Only those whose lives are brief can imagine that love is eternal. You should embrace that remarkable illusion. It may be the greatest gift your race has ever received. -Lorien, Babylon 5
“Twilight!” Spike shouted, running through the castle as fast as his two feet could take him. His dragon feet made loud clinking sounds as he ran along the crystal floors, searching through room after room, “Twilight? Twilight!?” he shouted again, coming to one final room, before quickly having to dodge a fireball.
“Oops!” Starlight said, running to Spike, “I am so sorry, didn’t expect the door to open.”
“It’s ok,” Spike said quenching smoulder out of his spine, “Tough scales. Is Twilight in there.”
Twilight came out from behind a dark pink shield, chuckling, “This is why you need to work on the controlled fireball spell, Starlight.”
“Yes, master,” Starlight said with a bow.
Twilight then turned her head to Spike, “Spike, what brings you here. I thought you were having a Power Ponies comic-a-thon?”
“I was,” Spike said, bringing out a rolled up parchment, “Then you got a letter from Celestia.”
“What does it say?” Starlight asked as Twilight began to read a loud.
Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle,
Today is a momentous day. The famed recluse, Mayfly Breeze, has invited you to his private library. I do not believe I have to tell you how rare a treat this is. Mayfly has been known to collect books from all over the world and has never been known to communicate outside some servants of his. Even I thought him to be a myth from time to time.
He requests that you come alone, however, and that you should leave immediately.
Signed, Princess Celestia.
“Oh my gosh, this is fantastic!” Twilight grinned and then clapped her hooves together.
Spike raised a claw, “Um, I’m little confused, who is this Maypole guy?”
“Mayfly, Spike,” Twilight said calmly as she began to walk through the castle, grabbing her things. “He is one of Equestria’s more noted and hidden librarians. He has been known to have the world’s largest collections of tomes, history books, scrolls, and other books that put the Canterlot Archives to shame. The thing is, nopony has ever been able to meet him. Even Princess Celestia only has a few glimpses of him. Being asked to visit him is something that is so exciting.”
“And he just wanted you?” Starlight asked.
Twilight nodded, “Yep! OH, I can’t wait who knows what I’ll find.” she then put the last of her bags at her side, “There we are, that’s everything. Now Sike, you know what to do, right?”
Without missing a beat, Spike began to count down on his claws, “ If you are not back in a week, call the others and come looking for you. If you are not back in a week and there is reports of a dark purple alicorn destroying the land, have Starlight Glimmer grab the Element of Magic from the Tree, grab the others and come looking for you. If you aren’t back in a week and you are an evil alicorn, run away, grab the others and figure out how to fight you. If you have come back in a week and you are evil and have captured the others to entwine in your evil schemes, go to mirror, grab Sunset and the alt five and have them save the day. If mirror is destroyed and Trixie, Starlight, and Sunburst are incapacitated, get Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Applebloom, Diamond Tiara, Alulah, and Dinky, train them into becoming the Elements of Harmony, go to Tree, add save the day. If Ponyville is in a time displaced dimension, head to Dragonlands, get Ember and a crack team of dragons, use the tests that you created to find out which one is Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Laughter, Kindness, and Magic, and then come and save the day.”
“Good job Spike, I knew I could count on you,” Twilight said, hugging her assistant. “Ok, I’m off. See you guys later!”
As Starlight watched Twilight fly away, she looked to Spike, “Does she really need all of those contingency plans?”
“”That was the shortened list,” Spike said simply.
Twilight stepped out from beyond of the barrier of the Crystal Empire and into the cold wasteland of the north. Pulling out the institutions from her saddlebags, she began to read them to herself, “Once you reach the edge of the Crystal Empire, fly North until you are blinded by the snow.”
Nodding, Twilight. Took off into the sky and began to fly North. After a half of hour’s flying, she found her vision obscured by a snowstorm.With a few grunts, she pulled out the sheet of paper, “Once the snowstorm has hit, fly into the distant dark shape. Do not fear.” Wit a quiet nod, Twilight put away her instructions and flew towards a black shape in the distance. Closing her eyes, she braced herself for hitting into the mountain.
Since the hit never came, she opened her eyes and found herself on the other side of the mountain illusion. As her eyes became adjusted to the new light source, she let out a gasp of shock. Before her was a beautiful library that had towering spires made of a marble and crystal mix. Domes covered the tops of the various roofs, all surrounded by a small rivers. At the entrance was a light grey unicorn with a small stubble, “Ah, welcome princess,” the old stallion said with a bow.
Twilight blushed at this and bowed back, taking note of the short cut grey mane that matched his tail, “It’s just Twilight, sir.”
“Even though you have earned your title, you still wish to be seen as a commoner, how gracious,” he said with a chuckle.
“Today, I just want to be seen as a scholar, rather than a princess,” Twilight said. “You must be Mayfly.”
“Indeed I am,” the stallion said, smiling. Turning around he walked across the bridge that expanded across the river, “Come with me, and I will take you to the library.:”
“Right,” Twilight said. “And may I say sir, thank you again for this wonderful honor. May I ask just how are you able-”
“A variation of the warming spell from the Crystal Empire. I found some jewels that are able to replicate sunlight while I had a conjurer use Shadowfax’s illusion spell for the mountain,” Mayfly smiled as he walked into his home.
Twilight could only stare in awe at all of this, “Wow. Amazing, you really want to keep to yourself?”
MAyfly sighed, “Sometimes it’s better that way.” he then looked at the painting of a clock standing over ponies as they try to crawl away from it, “Times, while getting better, always seem to have this tendency to remind us of some of the horrors that lie in this world.”
“I know,” Twilight said, sighing, “But me and my friends are able to stop the more evil things that have shown up.”
“I have heard about them, trust me,” he said, looking at the photo and smiling a little.
Twilight then looked at the painting curiously, “Is this a Cortuisan?”
“You know your paintings?” he asked her.
“Well to be honest,” Twilight chuckled, “My friend Rarity is more into art than I am. But, I do study certain artists I like, and I am always fond of Cortuisan’s way o \f taking that we cannot touch and personifying it.”
“Yes, he was quite a mast of that indeed. Now come, the library is just-” he paused as he began to cough hard, causing some blood to fly out of his mouth.
Twilight saw this and rn to his side, “Oh my gosh. Here, let me get you to somewhere where you can rest. Are you-”
Mayfly waved her off with a chuckle as he sat down, “Getting older, Twilight, is not a pleasant experience. Pray you never reach that point in your life.
“I will,” Twilight said, chuckling. Turning away, she added, “I think I can find my way to the library.” With a nod she walked ahead a little ways That blood. He probably has some lung problems or TB. I should get him some medical help.” Twilight thought to herself.
Making her way down some twisting hallways, she found herself walking into a large room. The sight of the room being covered in bookshelves loaded with more books than she had ever seen before made her wings shoot out in excitement. Letting out a little squee at the sight, she quickly began to run through the aisles, picking out several books in a blur. All the while shouting “Read, already read, already read already read already read already read already read already read already read already read already read ReadReadReadReadReadReadReadReadReadRead.” By the time she was done, she a surrounded by stacks upon stacks of books.
Finding a reading table to sit at, Twilight laid all of the books down and then pulled one at random. Smiling, she began to read a little to herself, flipping through the pages of the tome and taking in every sentence and every word that she could see. It was when she reached the second to last page of the book, that she saw something interesting, “Wait a second, this hoof writing.”
Reaching behind her in her saddlebags, she pulled out a small book labeled, ‘My favorite spells.’ Flipping through it, she found on particular spell that she had copied and placed in the book. Looking back at the book and the sell in question she ran a hoof along the hoof writing, “Impossible. It is the same, but-” she looked to the book she was reading, “This book is brand new, only twenty years old and this spell came from a book that was centuries old.” Looking down at the new book she noticed it was written by Mayfly. Putting a hoof to her head, she lightly scratched in confusion, “How can Mayfly write a spell in the exact style as Meadowlark?”
“Ah, did you like it?” Asked Mayfly. “I decided that the old studious read spell was too weak for the modern reader, so I decided to make a tiny little fix.”
“Yes, it is a very interesting change, but...how are you able to copy Meadowlark's style so well?” Twilight asked, looking at the book.
“That, my dearest Twilight, is my secret. But if you want to know,” MAyfly chuckled, “Look to the past.”
“Look to the past, what does that mean?” Twilight put a hoof to her chin.
For the next four days, Twilight spent deep within the bowels of the library with only the light of a candle and a collection of sandwiches as her companion. Every book she had read was like a new adventure for her, and yet one question was always on her mind, Mayfly. It seemed that whenever she came to a book written by him, a spell or an enchantment, it would always match up with something that she had studied before.. What’s more, some of the art had seemed familiar, “Oh, if only Rarity was here. She is much better at detailing art than I am, “ she said to herself as she looked up at the painting before her.
The painting was of her and her friends and their victory of Discord, a little exaggerated though. It had her friends looking like ancient pegasi warriors wielding weapons while racing towards Discord who had a giant blade. This art, was of no interest to her, it was more of the style. The strokes and the brush work all matched the artist, Pueblo Siccatto perfectly. That was the problem, “How is he able to watch the style of a stallion who had died centur-”
She was interrupted by the coughing from the bedroom, wihch caused her to run inside and look at the stallion inside, “I am sorry, did I interrupt you while looking over the books?”
“No you didn’t,” Twilight said softly, “I was just looking at your painting. The one of me and my friends fighting Discord. I was just amazed by the style.”
“Yes,” admired mayfly. “ This is a personal favorite one of mine. Tell me, are you looking at the painting because you admire it, or are you trying to solve the mystery?”
Twilight giggled, “A little bit of column A and B. The way you were able to copy the style of such a great painter is amazing! How?”
Mayfly let out a small chuckle, “The answer, my dear, lies deep within.’
As Twilight began to ponder what he had just said, she let out a gasp when she saw Mayfly coughing violently. Racing to his side, Twilight helped Mayfly to lay on his bed. After a few moments, Mayfly fell asleep. Looking down at a dropped hair, the young alicorn picked it up in her magic and looked at it closely.
Nodding to herself, she went back to the library. “Ok, now let's see if this age detection spell works,” Twilight said to herself as she looked at the hair. After letting the strand float In her magic for a few short moments, she let out as gasp as she saw the age of the hsur, “No!”the strand of hair float in her magic as she shook her head., “No, it can’t be!”
Racing back into Mayfly’s bedroom, she watched as the old stallion sat in his bed, his breathing ragged, “Have you figure it out, my dear Twilight?”
“Yes,” Twilight panted. “And how can this be possible? You are Meadowlark?”
MAyfly nodded,” Yes,”
“But, how?” Twilight asked.
Mayfly chuckled, “Ancient magic, my dear Twilight. Ancient magic. I just knew some age extending spells and well, here I am.”
“But, then why are you like this? Don’t you know any spells that can heal you?” Twilight asked.
“I know several spells that can heal me, twenty at least,” Mayfly said, coughing a little, “I just choose not to use them.”
“What? W-why? Why are you choosing to die?” Twilight asked, her voice quivering.
Mafly sighed as he placed a hoof on Twilight’s, “ My dear Twilight, I have lived a long time. I have met and fought monsters the likes of which the princesses have never seen. I have loved and lost, and I have seen so many stars pass away into the either. All of those are just a small part of a billion memories, some of them I don’t even want to have anymore.”
“But that’s why you can’t die!” Twilight said, shaking her head, “You... you have seen so much! You were there when the Princesses were crowned. You saw the union of Equestria, and you were there when they fough-”
Mayfly interrupted Twilight, “Twilight, why is it important to you that I live or die? I am so old, I have lived my life now.”
“Because, because,” the purple alicorn gave a little sniffle.
“My dear Twilight, I have seen several millennia pass by in the blink of an eye. Yes,I have seen the day Celestia had to tell the world that Nightmare Moon was imprisoned. Yes, I stood head and shoulders with the three tribes when they came out of the the snow, but I can only tell you so much,” Mayfly sighed. “I can’t properly describe to you what a voice sounded like, or what type of feelings that a pony had when they made such an important decision. I can only give you the facts and tell you a story. Any emotions that come from that will come from you and how you see that event. Do you have anypony you care for?”
Twilight gave a nod, “Yes, my best friends, my brother, and my mentor. I love them.”
“Live with them, spend time with them, and you’ll the truth. That those feelings that you have with those memories are yours and yours alone. If you were to tell me how happy you were on the day you met them, I would not experience the same happiness. those emotions would only fit for you. Twilight, a library’s worth of written memories is nothing compared to a life lived well. That is why I summoned you here, to let you have these old memories and see the past.”
“But, it isn’t fair,” Twilight whimpered, feeling the tears roll down her cheeks. “You don’t need to die. I can-”
“Twilight, please, listen,” Mayfly sighed. “The life you live, is more important than a thousand memories coming from an old codger like myself. You need to live and make wonderful memories on you own and create stories that will dwarf my own. All of this, these books? They are just facts coming from an old stallion, not a life. Just promise me that you will live.”
“But, I-”
“I have seen things, Twilight. Battle ships on fire off the coast of Zebrica, wars breaking out in the lands of the north. All of this, will be gone forever, but the feeling you gain from my stories won’t. Now, it’s time...” he said, pulling away and laying back onto th ebed, letting out one last breath.
Twilight pulled away from the dead stallion, her face pale as she looked at the stallion. Shaking her head, she lowered it in sadness, her tears flowing down from her eyes, giving out little sniffles. The silence of the library was only broken by Twilight’s soft crying.
A few more days pass, and Twilight found herself on the way back home. She could feel the weight in her heart as she carried some of the heavier tomes with her to the castle. A part of her was glad to have met such a mage, but the rest felt low. She let out a sight as she looked up at the doors, “A life of written memories is worth less than a life lived? Huh, I wonder if-OOOOF!”
“Twilight, you’re home!” Spike said, tackling her and nuzzling up against her neck.
“Spike, couldn’t ya waited? “Applejack said, helping Twilight up and smiling, “Welcome home. We thought we might have had to execute plan B.”
“Ah, no worries AJ,” Dash chuckled. “She’s fine. Like always!”
“Welcome home Twilight, we helped kept the castle clean for you,” Fluttershy whispered.
“I swear, crystal can be so hard to clean,” Rarity said walked up to Twilight. “Twilight, is something wrong you look sad.”
“Oh, it’s nothing,” Twilight said with a smile. “Just glad to be home and with my friends.”
Maybe he is right.
Author's Note
Thanks to Zolt for the edits.
This one requires some backstory. A few weeks ago I watched a really bad Star Trek episode "Requiem for MEthusla." It had an interesting premise, but it failed in its exuction by focusing too much on the romance sub-plot and having Spock mind rape Kirk. It was probably the only Star Trek eppie that I watched that felt like 50s sci-fi slock. And I know the show can do better (see balance of terror) hell, if it was TNG I know it could be better.
I think that what ticked me off the most was that it had a good premise, one about an immortal who has lived on earth long enough to meet Ceasar, and they did nothing with it. HE was ready to die and no one addressed it. This made me mad so I wrote this story to kind of show what I would've loced to have seen
