How Come Stories Have to End?

by Amethyst_Dawn

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Starlight Glimmer, Slice of Life, Twilight Sparkle
Length: 1003

Starlight talks to Twilight after finishing a good book.

After finishing her favourite book trilogy, and coming across a particularly peculiar ending, Starlight approaches Twilight with a simple question.

A simple question, with a complex answer.

Inspired by Summer Dancer, go check her stuff out!

Published 2016-07-24 03:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-24 03:50:01 UTC

"Why? Just... why?"

Starlight stood in the darkness of the doorway, looking curiously to Twilight, and waiting eagerly for a reply. Twilight slowly shut the book she was reading with a dull thud, and looked slightly surprised by the question. The crystal fireplace cast a warm, orange glow onto the room, and lit Twilight in a way that half her face remained dark. She thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and motioned calmly for Starlight to take the seat across from her.

Starlight heeded, and sat down on the plush, velvet colored cushion. She welcomed the comforting warmth of the fire as refuge from the chill castle, and she looked expectantly at Twilight, who gazed into the glow of the fireplace with a distant expression.

"Tell me, Starlight... what brought this on?"

The patient tone of the Alicorn granted Starlight a small, comforted smile. "I just finished the Chronicles of Mythos- quite the addicting series, by the way -and the ending didn't exactly satisfy." She answered plainly.

Twilight cocked her head. "How do you mean, Starlight?"

Starlight looked away for a moment, contemplating how to phrase her complaints. "It's just... I don't get it. Everything brought up is addressed, and wrapped up, but... the characters were so engaging, the writing was spectacular, and the storyline was unlike any I'd ever seen or read before! Why did it have to come to an end? Why didn't the author keep writing these books?"

Twilight gave off a small, knowing smile, and shook her head. She stepped down gingerly from the chair, and laid down before the fireplace. "Did I ever tell you about my grandfather?"

Starlight quirked her brow. She may be new to Friendship Studies, but she knew to never question Twilight. A lesson she learned from Spike.

"Uh, no?" She answered. Twilight nodded slowly, and spoke again.

"He was a wonderful stallion. Kind, merciful, and generous. You know, he always gave Shining and I exactly what we wanted for our birthdays? And he never lost his temper with us, or with Dad? Such a great pony..." she paused to take a deep breath. "He died in his sleep when I was twelve."

Starlight's head snapped back in surprise. That was not the direction she thought the story would go. She expected him to be the one who got Twilight interested in literature, or for him to be a former Captain of the Royal Guard, something other than... that bombshell.

"Twilight, I'm so sorry..." She sighed, hanging her head. She never even knew her own grandfather, but this seemed to make Twilight's pain seem worse. How must that feel?

"I'm not."

Starlight slowly lifted her face upwards, only to find Twilight looking at her with a sad smile. That merely served to confuse her more.

"What?"

"I'm not sorry. I got to see Twelve years of my grandfather's life, which is far more than most ponies. I experienced the love he could share, the laughter he could give, the joy that followed him like a shadow. It was some of the greatest years of my life, and he said on his deathbed that we- his family -were the highlight of his life.

"I wouldn't trade those few years for anything, Starlight." She sighed heavily. "I heard his life story, and even wrote it down. Despite the lack of adventure, it is one of the books that remains dearest to my heart." She levitated the book she was reading, and gave it to Starlight.

Starlight closed the book, and read the title: "The Life, and the Love, of Meteor Shimmer Dusk."

"I found it again in my old home when I went back to make amends with Moondacer." Twilight chuckled slyly. "You remember Moondancer, right?"

Starlight nodded, but quickly cast a worried glance up to Twilight.

The Princess giggled. "You were sitting one table away from us, Starlight, I'm not blind!" She reset her gaze to the fire, and started again. "Tell me, Starlight: do you regret reading those books?"

Starlight was still confused, but she knew the answer to that question. "No. I still love the stories, but--"

"Do you want to take back the time you spent reading them?"

"--... uh, no? But--"

"Do you hate the author for creating such a story?"

Starlight paused for a second, to make sure her mentor was done speaking. When she was sure, she spoke up. "No, I just don't understand why it had to end..."

"It was done."

"Pardon?"

Twilight stood, stretched, and flexed her wings before she turned to face Starlight. "The story was told, the deeds were done, the need for more was over, whether or not the want for more continues. There's no need to continue a tale that's run it's course, Starlight, no matter how amazing it was, or how much of a classic it continues to be. Do you understand?"

Starlight took a moment to shut her gaping jaw, before slowly nodding.

"Good," Twilight nodded back, recovering the manuscript. "now, I'll get back to my reading. And I'll let you get back to... whatever you're doing this week."

Starlight stepped down from the chair, and walked back to the doorway. She stopped, considered something, and turned around.

"Oh, and: Twilight?"

The Princess looked up from her book once again: giving off an air of mixed irritation, and joyful anticipation.

"Thank you," Starlight said with a friendly smile. Before turning and walking out the doorway.

Twilight mirrored the smile. "No problem...

"...my Faithful Student."

Author's Note

"When a story stops telling itself to me inside my head, there's no need for me to continue writing. And if I try, it only sounds forced."
~C.S. Lewis.
In a reply to an eager fan.

P.S.: I've removed the "Comedy" Tags from this and the prequel for reasons that the humor is not as obvious as in a comedy.

Thank you for reading!

Also: thousand-word count! :yay:

Until Next Time, God Bless You!

~Amethyst Dawn. :twilightsmile: