> Birthright
>  by Flowing-Mercury
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: Before the Dawn
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


You want to know the tale of the Beginning of Harmony, young one? Haven’t I told you this story before… You want to hear it again? Very well. You know I could never resist that face. But I warn you. The tale might be a little different from what you remember. I’m afraid with age this old soul has forgotten some of the finer details. I doubt think even the Princesses themselves can remember this far back, let alone an old duffer like me… But I will try my best. For you.


Long ago, before the reign of Chaos; before the royal sisters, the realm of Equestria was a far different place. The residual magic of the world was much stronger back then. The sun shone gloriously in the centre of our sky. It’s radiance strong enough to shine to the far corners of the land, bathing all in its light.There was no night, as the sun never set. As a result the trees grew taller, and nature was far wilder than what we have now. The weather too was more aggressive. Storms raged across the land unchecked; the seasons changed as they pleased, a blizzard one day, blazing sunshine the next. Equestria was a harsher world for ponies to live in back then.
Contrary to what you may believe however, the races lived closer together than they had in generations. Yes, the world may have been harsh, but that just required greater cooperation to tame it’s ways. Every race had its role to play in the grand scheme of survival, and they embraced that role, knowing that they played their part in maintaining harmony.
The earth ponies had dominion over the lands, there role was ensuring that it was a safe living environment for all pony-kind. They cared for it’s animals, and tended to the farms and fields, providing food for Equestria's citizens. If the need arose, they could aid in controlling the wilder elements of the land. Their natural born strength and sturdiness gave them an advantage against the more aggressive beasts, as well as taming some of the wilder forests, or habitating more aggressive wilderness. Many of us in the early days owed our survival to those few with the tenacity to make the previously unlivable parts of the country safe for us to live. Helped, in no small part of course, by the Pegasi.
The Pegasi, as you would expect, controlled the sky. It was their role to attempt tame the harsh weather patterns. They would herd the rain to the parts of the land that needed it most, ensuring that the earth pony's crops had the right nutrients to grow. Like the earth ponies it was also their role to keep control of the more aggressive elements of Equestria’s weather. Destroying the bigger storms and blizzards, and attempting to bring the seasons into some kind of cope-able rhythm. It mostly worked, the odd frost would ruin the occasional crop,sparking a bit of professional rivalry between the earth and sky races. But, all things considered, it was better than the alternative.
Overseeing the whole thing was the Unicorns. Their innate affinity for magic made them the perfect candidates for controlling the magical fields that swirled through the lands. Magic back then, you see, was a naturally occurring substance. And it flowed through everything, the plants, the rivers and even the animals. Occasionally this magic would spike creating a dangerous new element of nature, such as trees that could think for themselves, or a creature of a larger size or ferocity than usual. This was the role of the Unicorns, ensuring that these things did not affect the balance and status quo of the land. They would never kill them however. Unicorns, by nature, are more inquisitive. They would never destroy something if there was an opportunity that they could study it instead. This, as you could very well imagine, put them at odds with the two other races. It’s hard to have sympathy for a new kind of bird that can summon lightning, if it is eating your crops and making your job of controlling the storms even more complicated.
Controlling the magic of the land, however, was only part of the role that the unicorns had en-tasked themselves. For you see, early in the founding of Equestria, the Unicorns had found something wonderful. A tree buried beneath the earth, a tree of almost incomprehensible power. With gems embedded within its trunk and branches, and a beautiful pink star set in the middle. The tree was dubbed the Tree of Harmony, because of the great sense of positivity that seemed to radiate out from it. A magic that seemed to grow stronger when already positive energy, from ponies, was presented in front of it. The unicorns had dedicated themselves to the study and protection of this tree, in the hopes that one day they could harness it’s magic. For the benefit of all pony kind, of course
Naturally, as you would expect, they gave this role to the wisest of all the ponies alive at that time. And there was none wiser than the great Starswirl the Bearded… Yes, that one. Starswirl dedicated most of his time to the protection and study of the ''Tree of Harmony'', learning all that he could from it, living in a castle that had been erected above the cave in which the tree dwelt. Ponies would come from all over the land to see the tree and, on occasion, seek His opinion on all kinds of matters from land disputes to settling petty squabbles. His wise guidance, coupled with the positive energy from the tree, was usually enough to make the ponies more cooperative. As such most disputes were settled with both parties satisfied. Even the three races prospective rulers would seek his guidance on occasion. After a while, it was generally accepted that Starswirl’s say was the final one. He was, all but officially, accepted as ruler of Equestria. A role that he would never have admitted to possessing, but which was his nonetheless. Starswirl ‘’ruled’’ with honour and Equestria was all the better for him.
But Starswirl knew this couldn’t last forever, that he couldn’t last forever, and he would need to pass his knowledge and magic to the next generation of ponies so that the whole world may continue benefit from the Tree of Harmony. And so it was that he decided to take students under his tutelage. Many came from across the land to train under the Great Wizard, but only a small few were selected. Two of which were the remarkably gifted unicorns; Sunny Shines, and her little sister Moon Dream. Starswirl did have other students but unfortunately their names have been lost to the annuls of history. He endeavoured to teach these students all that he knew about magic and harmony, lessons which they were eager to learn. Over time his prodigies began to look at each other as more than just classmates. They became the best of friends, and closest of family, learning together and playing together. Starswirl loved them all like his own children, and they loved him in return. But as is the way with any story it can’t always be sunshine and rainbows, something always comes along to spoil the fun.
A great centaur named Tirek had heard about the powerful magic that coursed through the lands, and the denizens that lived there, and had arrived in Equestria with intent to steal that magic and make it his own. And while Starswirl, and Tirek’s own brother Scorpan, were able to imprison the outsmart the monster and banish him to the plains of Tartarus, it was too late. The land had lost most of its natural magic, and began to fall into ruin. The sun, which had been held in the sky by the magic that flowed through the land, could no longer create the light and warmth the world so desperately needed and began to fall over the horizon. Equestria was plunged into it’s first and most terrible night. Terrible storms raged as the plants and creatures began to die. Even the combined efforts of all three races could not stem the tide and it became apparent that soon the world would be no more. But all hope was not yet lost. As Starswirl’s two students, Sunny Shines and Moon Dream, were about to take their stand.
Sunny, whose talent for fire magic, it was said, was matched only by her warmth and compassion for others, became distraught by this horrific turn of events. She could not simply stand by and watch as ponies everywhere suffered. Fuelled by this, she used her talents, inspired by her cutie mark (Which strangely enough was of the sun itself, symbolising her kind nature as a warm light for the everypony to share) to catch hold of the falling sun and, with a not inconsiderable effort, hauled it back into the sky. Though greatly weakened by Tirek's greed, the sun was still large enough in expanse to cover the land in its warmth and light. It was a start, but it wasn’t enough. She could only give light to a small part of the world but not it all, and even then she could not hold the sun forever. Eventually it would fall again. And the storms would return.
Moon Dream, a little filly whose smile could light the darkest of days, was nowhere near as powerful as her elder sister, but she was still determined to help in any way she could. She could see how much pain it was causing her sister. And was determined to do what she could to alleviate her suffering.  Using all the artistic talents she possessed, began to decorate the darkness. Little twinkling lights were spread out across the sky, inspired by the glittering of her adopted father’s beard, to create a beautiful canvas of patterns and shapes which she called ‘’stars’’. But the masterstroke of this canvas was her ‘Moon’, a vast mirrored orb that would hover in the sky and reflect the light of her sister’s Sun, to the places it could not reach. Whilst it would never provide much in the way of warmth or light, like it's great sibling, it proved more than sufficient for it’s purpose. Hope was restored to the hearts and minds of the ponies and, like the windigoes before them, the storms were driven back. Equestria would once again know peace.
However it takes a great deal of magic to keep such great wonders of the sky to their intended purpose; and the sisters, much like Starswirl and the tree before them, would have to dedicate their entire lives to their care. But Sunny Shines and Moon Dream did not falter, they would guide their charges around the world and share it in equal measure with all the creatures who lived upon it’s surface, for as long as it took. Because in the end that was all that truly mattered, the happiness of others.
The tree of harmony, charged by such compassion, began to pulse with great energy. These two sisters had achieved a magic greater than had ever been seen before, and had restored Harmony to Equestria, not for personal gain, but the benefit of others. The sisters had  proved that they were ready for a higher form of magic, and the world was ready for a different kind of being. The two sisters were granted with even greater power so as to fulfil their newly given role with ease, as well as a vastly extended lifespan so that they may continue their task, till such a time as the sun was once again strong enough to shine alone. Which would not happen for thousands of years, such was The Demon's damage. It was a formidable task, which lay ahead of them, a role which the two sisters happily accepted and embraced. And the ponies of Equestria embraced them too. They were crowned as princesses, a title only befitting for the saviours of Equestria. Sunny Shines was crowned The Celestial Princess, and Moon Dream, the Lunar Princess. Under their guidance, the world entered into a new golden age of prosperity, where everypony was equal as symbolised by the trinity of races in it’s rulers. Unicorn, Pegasus, and Earth Pony, together in harmony, The Alicorn.
The final symbol, however was still yet to come. In the days following the ascension of ‘’Celestia’’ and ‘’Luna’’, as the sisters were now being called, a new star had appeared in the night sky. A star unique in that it glowed a lot brighter than the others.  Nopony, not even Luna, knows how it got there, but most believe that it was placed there by the Tree of Harmony. In no small part because it glows the most dazzling shade of violet, almost identical to the star at the centre of the tree. It is the first star to appear in the evening, and the last star to disappear at night. And always hovers over where our princesses reside. For this reason the ponies of the age dubbed it the ‘’Alicorn Star’’, and for many it is seen as a symbol of hope. For if they can see the Star they knew they were safe, that they were home. And that all was well…


And for you, I'm afraid, it is time for bed... No, I have kept you awake long enough. I can almost feel the stern glare from your mother if she knew you'd been awake this long. Now off to bed... your Grandpa needs his rest. Sleep well, my little pony, and remember. As you look outside your window tonight, and see the Alicorn Star shining in the night sky, know that the princesses are safe. And as long as that is the case, Equestria will always know Harmony...



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“I’m tellin’ you this cloud is gettin’ HEAVIER!”
“And I’m telling you to clouds don’t have weight. That’s how they float!”
“Well this one does! And it’s gettin’ Heavier”

Gail force placed her face in her hooves, then stared up at the night sky. Her team had been going like this for hours. Why had she agreed to take this job? She could have been home in bed?
Oh yeah. She needed the bits.
But she was starting to wonder if she really needed them all that badly. Yes, the return of Tirek had done a number on Equestria’s Eco-system and now the natural weather wasn’t working properly anymore, Equestrian weather was  almost 100% Cloudsdale produced now. The production factories were now working 24-hours to keep up with demand. But his defeat was over a year ago now, surely the princesses could have done something by now to get it back on track. There was 4 of them. However the princesses just kept reassuring everypony that this situation was only temporary. It would re-adjust itself in time, as it had before.
But it hadn’t yet. And now Gail Force and her team were transporting a storm cloud to Canterlot in the middle of the night, so that the capital could have it’s scheduled storm in the morning. And now her team were fighting! However that wasn’t the reason Gail Force wanted to be at home in bed. She had dealt with fighting colleagues before. It was best to just ignore them, like annoying gusts of wind. No, this was something else, a feeling.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong

Sandy Hurricane, a dust coloured Pegasus with a tornado cutie mark, scoffed at her colleague, a silvery white stallion Pegasus, “Well, Silver, maybe if you did more pushing and less complaining the cloud might get lighter then, mightn’t it!”
Silver Lining made a rude gesture at Sandy, “I’m pushin’ plenty, it’s Nimbus that isn’t pullin’ his weight…” he looked around, “Hang on a sec, where is Nimbus!?”
There was a rustling amongst the cotton of the cloud and a teal head with a blonde mane emerged and looked around. “Huh,” said Swift Nimbus, rubbing his eyes, “Are we there yet?”
This was too much for Sandy Hurricane to bear. “You were asleep. In the cloud?!” she seethed, smoke flaring from her nostrils, “How long have you been in there for?”
Silver Lining was looking victorious, “HA! I knew the cloud was heavier!” he cheered, pointing a hoof at Sandy. “Told Ya”
Nimbus, however, simply shrugged, “I dunno,” he mumbled in answer to Sandy’s question. “ I guess I got tired at around Midnight and thought I’d take a quick nap, no bigg..he” He stifled a yawn, then noticed the look on her face, “Why, what time is it?” He had a sudden realisation of his own mortality.
“It’s 5 o’clock in the morning. The sun will be up in an hour!!” Sandy was snarling now, her face within inches of Swift’s, “Do you realise that we have got to have this cloud in Canterlot in two hours! This is the first storm they have had in Three Months. They cannot miss this one. The royal gardens are beginning to dry up!” Her face had gone Mahogany now, “Do you want to be the one to explain that to the princesses? Cos I sure…”
“What time is it!?”
Sandy looked around at Gail Force, still fuming. ”I said it’s 5 o’clock,” she turned back to Swift Nimbus, continuing her tirade, “And if you hadn’t been slacking off we could have been there by now…”
But Gail Force wasn’t listening anymore. Her eyes were frantically scanning the skyline. She knew that something was wrong, but just couldn’t put her hoof on what, it took her colleague telling her the time for to realise what it was. And it was bad!
“We need to get to Canterlot,” Gail exclaimed suddenly, letting go of the storm cloud, “NOW!”
Sandy looked around, annoyed “That’s what I’ve been saying, if these two!” she pointed at Silver Lining and Swift Nimbus, “Had done less moaning and more pushing…”
Now it was Gail’s turn to be annoyed, “Leave the cloud! We need to get to the city and speak to the princesses before sunrise!”
If it was possible for Sandy Hurricane to be more angry, she was now. “And what,” she asked, crossing her hooves, she wasn’t even worried she was talking to her superior.  “is so important it can’t wait until after we get to Canterlot anyway in a few hours, therefore still keeping our jobs?”
Gail Force looked back up at the night sky, she should have seen it by now, “Because the Alicorn Star is Gone!!”
The four weather ponies abandoned the cloud and made their way straight to Canterlot as fast as their wings could carry them. Maybe some things are worth losing your jobs over.
> First Impressions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Birthright: Chapter 2
First Impressions


It was a beautiful day in Ponyville. It was always a beautiful day in Ponyville. Maybe they had put something in the water. She wouldn’t put it past them. Everyone was so happy here all the time. Maybe it was Pinkie? Yeah probably Pinkie. Starlight Glimmer had a habit of thinking about things like this when she went out for a walk alone. There wasn’t exactly much else to do but think on a day like today. She didn’t much feel like talking to anypony else. Not that there was anything inherently wrong with talking to other ponies, she just didn’t feel like it at the moment.
Double Diamond and Night Glider hadn’t answered her letters, and she was worried. Some would argue that she was worrying over nothing, and that could very well be true. But when your “pen-pal's”, from the town that you once ruled with an iron hoof, stop replying to your letters, what else are you supposed to do? Suppose that they had decided that she wasn’t worth talking to after all? She couldn’t blame them. If someone had done to her what she had attempted to do to them, she wouldn’t be much inclined to be pen-pals with them either. Twilight had told her not to worry. “Their letters are probably just lost in the mail” she had said. And Starlight might have been inclined to agree, if only one of them had stopped replying. But both? What were the odds of that?!  And it had been a month, even the Ponyville postal service wasn’t that bad. And so, she worried
Starlight looked around her, she had wandered into the park. There were ponies sitting enjoying the weather on the grass. Talking, playing, and enjoying picnics. This was the park where she and Trixie had first performed in ‘The Great and Humble Trixie’s Equestrian Apology Tour (working title)’. That had been a good day. The first real friend that she had made since she was a filly. Starlight’s ears sagged as she resumed her walk. She wished Trixie was here, but she was travelling. She had resumed her apology tour now that the fiasco with the changelings was over. Starlight knew why she had gone, she also had ponies that she needed to make amends to, But she could just really use a bit of company to take her mind off things. Somepony who understood.
“Oh. My. Gosh! Is That Starlight Glimmer?!”
Starlight looked up. In fact a lot of ponies looked up. The speaker seemed to have no issue with being heard. She was standing about ten yards away from starlight in the middle of the grass. She was a Unicorn with a deep orchid colour, and a long, almost pure white mane that was flowing in the light breeze. She was smiling the largest smile Starlight had ever seen outside of a certain pink pony.
“It IS!! It’s Starlight Glimmer! Oh Wow! Starlight, How are you?!” The strange pony was almost shrieking as she made her way towards Starlight. “I haven’t seen you in, like, forever. What are the odds that you would be, like, here. Of all places?!”
“Well, this is where I live, so... Here I am” Starlight laughed nervously, looking around her, everypony was looking at the two of them in confusion. She had absolutely no idea who this pony was. “I’m really sorry but…”
“You have absolutely no idea who I am do you?” The strange mare threw her head back and laughed, as though ponies frequently forgot who she was almost every day. “Don’t worry. I’m not, like, a con-pony who’s going to hustle ya out of a few bits. It’s me, Evangeline,” she smiled, “we met at Princess Twilight’s lecture on cutie-mark magic.”
Starlight was taken aback. That was over a year ago now… Had it really been that long? She thought back to that day. “Evangeline…” Then it hit her. “Of course! Evangeline!” she remembered the whole event. In hindsight, it was quite difficult to forget a mare like Evangeline Blossom…


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Starlight Glimmer had only attended the lecture because she happened to be in Canterlot at the time. When she was caught sneaking around in the Starswirl wing of the Library, she needed an excuse for being there. So she told the guard that she had gotten turned around looking for the lecture hall after forgetting her notes. The guard then kindly offered to escort her there himself so she wouldn’t get lost again. She had no choice but to accept his offer, otherwise it would look suspicious. Fortunately she had managed to acquire what she had came for, before she was interrupted. Starswirl’s time dilation spell was safely in her bags. Her plan could be set in motion whenever she felt like. What harm could it do now to have one final gloat before she unravelled Twilight Sparkle’s world around her. Victory was sweetest when your prey knows that you’re coming. She allowed herself a little chuckle as she made her way towards the lecture hall.
The students were still filing their way into the hall when Starlight arrived, which was convenient. It allowed her to slip in virtually unnoticed. The last thing she wanted was to explain to somepony what she was actually doing there. As she looked around she realised she needn’t have worried. Twilight wasn’t even here yet. No doubt the ’princess’ wanted to make a grand entrance at the beginning of her lecture. In Starlight’s eyes Twilight was just arrogant enough for such a thing. She clearly had been here, though. Her dragon was busy adjusting the slides on a projector at the front of the hall, and there was a large screen set up at the back of the room. Starlight ducked her head and made her way to the back of the hall. She didn’t want Twilight to know she was here. Not yet.
The Hall was almost full by this point and there was only a few spaces left. The back row was completely full, so that was out of the question. There was, however, a space left in one of the centre rows. Though, Starlight noticed as she sidled towards it, somepony seemed to have hastily drawn up a reserved sign and placed it on the seat. She noted this as oddly hopeful. She wasn’t aware you could actually reserve lecture hall seating. The pony sitting in the space next to it, however, had noticed Starlight looking. She smiled and gestured towards it.
“It’s fine” said the mare, still smiling, “my friend was supposed to be coming with me today. But she, like, couldn’t make it. Sit down”
Starlight mutters her thanks as she sits down, and begins to look around the hall again. She supposed this position will do fine. She is completely surrounded by ponies chattering to one another. Nopony would notice her unless they were specifically looking for her. She could relax.
“You don’t go to this school” stated a voice beside her. It wasn’t a question. 
Starlight immediately tensed up again, as she looked round. The pony on her right was still smiling at her.
“What do you mean?” she asked. More importantly, she thought, how does she know?
The mare however just bursts into melodious laughter. “Ahahaha… Oh my Gosh! You should see your face!” she points at starlight, and in slightly quieter tones, continues, “don’t worry I won’t, like, tell anypony. It’s just that you, like, didn’t arrive with anypony, and you've spent all your time in here, like, watching to make sure nopony can see you. That suggests somepony who, like, doesn’t belong.” Her speech had a strange sense of amusement about it, as though she found everything funny.
The strange pony edges closer to Starlight, glancing around conspiratorially, “It’s okay,” she whispers from behind her hoof, “If anypony asks, you came here with me.” She gives Starlight a small wink. 
Starlight smiles nervously, “er… Thanks?”
The odd mare giggles,”Like, No problem,” she says, straightening up, “My names Evangeline Blossom,” she holds out her hoof for Starlight to shake, “but most people call me Lilly.” Evangeline sat staring at Starlight, clearly expecting her introduction.
“Starlight Glimmer” she states reluctantly. She guesses she owes this pony that much. She did not shake her hoof
“Awesome, it’s, like, good to meet you Starlight Glimmer,” smiled Lilly. Does this girl ever stop smiling, thought Starlight. ”So, if you’re, like, not here for the lecture. What are you here for?”
Starlight was taken aback by the question, who did this pony think she is? Prying into others personal matters. But before she could say anything, Lilly looked back towards the front and screamed.
“Oh. My. GOSH!! There She Is!” Lilly was pointing to the front of the hall, where Twilight Sparkle had just entered from a side door, carrying a stack of cards and a book, with her magic. Starlight was pleased to note that she looked stressed
“Good Day Everypony,” greeted Twilight, looking over the hall of ponies, “Thank You for coming.” she turned away from the crowd to place the book on a table set to the side.
Beside Starlight, Lilly didn’t seem to be able to contain her excitement. “YOU ROCK PRINCESS TWILIGHT!!” she screamed, throwing her hooves in the air.
She was so loud that Starlight had to duck her head and cover her ears, which was fortunate, because Twilight had nearly dropped her cards in shock as she turned to see who shouted. Her dragon, Spike, sniggered. Twilight couldn’t see who shouted.
“Er… Thank You” she said, shuffling through her now muddled notes. “Now, When Princess Celestia asked me to speak to you today, I was honoured to have the opportunity to talk about my favourite subject: magic…”
“Isn’t she, like, amazing?” sighed Lilly, gazing at Twilight. “I can’t believe I’m actually in the same room as Princess Twilight Sparkle”
“Personally, I don’t think she’s all that great.” muttered Starlight, sitting up. She was starting to regret sitting next to this pony.
Lilly seemed to have heard her, “Of course she is great,” Lilly exclaimed, staring at Starlight in horror, “She’s a Princess! That makes her great, like, by default!” she said it like this information was obvious.
"The princesses aren't all that..."
“That’s not even including all the times that her and her friends have saved equestria,” she continued, ignoring Starlight, “Nightmare Moon, Chrysalis, Tirek!  That makes her, like, double great.”
“All the time she says she’s saved Equestria.” muttered Starlight under her breath. Once again Lilly still seemed to have heard her.
“Even so, she’s still awesome” said Lilly, waving off Starlight’s statement. “They say that she only became a princess because she, like, solved one of Starswirl’s most difficult spells. Can you imagine that? You perform a complicated bit of magic, and, like, poof you're a princess?” she sighed, staring off into the distance, “I wish I was a princess…”
Starlight didn’t know if it was just the lighting of the room, but Lilly’s golden eyes seemed to glow slightly as she stared longingly into nothingness.
“I think there is a little more to being a princess than just casting a difficult spell.” said Starlight sceptically, thinking of her own spell, “There’d be a lot more princesses around if that was the case.”
“Yeah. You’re right…” sighed Lilly, her ears going limp as she hung her head. “It’s probably got, like, something to do with destiny as well. I mean, all of the princesses do have cutie marks connected to their rule, so it might, like, have something to do with that…”
In spite of herself Starlight actually turned to face Lilly at this statement.
“What do you mean, their cutie-marks are connected?”
“Well, yeah,” said Lilly, brushing her mane from her eyes, “haven’t you ever noticed that the princesses cutie-marks line up perfectly with their chosen “kingdoms”.” she raised her hoof as though to count them off, “According to the old tales, Princess Celestia and Luna had sun and moon marks, even before their ascension ; Princess Cadence is a Heart; and Princess Twilight. Well, it, like, can’t be coincidence that her cutie-mark is identical to most depictions of the Element of Magic!” Lilly looked at Starlight with a look of dawning realization, “It’s almost as though the Princesses are predetermined according to their cutie-mark…”
Starlight looked away from Lilly, thinking about what she had said. She had never thought about it like that. Though, she thought, that’s just another reason why they’re nothing but trouble. That would mean that some ponies are just chosen to be better than others. How was that fair. It wasn’t even about “talent”, some would just be superior by fate? Nopony is truly equal in a world like that. It was more important than ever, that Starlight complete her task. She would free everypony from this tyranny. Only when Cutie marks were gone completely, would everypony truly be happy.
It dawned to Starlight that Lilly was still talking, oblivious that she was no longer listening. She had somehow gotten onto the subject of her own cutie-mark.
“...I mean if that’s the case. I’m, like, even less likely to turn out to be a secret princess. Not with a mark like mine,” Lilly gestured down at her flank.
At first it didn’t even look to Starlight like she had one but, upon further inspection, she noticed the tiny golden star in the top corner. Barely larger than a tack, it could almost be mistaken for a smudge, or fleck of paint, unless you actually knew what you were looking at. It was quite detailed, as marks go, with a quite striking colour, and what looks like electricity coursing around it. But there was just no getting away from it’s size. It was indeed, not a very regal mark.
“Daddy always said that it was because I was his ‘little bright spark’,” she continued, “but still. it’s , like, soo small! Not cool like other pony’s.” Lilly lowered her voice, as though speaking some unspoken truth. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t have it.”
Against her best efforts, Starlight found herself actually feeling sorry for this pony. Here was a mare who, like her, had drawn a short straw of life, through no fault of her own. All due to the cruelty of so called ‘cutie-mark magic’. This was a pony who could understand.
“I feel the same way,” she said, in an effort to cheer her up, “In my experience, cutie-marks have always brought nothing but trouble.” she attempted a smile at Lilly, placing a hoof on her shoulder, “personally I think everypony would be a lot happier without them. Without such a clear mark of everypony's differences branded upon them.”
To Starlight’s surprise however, Lilly was laughing again. Her silver mane was thrown back as she cried at the heavens.
“Ahaha… No, that’s not what I meant at all,” Lilly was laughing so hard she was crying. Wiping the tears from her eyes and pushing her hair back, she continued, “I would never actually give up my cutie-mark. I mean, if anything it is, like, totally unique. No, It’s just that sometimes I do wish I had, like, a much cooler one, you know?”
This pony was really starting to get on Starlight’s nerves now. It was like she was intentionally trying to annoy her. She especially didn’t like having her beliefs laughed at. She took her hoof from her shoulder and turned away from the stage to face Lilly.
“But you just said yourself that some ponies have better talents to others, because of nothing more than destiny. Why do we let who is superior be dictated by something as insignificant as a mark?” For some reason, it had become very important to Starlight that this pony be made to understand. “Wouldn’t it be better if they were just taken away? If everypony was equal, then nopony would be better than anypony else.”
Lilly just snorted again, “No offence Starlight,” she said, looking at her like she had just told her the sky was green, “but your idea sounds, like, super boring. What fun would there be in everypony being exactly the same?”
Before Starlight could answer however, an infuriated student from the row in front, turned face them.
“Do you mind!” he hissed, “Some of us would actually like to hear what the princess has to…”
“Hey, how about you mind,” Lilly hissed back, leaning forward so that her face was inches from his, “we are having a conversation. If you can’t hear the princess for us, then you need a hearing test. Not a course in magic!”
This actually caused Starlight to snigger. It seems this pony has some fire in her. However, when she glanced to the front she gasped and ducked behind another pony.
She could have sworn Twilight had just looked right at her.
Starlight was confident that she had not gotten a good look at her. But Twilight had certainly stopped speaking, and seemed to be scanning the crowd. As though looking for something, or somepony After a few moments she seemed to give up and reshuffled her notes.
“But… um… the real question about cutie mark magic is who it seems to affect…”
That was too close. Starlight had to get out of here now.
“Seriously, like, how rude!” said Lilly, straightening up, the other pony seemed to have turned to face the front again, she turned back to Starlight “So… you, like,... never told me why you were here?”
Starlight was still watching Twilight to see if she would look again. It took a moment for her to realise what Lilly had said. “Huh.. what?” she looked past her towards the exit, it was a straight shot from here. “I’m sorry,” she said, trying her best to look disappointed. It wasn’t working, “But I’ve just remembered that I have to be… someplace else.”
Lilly, however, did look disappointed. “Oh… okay” she said, crestfallen, “I guess I’ll see you around…?”
“Yeah sure,” Starlight was already halfway along the aisle, “around.” 
Once she was safely out of the lecture hall Starlight allowed herself a moment to breath. That was a close one. She had almost allowed herself to get caught. At this, the most crucial of junctures. When she was so close to her goal. What if Twilight had seen her? Months of planning would be up in smoke. All because she had allowed herself to be distracted by that… idiotic mare, who couldn’t seem to get her own opinions in order. She felt a small twinge of guilt at the thought of how she had just walked out on somepony just trying to be friendly, but she quickly squashed it. It was not her problem to worry about the feelings of somepony else. She had more important things to worry about.
Starlight set off at a run, through Canterlot, towards the train station. With any luck there would be a train to Ponyville soon, and she could get there before Twilight finished her lecture. She had the final preparations to make at the castle before she arrived. But really, there was no rush. Not now. After all, Starlight grinned at the thought, she had all the time in the world.
However, one thing was certain. If she ever met that Evangeline again, it would be too soon…


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 


...Funny how things turn out
“Oh my gosh, I mean this is, like, so weird. That I would see you again today, of all days,” Lilly was beaming from ear to ear. She was looking at Starlight like she was greeting a childhood friend,she pulled her in for a hug, “Oh, but it’s soo good to see you. Seriously how have you been? It’s been, like, ages. Literally!”
“I’ve been… good,” said Starlight, returning the hug, surprised by how genuinely pleased she was to see Evangeline again. Good was an understatement, so much had happened since she had last spoken to this mare. It was like she was an entirely different pony. “Actually I’ve been great. I mean… it’s just good to see you again. But, what are you doing here in Ponyville?”
“Oh, like, nothing much really…” said Lilly, pushing her mane out of her eyes,as she finally pulled away “It just, like, dawned on me that I have never been and I thought “Lilly, you should, like, totally go and visit Ponyville. It will be fun. And, like, who knows? You might even bump into Princess Twilight!” And so here I am. But I never thought in, like, a million moon’s that I would bump into you here. It’s like “trip, totally, worth it”.”
“Well, like I say, this is where I live now,” said Starlight. She was still feeling guilty about the way she had spoken to Lilly when they first met. But she was acting as though she hadn’t even noticed. Either that or she was just not saying. Either way Starlight felt that she needed to make it up to her. And she had an idea how. “I’ve, actually lived here for just over a year now”
Lilly smiled even wider, “Really, like, that is so cool. You can, like, show me around then,” she said, her horn shimmered with a faint golden light as she pulled out a map and lay it on the grass. She sat down next to it, motioning for Starlight to join her, which she did. She had circled certain places on the map in what appears to be pink crayon. “I want to, like, see everything while I’m here. Like Sugarcube Corner, the Boutique and the Castle...” She turned to face Starlight. An excited, yet pleading look in her eyes “Have you been to the castle? Is it as beautiful as it looks in all the pictures? I haven’t had the chance to see it yet… well I, like, saw it on the way here on the train but, like, that doesn’t count. That’s, like, actually where I was going when I saw you.”
Now it is Starlight’s turn to smile. “Actually…yes, I have seen it.” she can’t wait to see Lilly’s face, “It’s where I live.” 
Lilly just looked at Starlight, “What do you mean?” her smile still fixed as she tried to register what she had been told, “How can you live at the castle?”
“Well… it's kind of of the reason I’m here,” explained Starlight, grinning wider, This is going to blow her mind, “ because I live in Ponyville as Princess Twilight’s personal student.”
But Lilly continued to look at her in confusion. Her expression then turned to one of suspicion and amusement. She squinted at Starlight and leaned forward, “Are you making fun of me?” she asked smirking, “come on Starlight, I’m not that gullible.”
Starlight just continued to smile in silence as she watched Lilly’s face, waiting for the bit to drop. Lilly spent a few more moments scrutinising her face, as though looking for a crack in the facade. Finally, realisation dawned, followed by yet more confusion. “You do know the Princess. But… how?...when?”
Starlight’s smile fell somewhat, she didn’t want to get into that story. “That doesn’t matter,” she said changing the topic, “the real question is, would you like to meet her?”
Lilly was taken aback by the question. Excited, she asked, “What, like, now?”
“If you’d like”
“But… won’t she be, like, busy doing, like, princess stuff?”
“She wasn’t when I left”
“So we could just, like, go see her?”
“Sure”
“We could just walk into the castle, and just be like, “Hi Princess Twilight”
Starlight was grinning now, “Yep”
If it was possible for somepony like Evangeline to get more excited, she was now. “Oh. My. Gosh!” she screamed, jumping to her hooves. “This is, like, totally the best day ever. First I find you, and now I’m going to see Princess… Oh no!” Lilly turned back to Starlight, a look of pure horror on her face, emphasized by her pure white mane, which was hanging in front of it. Giving her an almost ghostly appearance.“I am, like, totally not dressed for this! I haven’t, like, had my hair done, or anything. What would the princess think?!”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” smiled Starlight, slowly getting to her hooves too. “Twilight is pretty informal. I don’t think she’ll mind” 
“Wow…” gasped Lilly, staring at Starlight as she pushed her mane out of her face.
Starlight looked around her confused. “What?”
“You just called Princess Twilight, like, just Twilight. Are you, like, allowed to do that?” she stared at Starlight with a mix of admiration and awe.
Starlight chuckled in surprise. “Well yeah,” she said, amused by how surprising this seemed, “I mean she is my friend. It would be pretty weird to go around calling her Princess all the time."
Lilly stared at her for a second, then her expression changed to one of complete seriousness. “Right,” she said, “I want details, like, right now! How and when did all this happen?”
“Well… it’s kind of a long story” said Starlight, avoiding Lilly’s gaze, rubbing the back of her head.
“It’s okay,” smiled Lilly,as she started walking towards the entrance of the park. “You can tell me on the way”
Starlight just sighed, she will have to tell her this story eventually. Better sooner than later. “Okay, fine. I actually became her student the day we met. Just shortly after I left her lecture…”
“Really…?” probed Lilly “,but you had said that you, like, hated the princesses. How did you, like, go from that to studying under one?”
“Well… lets just say I had a change of heart…”
And so Starlight began to tell Evangeline the whole story, as they set off towards Twilight’s castle. She told her about her Town, why she had attended Twilight's Lecture, and about Twilight taking Starlight under her wing, to teach her about friendship. Lilly was a good listener, gasping in awe, and asking further questions where necessary, she didn't seem to think any less of Starlight upon hearing what she had done. Neither of them were paying much attention to the ponies around them as they made their way along the path. The other bystanders having lost interest in their conversation a long time ago.  If they had been looking though, they may have seen the lone figure standing in the shade of a tree, watch them leave. The onlooker, shrouded in a cloak a little too thick considering the warm weather, waited a few moments in case either of them came back, then set off in the same direction.