How'd You Get Your Name?

by Zenfire

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Philomena, Other, Random, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life
Length: 1469

The Young Alicorn Princesses ask Princess Platinum how she got her name. Her First Name.

Princess Platinum cannot be her full name. Can it? It's not.

Philomena. Philomena Platinum. That is her full name.

But why?

The Two Young Princesses ask to find out, and are told a story told to an old Friend many years ago.

Sorry for massive delays on other Story.
This is just a Short One Shot made out of the blue when thinking about names different characters could have, specifically ones from Equestria's founding.

I do not own My Little Pony Friendship is Magic.

Published 2016-03-16 12:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2016-03-16 12:20:03 UTC

Philomena

Inside the Royal Canterlot Castle, Princess Platinum stood in the Garden, looking up and watching the clouds. The bright sun shone upon her Light Platinum, almost White coat. Her Silvery Hair and Violet eyes matched the beauty of her being. She wore her usually Purple Dress with white fur linings and Silver Crown. She loved to watch them go by, as it relaxed her. Running a Kingdom was difficult, even if it was only until the young Princesses were ready.

There was also her ‘Husband’, Commander Hurricane. She honestly had a hard time getting along with him, which made her wonder how Starswirl could. Her old friend had become friends with the new Pegasus Commander, best friends one could even say. Admittedly, she was jealous. Very Jealous. But she wasn’t one to hold things against people, so she tried her best to deal with it. She was still able to spend time with him, but it was times like this that she wanted to be alone.

“Excuse me, Princess?” Platinum heard a young voice below her and felt a tug on her dress. She looked down to find the young Rulers-to-be, Celestia and Luna, looking up at her. They still looked and acted like children, but they were far older than she was.

“What is it, my dears?” the Platinum Unicorn asked with a warm smile. While she was disappointed that she couldn’t just relax by herself, she was more than happy to assist the two Alicorns.

“How did you get your name?” Young Luna responded.

“We mean your first name.” Celestia added.

“Ah yes, you mean Philomena.”

“Yeah! How’d you get it?”<

"You told us that was your first name, but why?"

“Alright, I'll tell you."

Celestia and Luna gasped in joy.

"But to do that, I have to tell you both a story.” The Princess told the soon to be rulers as she sat down garden bench. The Alicorn sisters sat beside her eagerly.

* * *

“How did you get your name, ‘Mena?” a Teenage Starswirl asked a Teenage Princess Platinum. They were both relaxing on a grassy hill not to far outside the city, the Young Colt lying down on his back as the Filly looked up and watched the clouds. Starswirl was the same age as Platinum, but many thought he was older, as he often grew out his lower chin hair more than others, forming a small beard. Platinum wondered how future generations would see him after taking a good look at him.

“What do you mean?” the Young Princess asked.

“I mean how did you get the name ‘Philomena’? It’s not too common a name, ya know.”

“Well, let’s start out with a story.”

“Oh brother.”

* * *

“A long time ago, an Old Stallion lived in an old shack in the middle of the woods.”

* * *

“His house was by a large volcano, making the land around it very fertile, and causing many different plants to grow around it.”

* * *

“Many different ponies tried to settle down in the land by the volcano as they deemed it a fitting place to grow a farm.”

* * *

“But, The Old Stallion was not a happy or loving person. Settlers and travellers from many different places would come into the forest, but he would always scare them off.”

* * *

“He would even scare off any animals that came near his house to look for food. Eventually, the animals wouldn’t even go near the forest.”

“He sounds really mean!” Celestia points out.

“I don’t like this story.” Luna said sadly.

“Don’t worry, it gets better.” The Unicorn Princess assured.

* * *

“But one day, a small bird came by his house and started to sing. This greatly bothered the Old Stallion.”

“Sounds relatable.” The young Unicorn Colt scoffed.

“Oh Shoosh you!”

* * *

“The Old Stallion yelled at the bird, ‘Leave me you foul creature! Can’t you see you are not wanted here?’” Princess Platinum imitated an old man, causing the two young Alicorns to giggled, “But the bird did not move. She just kept singing.”

* * *

“At the end of the day, when the sun began to set, the Bird left, much to the Old Stallion’s pleasure.”

* * *

“But bird just came back the Next day. And the Next day. And the Next day.”

* * *

“The Old Stallion asked, ‘Why do you always persist on coming back?!’ The Bird simply chirped affectionately and flew on top of the Old Stallion’s head and continued to sing.”

* * *

“The Old Stallion simply gave up from then on and allowed the Bird to stay.”

* * *

“As time went on, both the Old Stallion and the Bird grew closer to each other, the Old Fart learning to enjoy both her song and her company.”

“Okay, this is getting kind of weird.” Starswirl said.

“Please shut up.”

* * *

“But one day, while the Bird was out looking for its food, a storm hit the land, unfortunately taking it's life."

“No!” Luna cried out.

“Why would you do that?!” Celestia wept.

“I didn’t make this story.” Princess Platinum said defensively, “But keep listening, because it’s not over yet.”

* * *

“The Old Stallion found the bird’s body, and in grief, cremated her in the Volcano.”

“I don’t think that’s how cremation works.”

* * *

“Just then, the Bird flies out of the boiling lava, born again anew. Its feathers were Bright Red, Orange, and Yellow, and flew majestically before the Old Stallion!”

“Wow! That’s so Cool!”

“Awesome!”

* * *

“The Old Stallion cried out of happiness and shouted out, ‘My Friend you have come back to me!’ The Bird replied, ‘I will always be with you, even if I have to be born again to do so.’”

“That’s... actually pretty deep.”

“Finally, something positive.”

* * *

“On that day, the Old Man was so happy that began to let people and animals into his forest. He also gave his Bird friend a new name. Can you guess what that name is?”

Both of the Alicorn fillies could not answer.

“Her name was Philomena, meaning ‘Powerful Love.’ It was meant to show the bond between two Friends.”

* * *

“Can you guess what the Bird had become?”

Starswirl just shrugged, not even trying. Platinum rolled her eyes and sighed.

“She had become a Phoenix; A Flaming Bird that burns itself to ash to be born again anew.”

“That’s sounds pretty intense.”

* * *

“My Father loved that story, and I hope one day, you will tell it to others just like you.” The Unicorn Princess smiled to the Alicorns Sisters, who smiled back at her.

* * *

“I wonder what it would be like to meet an actually Phoenix?” Platinum pondered as she lay down beside the Unicorn Stallion.

“Probably Hot.” Her Friend snickered.

“Yeah, probably.”

“But beautiful.”

“Yeah, definitely.”

Both teens stared into the sky aimlessly for a while. Until Platinum spoke up.

“You wanna practice some fire magic?”

“Sure.”

* * *

“Alright, I think that’s enough stories for today.” Platinum told the two Alicorns as she got up from her seat.

“Aww...” Luna whined.

“Tell us more! Please!” Celestia pleaded.

“Come on, girls it’s getting late.” The Unicorn said, just realizing that the sun had began to set.

“Just one more.”

“Please!” Both Fillies gave the Mare the saddest faces they could make, eventually making her give in.

“Alright, one more, but it’ll tuck you in first.”

“Yay!” both heiresses cheered as they held both of Princess Platinum’s hands as she led them inside.

“When I grow up, I’m gonna meet a Phoenix, like the one in the story.” Celestia declared.

“Me too! And when we find one, we’ll name her Philomena; after you Princess!” Luna seconded.

The Unicorn Princess giggled. “Alright girls, you two practically have all the time in the world t do so. I’m sure you’ll meet one.”

“Really?” Celestia asked for assurance.

“Of course. But until then, who wants to hear about the time me and Starswirl accidentally blew up my father’s throne.”

Both Fillies cheered, begging her to tell them about the tale.

* * *

“Princess Celestia?” Twilight asked as she stood with Fluttershy.

“Yes?” the Tall Alicorn responds as she watched Philomena fly through the sky and with the clouds.

“Can you tell me how did Philomena get her name?”

Celestia smiled, “Alright, but first, let me tell you a Story.”

Author's Note

This made me want to ship Starswirl and Princess Platinum. Which is weird. But I'm doing it anyway. Made this for the heck of it. Possible sequel? Maybe. Sorry for delays on other story.:twilightblush: