maybe that's why I despise you. Or maybe you're just there kissing Princess Celestia's tail."
"How dare you?!" Trusty was very offended, "you were the one who always tried to get her attention, always showing off! You're jealous because I got to be her friend because I understand her problems and I listen to her, not because I could do some silly tricks with a horn."
Then Princess Celestia appeared from behind the two mares, she was very happy and excited, "How wonderful!" she said, "my star student and my most trusted mare are having a pleasant conversation! My two best friends, also becoming best friends! Isn't that right my little ponies?"
Twilight and Trusty Link both turned around with the most fake smile they made in their lives, "Sure, princess!" they said, pretending excitement, as they stared at each other with a tremendous hate hidden by their fake smiles. Once Princess Celestia left, they both took a deep breath, as if they came out to the surface after being drowning underwater.
Princess Celestia spotted Platinum from among the crowd and walked to her, very nervously "what do you think of my decision? About sharing Equestria with the dragons? Do you think it's a good idea? What if I'm making another mistake?" asked the princess, but Platinum showed no signs of worry, she was too busy contemplating the party.
"I think it's going to be a disaster" she said, "but you are the princess, not me. My opinion is not important. And even if it's a mistake, I know you'll find a way to fix it. You've been doing that for more than a thousand years."
The party extended until Luna raised the moon, and ponies still had energy to drink and dance, Rainow Dash and two officers of the Royal Elite offered a helmet to Ditzy Doo, but she rejected putting on her head a postmare hat and walked away. Scootaloo quickly exposed her head to receive the same helmet, but Rainbow Dash smiled at her and just palmed her on the head "not yet, squirt", she said.
On the dance floor, Pinkie Pie was dancing while Braeburn contemplated her. He rehearsed in his mind the perfect way to ask her out on a date in which, of course, he would get the girl as he always do. To his right, Applejack was yelling at him in a language he could not understand. To his left, Moondancer was drinking a cup, but she was just a witness of the events.
"What's that all about?" asked the unicorn.
"Braeburn is kind of a Cassanova" replied Applejack, "he sees a girl, he gets her, I dunno how. I tried to warn him 'bout Pinkie, though. He'll learn his lesson the hard way."
Braeburn fixed his hat, and approached Pinkie Pie, while holding a drink, "hey there! I never told ya how attractive ya're, Pinkie" he said, shaking his golden mane, and showing off his shiny green eyes, "I also love parties, I think we're a perfect match?"
"Why thank you" the pink pony replied with a smooth smile, she met face to face with him, their mouths almost touched, "I know of a place where we can go on our first date."
"Really? where is that?" Braeburn was getting anxious, and his heart beating fast, he'd never been so nervous while flirting with a mare.
"Only in your dreams, loser!" Pinkie Pie took the drink from him, and used it to give him a bath. The poor stallion returned to his cousin side, soaked in strawberry juice as Pinkie walked away from him somewhat offended.
Chrysalis and her changelings observed the party from the distance, but shortly, Princess Celestia approached her and offered her hoof in signal of friendship, but the Queen of Changelings turned her back on her, "we had common enemies this time" she said, "but next time, I will definitely get my perfect day", she lifted off and left Canterlot with the swarm of changelings behind her.
"Wait, we never got your name" Rarity stopped the one changeling that helped them as a crystal pony.
"Changelings have no names, but as a crystal pony, my name was Night Lamp" said the changeling, and he quickly flew behind his queen.
The party went on until the creatures had no more energy to drink or dance, Twilight and her friends reunited at the throne room with the princesses after a well deserved rest from their long adventure, but now their paths must be separated once again.
Moondancer finally earned Twilight's friendship, a feat she couldn't achieve in the past. She feels happy, but also different, as if something changed inside her. The sister princesses noticed her uneasy reaction, "what's wrong, my little pony?" asked Princess Celestia, "aren't you happy that peace has finally returned to Equestria?"
"It's not that, princess" said Moondancer, she touched her own chest, "it's just that... I feel like I'm not the same, as if I'm a different pony. Do you understand me, princess? Have you ever felt like you have left behind an older version of yourself?"
"Of course, Moondancer" said Celestia, "it's a very important stage of your formation."
"I'd be surprised if you wouldn't feel that way, Moondancer" said Princess Luna, standing next to her sister, "this is like the fifth version of myself. You feel this abrupt change because you've grown up faster than you've ever done before. Take a deep breath, and feel it inside you. You have grown stronger. Up until now, you had only grown up through practice and study. But this time, you had to grow up to survive, you learned things not through study, but through experience. You never fought a dragon before, right? And you never found yourself devoured by darkness, and finding your way out. Do you know what I mean?"
"I think I do. I've never really tested my strength before" Moondancer stared at Twilight from afar, she was sharing laughs with her friends, "I pushed myself into my books to try and get as strong as her, but everytime I progressed a step forward, she progressed three steps more. But now, I feel like I actually cut some distance between us. So this is how she does it, if I want to be better, I have to work harder, put my life on the line if I need to. Princess Celestia, I'm ready to move on to the next level. I learned a new way of magic along this adventure, the only magic she never studied... I want to study the dark magic."
"The path is dangerous, Moondancer" Princess Celestia tried to reason with her, "you may put yourself and all the ones you love in danger. And if anything goes wrong..."
"I understand the risks and I am willing to take them" said Moondancer, very serious "but please, Princess, if I lose control, even for a little while, promise me that you'll take any means to stop it. Please, promise me that you won't let me turn into Queen Moondancer."
"It's a very hard promise, Moondancer" Princess Celestia looked down, "and I'm not sure I am the most qualified to teach you Dark Magic, but my sister can, if you accept her as your new teacher."
Moondancer nodded silently, and Princess Luna stepped up, "very well, then" she said, "but I warn you, I am not like my sister. I am a very strict teacher, and I CAN promise you that I will destroy you on the spot, if you ever dare to think about the mere idea of defying me!"
Guardian Sword returned to the Royal Elite headquarters, but not before the pegasus had a private talk with certain unicorn, with Rarity behind him, supporting him. "This... this is is not good bye, right?" he said.
"Of course not" responded Twilight, "I hope we meet again sometime, and I hope that next time our lives won't be in danger."
"Yeah, I'm more than just your bodyguard, right?" said Guardian Sword, he turned his sight to Rarity expecting for her approval, and Rarity was nodding and waving her hoof in signal to move on, "I am your friend, right? Just friends", the pegasus grinned awkwardly and turned to Rarity once again, but this time the white unicorn was hoofpalming.
"Yes... just... friends" said Twilight, with a trace of let down in her eyes. Next was an awkward silence, Guardian Sword didn't know what to do, so he proceeded to turn around and leave, but Twilight stopped him before he lifted off, Guardian Sword turned to see her, and the unicorn gave him a small friendly kiss on his cheek, "thank you for risking your life for me" she said. The pegasus' face turned red as an apple and quickly turned around and lifted off.
"I didn't know you had that way with stallions, Twilight" said Rarity, as both unicorns watched him leave.
"Me neither" said Twilight, her face was red as well, "I was waiting for him to say something, but he didn't. Then I thought what the hay?, the stallion doesn't always have to take the initiative, right?"
"Of course not, darling. Besides, he has a handsome face and a tight flank, right? He is the whole package."
"Yes..." said Twilight very innocently, then she realised what she just agreed with, "What!? No, it's not that! Shut up! Shut up!" said Twilight as she chased Rarity, who was clearly just having fun at the expense of Twilight.
After a while, Trixie appeared with her old wagon, which has gone through countless reparations, "Well it's time for the Great and Powerful Trixie to leave. My fans are excited to hear how I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, defeated the dangerous Discord in an epic and mysterious magic battle, in which of course, I emerged victorious!"
"Sure! I noticed your heroics and feats as you laid on the floor hiding behind your hooves" taunted Applejack.
"I know I'm not as impressive as I claim" Trixie turned surprisingly serious, everypony listened attentively, "but I was part of that incredible spell with Twilight and redhead. I proved something. There is powerful magic inside me. When the time is right, and when I really need to, my powerful magic will wake up. I'm going for some adventures. and get some real feats and experiences! Next time you hear a story about the Great and Powerful Trixie, it will be a true story!"
"That's great, Trixie. But what's the wagon for?" asked Twilight.
"This wagon and I go way back, you know. It's my home" responded Trixie, "maybe someday I'll share the story behind this wagon and me. Trixie doesn't really like that story, mostly because she is not victorious in that one. It's... kind of a sad story. But that's in the past! And Trixie only aims for the future! So long, my future fans! We'll meet again! Once I became famous and glorious!"
Trixie left following the trails of the train, always walking with her trusty wagon behind her, the ponies watched her go, and shrink over the distance, until she was completely gone.
After a few hours, Rarity and Pinkie Pie shook their hooves, and their faces filled with excitement. Both mares approached Quetzalcóatl and Lednik, both dragons were very confused.
"Ahem, Lednik, Quetzal. We have a proposal for you two, if we may" Rarity spoked, with a very regal tone in her voice.
"You may, Rarity, as long as it does not hurt us" said Quetzal.
"Have you ever considered a modeling career?" asked Rarity.
"Modeling, you said?" Lednik was very confused, "does that mean we have to wear strange costumes and outfits?"
"Don't worry, Lednik! You won't even notice" said Pinkie Pie, excited as usual, "and you'll become the center of attention among dragons and ponies alike!"
"You say that because I am blind" said Lednik, who was very unconvinced.
"My, darling! Of course not!" Rarity played an act of surprise, but none of the dragons believed it, "well, maybe so, but... we're talking about a golden oportunity here! Just think of this, the very first business alliance between ponies and dragons!" however, the dragons were still not convinced.
"We'll have cookies! And balloons! And also jewels!" Pinkie added, and when she mentioned the last word, both dragons couldn't help but to agree their terms, hoping that they would not regret it later.
Spinwind was preparing to leave unnoticed, back to his post in Canterlot Palace, but he was spotted by Applebloom. He took off his helmet, he stared at her and sighed as he walked pass her. "I'm sorry, I already have a special somepony. And I really want to see her. I can't wait to hold her hoof once again. I still want to be her hero" he said.
"You saved mah life, back in Foal Mountain" responded Applebloom, "and you protected us from those meteors during the Wrath. It might be an everyday thing to you. But to me, it was the most special thing a stallion has done for me. You are MY hero. I wish you the best to you 'n Serena... she's lucky, y'know?"
The stallion put on his helmet again, walked two steps away, and said one last thing before he left, "I can't be your hero if I break your heart. Your hero is out there, you just haven't meet him yet."
Scootaloo slowly approached Ditzy Doo, who was too busy eating a muffing, the orange pegasus was looking embarased, "Derpy, uhh... I mean, Ditzy!" she said, very apologetic, "I'm sorry for being so mean to you, I didn't know you were such an awesome flyer."
"It's ok, I'm still the clumsy and funny mailmare I've always been" said Ditzy Doo, "I'm not an awesome flyer, I just did what was needed. It's hard to explain, but I was just..."
"Following your instincts, right?" added Scootaloo, "That's what it takes to be an awesome flyer, Ditzy. Rainbow Dash taught me that. I promise you that from now, I will never call you names or laugh at you. You have my respect."
"You can call me Derpy" Ditzy Doo smiled at her as she munched another piece of the muffin.
Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy sat next to each other in a park bench. Rainbow Dash was a bit down, but Fluttershy was smiling, very satisfied with the outcome, "say, Dash... do you think I have an evil mind?" she asked, all of a sudden.
"What? Why do you ask me that?" Rainbow Dash jumped from the bench in surprise.
"We went completely opposite sides" explained Fluttershy, "I started a war, I outsmarted King Sombra, I even faced the punches that used to protect me when I was a filly. Maybe I'm the one who brings chaos upon Equestria. Maybe I spent too much time wih Discord."
"Heh, you changed a lot since you left Ponyville" said Rainbow Dash with teary eyes, "all of us did, but you did a complete one-eighty. But there are three things about you that will never change. First, your love for other creatures. Second, you fight for what is right, even if that makes you the bad guy. And lastly, the fact that I totally beat your tail back in the Badlands!", the rainbow pegasus started laughing out loud.
"Oh that? I let you win because I know how much you hate losing" Fluttershy laughed along.
"You're leaving again, huh?" Rainbow Dash stopped laughing and began to drop some tears "to look for that coward pony, right? I never approved him, but you don't care that, do you?" Fluttershy just smiled at her friend.
"I need to go..." said Fluttershy, "first, it was Scout Flag, then Discord, and now Foskiá... all the ones who leave me tell me that I should forget them, that is the only way to forgive those who deserve no forgiveness. It always leads to that! Forget and forgive! I'm sick of it! I undertook this journey by of my own choice! I will forgive, but I don't want to forget!"
The pale yellow pegasus left Canterlot just the way she left Ponyville, silently as her friends watched her leave, disappearing among the trees of the forest. But when she left the first time, they didn't know if they would see their friend again. This time they are certain that Fluttershy will come back home even braver and stronger.
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were aboard the Sky Wanderer, Applebloom had recently made some final adjustments in the control room, still she was feeling a bit better after working on her master piece. Scootaloo was leaning against the ship's helm, still gazing at the direction where Rainbow Dash left, daydreaming of the day where she will be a hero just like her.
Applejack, Ditzy Doo and the Cutie Mark Crusaders decided to return to Ponyville. Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and the two Dragons of Wind and Ice decided to stay in Canterlot to start their new business. Rainbow Dash and Guardian Sword returned to the Royal Elite Headquarters. Moondancer left to prepare for her next study. Trixie began to wander across Equesria once again.
Princess Platinum and her friends bowed down to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna one last time and left walking away from the city's main door, "it was fun, it was fun" said the regal unicorn, and Smart Cookie behind her began to laugh.
"It was fun for you" she said, "you weren't the one with ninety-five-point-eighty-two percent of probability of death."
"And you bet everything you worked so hard to build on that four-point-eighteen percent" said Pansy, she was very surprised.
"What can I say?" said Platinum, "I always take some risks on my decisions, it adds some flavor to my endless life."
"Yes, but it subtracts some bits from your purse when we get together to play poker" laughed Puddinghead, and to her surprise, her friends laughed with her, she had finally made a good joke, except for Hurricane, she was falling asleep, barely conscious of where she was.
Everyone had decided what to do with their lives, except for one pony. Twilight thought that going back to Ponyville was not the answer, and she also thought that she wouldn't learn anything new staying in Canterlot. That's when the Observer and her assistant arrived, and talked to her.
"Ready to go home?" asked the tall unicorn.
"Not really..." said Twilight, "I'd love to go back to Ponyville, but I thinnk there's nothing left for me there. Maybe I should have stayed as a princess."
"I bet there's a place for a talented unicorn like yourself" suggested Lickety Split, "why don't you just stay and join the magic court?"
"Why don't you just shut up and get lost, Lickety Split?" said the Observer, a suggestion that looked more like a command.
"Yes, miss..." Lickety Split backed down, very ashamed.
"Come with me, Twilight Sparkle" added the Observer, "if is your wish to move on, to reach higher levels, if you are looking for more knowledge, then come with me. Be warned, though, for the path will be painful. If you're truly willing to sacrifice everything to break your limit. Then turn your back to heaven and follow me to hell."
Twilight turned around, and watched Princess Celestia and the Sky Wanderer was about to take off. Princess Celestia smiled at her and nodded.
"I'm sorry, princess" said Twilight, "Sweetie Belle, I guess you'll be keeping your job" she added, and Sweetie Belle cheered up, jumping happily all over the ship, "just keep in mind what happened to the last creature that destroyed the library!" warned Twilight, and now Sweetie Belle quieted down and gulped.
"I know you're taking the right decision, Twilight" added Princess Celestia, "I am no longer your teacher, and you will never find a new one better than the Observer herself. I just want you to promise that you won't become into somepony just like her, and that you will return one day."
"I promise, Princess" Twilight shed some tears, "and thank you for everything. Thanks to you I'm the pony I've became, and I wouldn't change anything. I wish you the best to you... and to your next most faithful student."
"Wait! I'm coming" yelled Spike from the Sky Wanderer, he jumped off, and approached Twilight, but he was stopped.
"No can do, young dragon" said the Observer, "see that pink silly pony over there?" she pointed at Lickety Split, and the earth pony was waving her hoof, "she is Twilight's new assistant, she doesn't need you anymore."
"Then what am I supposed to do now?" said Spike, "helping Twilight has been my whole life. It's the only thing I know."
Twilight hugged Spike, very dearly, and Spike hugged her back, "you were not my assistant, Spike. You were my friend. My family. But now, just as I must find my own way, you must find yours. You are free Spike, not tied to my wishes anymore. This moment couldn't be more perfect, for now the dragons and the ponies can finally live in harmony. It's your time to live your own life, Spike."
Spike nodded as he cleaned the tears from his eyes. He boarded the Sky Wanderer again, which took off, heading back to Ponyville. All the ponies waved at Twilight, wishing her the best of lucks.
"See ya 'round, partner" Applejack smiled at her friend, she was now the only one going back to Ponyville from the main six.
A few days passed. Twilight, Clover and Lickety Split were heading north, back to the Observatory, walking through a strong snowstorm. Twilight could barely see her nose before her eyes, but Lickety Split and Clover had no problem traveling the snowfield.
"Clover? Can I ask you something?" said Twilight, covering her eyes from the snow.
"Let's set some rules first" said Clover, "from now on, you'll refer to me as Master, Miss, or Teacher. You'll do what I say, when I say, and how I say. Are we clear? "
"Yes, master" said Twilight, "You are more powerful than Princess Celestia, right?"
"Yes" said the Observer, very proudly.
"Then you must know spells that I haven't even hear of, ways of magic that I don't even know they exist. What if my potential isn't as good as you think? What if I disappoint you?" asked Twilight.
"Don't worry about that, Twilight. I don't expect much from you" replied the Observer with an arrogant smile.
"Are you more powerful than Discord?" asked Twilight, yet again.
But the Observer held her answer, she was calculating, and after a short while she finally responded, "no... I'm more or less... I don't know, maybe seven or eight times less powerful than him. He could have stopped my Wrath spell by just sneezing, and I might be underestimating him."
"Then how could we defeat him with our bare magic?" said Twilight, "without the help of magic artifacts to enhance our power or to supress his, why were we able to best him? it was impossible for us to win! I'm still unclear of what happened."
"Harmony" explained the Observer, "you said it yourself. The harmony between you and those two unicorns mingled to create a new Harmony spell. Just like when I mingled my friendship with Pansy and Smart Cookie to create the Fire of Friendship, the spell we used to defeat Windigos. When magic is used for combat, it's like a weapon. It's not about who is more powerful, but about who uses it better. At that very moment, you and your friends used magic better than Discord."
"We're heeeere!" announced Lickety Split, while she dropped the keys to the observatory on the snow and she bent down to find them. The Observer casted a strange spell to open the main doors, she let Twilight get inside first, and then she entered herself. Lickety Split was about to enter the building too, but the doors were closed on her.
"Don't come in until you find those keys, it's the only copy we got!" commanded the Observer.
"Yes, miss..." said Lickety Split, she bent down again and continued her search on the snow.
"Welcome to your new home, Twilight" said the Observer, she lit the stove to and added some water to a small blue kettle and added some cocoa, then she led Twilight upstairs to a small room, with a wooden desk set on the bottom wall just below a window, the walls were covered by bookshelves, and on top of the bookshelf on the far right of the room, there was small white mattress with small white sheets and blankets.
"Is that my bed?" asked Twilight, very unsecure.
"Get some good time to relax" the Observer palmed Twilight's back, pushing her inside the room, "for it will be your last. We'll start your training tomorrow morning", then the tall unicorn left and closed the door behind her.
Twilight dropped her saddle bags on the wooden floor, she walked to the desk and passed her front hoof on top of it, as if she was caressing it. Then, she turned to the bookshelves and scanned the titles written on the spines of the books with intriguing eyes. One of the books caught her attention, it said Spells of Mail, she grabbed it and read the first spell. A tiny smile was drawn on her face, as she picked from one of her saddle bags a blank scroll, a feather, and a bottle of black ink. She put the scroll on the desk, and sat in front of it. The feather, dancing on the scroll, printed the three famous words that Twilight recalled with beloved nostalgia.
Dear Princess Celestia...
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I hope you guys liked it, and I'd love to read your opinion, wether you liked it or not, it means a lot to me. I want to write my next story right away, but I'm uncertain, do you want to see what happens next? or what happened before? Or another brand new story?
And as always, thums up or down are well appreciated as much as comments.
It's despise.
Is this really needed? Just saying.
Question... why?
What? Why "Queen" moondancer? It's not like all Queens are evil right?
Yikes... scary.
Dragons... on modeling... oh boy!
I wonder what will happen in that story.
This is more of a sad ending I'd say. People are leaving left and right... and even Chrysalis who had good times with the ponies now is away... Things... don't work out as they should right? Ever... Oh btw you said Twilight became a princess but then ditched the wings?
6100039 Yup, it's not really a happy ending, mostly because I think that happy endings don't reflect real life. Like an old writer once said : "There never is a happy ending because nothing ends."
And yes, Twilight used to be princess, but she relinquished because she felt guilty for Flash Sentry's death. She didn't want anyone to risk they life for hers. This story started before Twilight was a princess, I had to adapt it to match with the progress of the tv show, I think I did a good job on that... at least, I hope I did.
6100643 True but I don't know why Chrysalis just up and leaves, or why new changelings don't have names. Plus that changeling's name is the same as Twilight's dad.
I get Fluttershy wanting to grow as a person, Spike needing that too, though it's kinda strange for dragons and fashion to mix together. Aren't the like huge beings? How big are they?
In any case there I know that there's never an "ending"... but there could be some sort of... respite? Something to look forward to? I... I just don't know where we go from here. This is like the setup for more fuckups. *shrug*
In any case there's one thing you didn't abide with in the canon despite you wanting to adapt to it... the elements came from the tree. Now if they were somewhere else before that's another thing.
6102462 Crap! It IS the same name as Twilight's father! What were the chances?
Dragons come from all sizes, but the starring ones (excluding Spike) are as big as an Ursa Minor, if that is valid as a measure, maybe a bit bigger.