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Description
So nice to be able to supplement my lack of digital art with this traditional artwork! This one took a few hours over the course of my work week. The story I did just today; I hope you like it!
Starlight never lost the ability to travel through time; but Twilight didn’t need to know that. She was the one who modified Starswirl’s temporal relocation spell and she could rewrite that scroll just as easily. She didn’t want to mess up time again– no, she already caused far too much trouble; she was going to make amends. Her latest visit was the wasteland, the worst outcome Equestria would ever suffer if she interrupted that race. One could argue that such a place didn’t exist anymore becauce Rainbow Dash had won that race. But Starlight had already sabotaged that race several times and the outcome was there, a pony would only have to be able to access it.
Starlight choked on the dust in the dry wind that threatened to line her lungs. Just about every day, she would search the dust-plagued plains that were once what was supposed to be Ponyville, looking for signs of life– a pony, a squirrel or bird, even a blasted bug would do. Yet she scoured miles of land only to find nothing whatsoever. What would she even say if she found anypony? She had a formal apology she had practiced as she was looking, would she use it? Would she let them beat her up for some small vindication? Would she put herself into a lifetime of servitude just to make up for what she did?
…Did she even want to find anypony at all?
No, of course she did. For now, she was going to move up the mountain to search what was left of Canterlot–
“Whatever you’re looking for, try the everfree,” a voice behind her said.
Starlight’s head shot around. Before her eyes was the last pony she thought she’d see. Princess Celestia of Equestria was there, scarred and beaten but still there and mostly whole “Y-Your Majesty?!”
“I have been watching you around here,” she said, her good eye focused on her as she applied most of her weight on her left side. “You have been searching this place every day; but for what I wonder?”
Starlight gulped, bowing. “I’ve been looking for any sign of life, your majesty… to maybe see that something was still there… for some closure.”
“Oh please, my little pony,” she gently chided, walking closer with a noticeable limp, “I’m not exactly a princess anymore. My kingdom consists of a small house with just a few ponies, some barely clinging to life. You insult yourself by saying you’re less than a governess.” Scars decorated her body in several places, especially on her flank, like some creature tore her cutie-marks right off. “But enough of that. What do you want closure from?” Starlight had a formal apology practiced, all in her head ready to be spoken. To be heard. But the scarred alicorn’s eyes looked into hers, that piercing gaze daring her to make some sort of excuse. She crumbled under it. Where was this pony when she was trying to ruin Twilight’s life?
She told her everything. Sunburst unintentionally forgetting about his closest friend. Starlight’s father never treating her like anything but a little filly, making her walk out on him. Gaining her cutie-mark and only resenting her talent coming too late for entry into Celestia’s school. Trying to start a town where nopony would have to suffer the same problem she did. Twilight and her friends undermining the town. Her quick escape and subsequent stalking of Twilight for weeks before she made a move to kill the only chance Twilight’s friends would ever meet. She said she did it over and over, not knowing she was subjecting Twilight to terrible futures every time she did so. She didn’t believe that Twilight and her friends were responsible for Equestria’s safety… until Twilight showed her the terrible reality she was in now.
“I-if I could do anything to save this place,” she sobbed, “I would, and I would for every single one of those realities I caused because I thought Twilight’s pleas were nothing but egotistical gloating!” Through her entire confession, she didn’t dare look the alicorn in her eyes, prone on the dusty ground at her hooves. “I’m so sorry your majesty… I don’t deserve forgiveness, and it would be better if you just killed me right now.” Squeezing her puffy eyes closed, she prepared for the princess’ wrath, be that a loud voice, beating or even death.
That wrath never came. “Starlight Glimmer… For your crimes against my country, you’re forgiven.”
Starlight lifted her head, confused. “I… I don’t understand!”
Celestia softly smiled, setting herself down in front of her. “For the past six years, I have been working to preserve the lives of every creature, be they good or bad. So many lives were destroyed after Nightmare Moon returned. I’ve had to do so many terrible thing s to save my ponies, and it still wasn’t enough.” Starlight was astonished to see that Celestia too was crying. “I’ve had to kill my own sister to save her from the nightmare. I had to kill Discord, and lost my eye for it. My niece died because of the changeling Queen, so I had to kill her too. Tirek destroyed the entirety of Equestria and most of its population… so I killed him too.”
Celestia leaned over, holding Starlight close. “I’m tired of killing, Starlight… would you be my friend?”
Starlight was at a complete loss of words.
Starlight never lost the ability to travel through time; but Twilight didn’t need to know that. She was the one who modified Starswirl’s temporal relocation spell and she could rewrite that scroll just as easily. She didn’t want to mess up time again– no, she already caused far too much trouble; she was going to make amends. Her latest visit was the wasteland, the worst outcome Equestria would ever suffer if she interrupted that race. One could argue that such a place didn’t exist anymore becauce Rainbow Dash had won that race. But Starlight had already sabotaged that race several times and the outcome was there, a pony would only have to be able to access it.
Starlight choked on the dust in the dry wind that threatened to line her lungs. Just about every day, she would search the dust-plagued plains that were once what was supposed to be Ponyville, looking for signs of life– a pony, a squirrel or bird, even a blasted bug would do. Yet she scoured miles of land only to find nothing whatsoever. What would she even say if she found anypony? She had a formal apology she had practiced as she was looking, would she use it? Would she let them beat her up for some small vindication? Would she put herself into a lifetime of servitude just to make up for what she did?
…Did she even want to find anypony at all?
No, of course she did. For now, she was going to move up the mountain to search what was left of Canterlot–
“Whatever you’re looking for, try the everfree,” a voice behind her said.
Starlight’s head shot around. Before her eyes was the last pony she thought she’d see. Princess Celestia of Equestria was there, scarred and beaten but still there and mostly whole “Y-Your Majesty?!”
“I have been watching you around here,” she said, her good eye focused on her as she applied most of her weight on her left side. “You have been searching this place every day; but for what I wonder?”
Starlight gulped, bowing. “I’ve been looking for any sign of life, your majesty… to maybe see that something was still there… for some closure.”
“Oh please, my little pony,” she gently chided, walking closer with a noticeable limp, “I’m not exactly a princess anymore. My kingdom consists of a small house with just a few ponies, some barely clinging to life. You insult yourself by saying you’re less than a governess.” Scars decorated her body in several places, especially on her flank, like some creature tore her cutie-marks right off. “But enough of that. What do you want closure from?” Starlight had a formal apology practiced, all in her head ready to be spoken. To be heard. But the scarred alicorn’s eyes looked into hers, that piercing gaze daring her to make some sort of excuse. She crumbled under it. Where was this pony when she was trying to ruin Twilight’s life?
She told her everything. Sunburst unintentionally forgetting about his closest friend. Starlight’s father never treating her like anything but a little filly, making her walk out on him. Gaining her cutie-mark and only resenting her talent coming too late for entry into Celestia’s school. Trying to start a town where nopony would have to suffer the same problem she did. Twilight and her friends undermining the town. Her quick escape and subsequent stalking of Twilight for weeks before she made a move to kill the only chance Twilight’s friends would ever meet. She said she did it over and over, not knowing she was subjecting Twilight to terrible futures every time she did so. She didn’t believe that Twilight and her friends were responsible for Equestria’s safety… until Twilight showed her the terrible reality she was in now.
“I-if I could do anything to save this place,” she sobbed, “I would, and I would for every single one of those realities I caused because I thought Twilight’s pleas were nothing but egotistical gloating!” Through her entire confession, she didn’t dare look the alicorn in her eyes, prone on the dusty ground at her hooves. “I’m so sorry your majesty… I don’t deserve forgiveness, and it would be better if you just killed me right now.” Squeezing her puffy eyes closed, she prepared for the princess’ wrath, be that a loud voice, beating or even death.
That wrath never came. “Starlight Glimmer… For your crimes against my country, you’re forgiven.”
Starlight lifted her head, confused. “I… I don’t understand!”
Celestia softly smiled, setting herself down in front of her. “For the past six years, I have been working to preserve the lives of every creature, be they good or bad. So many lives were destroyed after Nightmare Moon returned. I’ve had to do so many terrible thing s to save my ponies, and it still wasn’t enough.” Starlight was astonished to see that Celestia too was crying. “I’ve had to kill my own sister to save her from the nightmare. I had to kill Discord, and lost my eye for it. My niece died because of the changeling Queen, so I had to kill her too. Tirek destroyed the entirety of Equestria and most of its population… so I killed him too.”
Celestia leaned over, holding Starlight close. “I’m tired of killing, Starlight… would you be my friend?”
Starlight was at a complete loss of words.
your current filter.I never even thought of her finding redemption in the ashlands timeline. that’s exactly what starlight would do, but… but you added so much story to that timeline. suddenly I… actually wonder what happens next. instead of just… dust, and more dust.
Ok. It tug on me string of heart. Nice quick read.