I
A long time ago in the land of Equestria, there lived two Alicorn sisters. They ruled over their kingdom with kindness and fairness to all. As time went on in this land, the eldest of two started to see great potential in the unicorns of her kingdom. She then decided that she, with help from her subjects, would construct a school to help hone the magic skills of young and gifted unicorns within the safety and security of the royal city of Canterlot. It was then that ‘Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns’ was founded. For years and years, many famous and world changing unicorns entered and left the alabaster halls of the school and continued to do so for years to come. But one day, an exceptional unicorn by the name of Starswirl entered the halls. Celestia herself saw much promise and power within the young colt, and upon that hallowed day, Celestia took on her first personal pupil. As he learned and aged, Starswirl became a great wizard of history and became the personal friend and magician of the royal sisters. As time went on, the Three all agreed that there would be others like Starswirl though rare in number they might be and they would need someone to teach them. It was then that Celestia came to the decision that she would train those exceptionally gifted unicorns if and when they should ever appear so they too may teach others when they time came.
Years passed and many of her students came and went with the passage of time. Her sister was one of the ones who went away, after a dark way of thinking overtook her mind. Since that time, Celestia saw no more gifted unicorns, and was alone. But then in the present Solar Age, she found new students to teach. The grandest out of them all, being a young unicorn filly named Twilight Sparkle who later grew to become the Element of Magic and eventually a fellow royal under the title of the Princess of Friendship. Before Twilight however, she took on a unicorn filly named Sunset Shimmer. But the unicorn’s impatience and dishonesty resulted in her leaving to another place beyond Equestria. But Sunset was put back on the right path by Twilight’s timely intervention. However, both of these two students and everypony else were in ignorance of one fact, Celestia had taken one student before the two mares. Before Sunset and Twilight, there was one unicorn Celestia took on as her protégé, a young colt named Moonstone.
Moonstone was as studious and eager to learn as any student she took on, a common pattern in most. Moonstone would always read his assigned books, practice his assigned spells, and even took up the hobby of stargazing. Celestia would always smile when he got that ‘glimmer’ in his eyes, the glimmer of discovering something new and wanting to learn more about it. As times went on, Moonstone became a well accomplished student in the magic arts and researched both magic and the night sky to the best of his abilities in his off time. But it saddened Celestia slightly to see that he made his studies top priority above all else, though he did take time out to stargaze, eat, and have his annual tea sessions with her. It did not ease the worry Celestia felt for him however. But eventually, she did take notice of how far he had come since he had begun and thought it would be time for his final test. She hoped that not only would he succeed, but it would change him for the better. Taking Starswirl’s book in hoof, she told him what must be done, if he could complete Starswirl’s unfinished spell, he would receive far more than he ever thought.
For weeks Moonstone pooled over his notes and knowledge, but found no answers. He came before Celestia and thanked her for everything she had taught him up to this point, but he felt unready to accomplish the final test. So with her saddened blessing, Celestia saw her student go, vowing to return the day when he felt he was ready. That day…is today.
*
It was a warm and sunny afternoon in Canterlot, the nobles trotted briskly from point A to point B in their finest spring wear. Some stopped to exchange words while others had to be quick in their exchanges unless they were late for whatever appointment they had to keep. But as this all transpired in town, the train station was virtually empty when the latest train pulled in from parts beyond the city. As passengers gingerly trotted off, one pony stood on the platform and breathed in deeply. The pony was a unicorn stallion who currently wore a midnight blue travel cloak, with the hood up. Two saddle bags were strapped to his barrel as he glanced around at the familiar surroundings.
“Ah,” he sighed, “It’s so good to be home,” he glanced up at Canterlot Castle and smiled, “Finally. I’m ready.”
A soft shimmery silver magic aura grasped his hood and pulled it down. The unicorn had a light smoke grey coat with a long dark cobalt mane and tail combed in a semi wispy style and bit of it hung down in front but was neatly parted. Two silvery streaks were in his mane and tail, one dark and one light an his eyes were a light starry blue. He took one last look around before he briskly trotted from his place on the platform. His chest was swelled with confidence as he ascended the staircase of the front entrance to Canterlot Castle. He paused on the landing; just letting the feel of the stone stay with him for a moment before he opened the grand doors to the entry….and was stopped by two guards.
“Halt,” one stated gruffly, “If you’re here for day court, I’m afraid you’re late for sign up for today’s session. You’ll have to come back tomorrow morning.”
The stallion blinked but relaxed as he spoke with a smile, “Tell Princess Celestia that her student Moonstone is back.”
Both guards looked at each other for a moment, and then started laughing.
Moonstone blinked in surprise as they settled down and the partner of the guard who had spoken snorted with mild mirth, “never heard of you stranger.”
Moonstone leaned forward in mild annoyance, “Listen, I’ve traveled a very long way to get here, and I need to see my teacher. So if you’d please let me pass, I would really appreciate it.”
The First Guard leaned forward, “not happening.”
Moonstone snorted in agitation, “Fine then.”
Moonstone’s horn gave a low hum and he vanished in a pop of his silvery aura. The guards shrugged and thought he just left. But a now transparent Moonstone gingerly trotted around the two door guards and followed a path he had walked so many times before to the throne room. As he approached those familiar double doors leading to the throne room, he paused, trembling slightly. What if she had forgotten him? What if she was disappointed in him coming back so early? Would he have to leave again? He calmed himself with a deep breath, rendered himself solid, and then shoved the doors open.
He stood in the doorway silently as the few remaining day court attendees all turned their heads to stare at the newcomer. Moonstone then glanced up and laid his eyes upon a face he had not seen in quite some time. Princess Celestia blinked in mild confusion, but then her expression turned to one of surprise, shock, and then happiness. Moonstone smiled back.
“Princess Celestia,” he bowed in respect, “I’ve come home.”
Princess Celestia gingerly glided down to Moonstone and landed in front of him as he raised himself up.
“Moonstone,” she nuzzled the stallion warmly, “It’s so good to see you after all this time my student,” she then realized something and addressed the room, “I’m sorry my little ponies, but Day Court will be adjourning early this afternoon. But I assure you that those who have not filed their requests today will be at the front of the line in tomorrow queue.”
The ponies sighed in disappointment and filed out. Some of the guards stared at Celestia who gave them her leave to go; they nodded and shut the doors behind them.
Celestia smiled warmly at Moonstone with a look of interest, “I’m so thrilled to see you back my student, and how were your travels?”
Moonstone tilted his head and sighed in mild annoyance, “Uneventful, most of the places I went to barely had any reference material to add to my notes.”
Celestia nodded slightly before continuing, “Did you by chance meet any interesting ponies on your travels,” she asked with further interest.
Moonstone nodded slowly as he thought back on it, “A few….they were very odd characters I must say.”
Celestia tilted her head, “Oh?”
“Yes,” he waved a hoof dismissively, “though they were absolutely no help whatsoever. Constantly butting into my business, trying to see what I was doing when I was busy trying to concentrate. It was an absolute pain in my flank, pardon my prench, so I usually paid them no mind and went about my business.”
Celestia looked to the side for a moment as Moonstone removed his cloak, “Oh….I see.”
Moonstone then perked up after he had disrobed and made his cloak vanish, a cutie mark of a silver star within the gap of a blue crescent moon became visible, “But that’s not important now, what IS important is that I’m finally ready!”
Celestia tilted her head in confusion, “Ready?”
“YES! It took me a while but I finally deciphered Starswirl’s unfinished spell!”
The now excited unicorn stallion started to rummage in his saddle bags as it dawned on Princess Celestia what he meant, “Moonstone…”
Moonstone didn’t hear her as he pulled out charts and diagrams which she was surprised at, “See it was a tough riddle indeed, you’ll have to excuse diagram eight, one of those ponies I met spilled a second mug of hot chocolate on it when I finished it so I had to improvise.”
Celestia stepped forward a bit and spoke in a bit of a sterner tone, “Moonstone.”
“But I figured it out, after cross referencing various ancient texts with old arcane incantations; I came across one by a certain unicorn spell crafter by the name of Snow Flurry. I still can’t believe I forgot about him,” he turned to wag a hoof at her, “I was kicking myself that following night I can tell you that much.”
Celestia’s voice was far more firm as she raised the volume, “Moonstone.”
Finally he turned around with his diagram’s floating in front of him and a pointing rod unfolded in his magical grasp, “So allow me to explain exactly how to finish the spell….”
“Moonstone!”
Moonstone blinked for a few moments to see the exasperated expression of his teacher, “Oh, I’m so sorry Princess, here I am prattling on about this like a colt with a bad case of motor mouth,” his ears drooped, “I’m sorry…”
Celestia shook her head and gave her student a pat on his haunches with an understanding expression, “It’s alright Moonstone, I understand you’re excited about your final test and I’m proud that you applied yourself so diligently,” Moonstone smiled brightly at that last remark.
Celestia’s expression dropped however, “Which makes what I have to say all the more hard. You see Moonstone, after you left; I took on two other students to teach.”
Moonstone’s expression dropped, “You…replaced me?”
Celestia shook her head as a comforting wing guided him to fall in step with her as he led him through the halls, “no my dear student, not replace. You remember that I once said you were not the first personal student I took on correct?”
Moonstone nodded sheepishly upon remembering, “Right….I forgot.”
Celestia smiled and gave a light titter, “It’s alright. But as I said, I took two students on during your absence, and like you they were quite exceptional indeed.
Moonstone smiled at that as she stopped before a small table with a familiar book, “There were some hurdles that we all had to overcome, but in the end things turned out quite well,” she levitated the book to Moonstone as she continued, “But as I said, this is quite hard for me to say but….you will not be completing your final test.”
Moonstone looked at his teacher as he opened it to the page the spell was on, “Why not?”
Celestia sighed and gestured a hoof to the page, “Because it was already completed by one of your successors.”
Moonstone looked down at the now completed spell and gawked, “How….I…..why…WHO?!”
Celestia placed a hoof on her student, “I understand this is hard for you to accept,” Moonstone’s posture slumped, “but that is the truth. The spell itself eluded even me, and the one who completed it was quite….exceptional as I said.”
Moonstone’s voice cracked a little, “But who was it?”
Celestia gestured behind him as Moonstone looked up at a stained glass window behind him depicting a familiar purple alicorn with five other mares.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle, The Element of Magic, and my third pupil.”
Moonstone could only stare, seemingly frozen.
Celestia wrapped a wing around the saddened unicorn, “Moonstone….I am deeply sorry.”
Moonstone nodded, “It’s alright Princess….I understand…,” he then looked up at his teacher, “Princess, may I ask something?”
Princess Celestia nodded.
“What shall I do now? The thing I studied for…prepared for, for so many years is now lying completed and filed at my hooves….I don’t know what I can do. Would I even be able to still remain your student?” Moonstone stated solemnly.
Celestia pondered on it for a moment and after a minute of self-deliberation she nodded, “Of course you will, though this test has been completed, I assure you that another like it will most likely appear. But as for when, I am uncertain,” she smiled warmly at him and moved him to a window, “your home in the observatory is just as you left it and I do believe you left most of your materials there when you departed,” she spoke with a knowing tone.
“You mean?” he spoke with hope.
“Yes my student,” she nodded with a smile, “the castle is your home as it has always been. I of course will drop in on occasion to check your progress as I did in the past, and when the time of your final test arrives, I shall inform you.”
Moonstone smiled up at his teacher and hugged her, “Thank you Princess,” he then jumped slightly, “My parents! I completely forgot to tell them I’m back!”
Celestia chuckled and ushered him toward the door, “Well then you best hurry before your mother has a fit my pupil.”
“Thank you so much Princess,” he yelled over his shoulder as he galloped away, “I’ll be sure to make you proud!”
Princess Celestia waved to him as he shut the door; she took notice of the diagrams he had left behind. She gazed at each one in turn.
“They were absolutely no help whatsoever. Constantly butting into my business, trying to see what I was doing when I was busy trying to concentrate. It was an absolute pain in my flank, pardon my prench, so I usually paid them no mind and went about my business.”
She then levitated diagram eight and gazed at the large visible stain on it.
“You’ll have to excuse diagram eight, one of those ponies I met spilled a second mug of hot chocolate on it when I finished it so I had to improvise.”
Celestia shook her head sadly as she looked out the window at her galloping pupil.