The Starlight Path

by Indigo Dawn1234

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Drama, Timber Spruce, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Sad, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character
Length: 3385

Aurora follows the path of the stars.

Aurora, the youngest out of three triplets. The weakest, the worst flyer, and the worst at magic. But she's an alicorn, as well as her siblings and mother. She soon becomes the apprentice of Princess Luna, as well as becoming heir to the moon, stars, and aurora borealis. She soon finds friendship in an ancient star spirit named Astrim. Astrim's species of pony was dangerous to alicorns, but Aurora still befriended him. Astrid teaches Aurora about life and friendship, and even about the stars themselves. Astrim acts as a light in the darkness for Aurora, giving her hope in her otherwise miserable life, but what if Astrim is taken away? What if Aurora loses that light?
Part of my AU

Published 2017-01-19 03:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-02-18 04:15:24 UTC

Aurora- Ten Years old

"C'mon, Sparkler! You know that I can't fly as high as you! Give it back!" a small filly whined.

"No, Aurora, I'm not giving your book back until you can levitate it, or fly as high as I can." Sparkler said sternly.

"Sparkler! I need that book for a report that Mom gave me! If I can actually complete it, I might actually get some respect around here!"

"All the more reason why you should work for it. If you can get the book from me, it'll make me a good teacher, making me even better than you!"

"Ugh, just give it up and I won't scream."

Aurora, you see, had a weird magical power that she was born with. She was born with a super-scream that could easily make one deaf, or shatter entire castles, like the one she and her family lived in.

"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh, I would." Aurora said with a smirk.

"But threatening others is not good for friendships." Sparkler scolded.

"Who said anything about us being friends?"

"Ugh, what I mean is that if you threaten me and Pine all the time, it'll become a habit, and if you ever make any friends, it'll ruin the friendship." Sparkler lectured.

"And why do you think that I'd want to make any friends?" Aurora asked.

"We have to be good at making friends! And we also have to be smart, and really good at magic and leadership. And you do not posses the skills needed for all of that."

"And why should I posses any of those traits?"

"Because it's our legacy, we have to be exactly like Mom!"

"Ugh, enough about this legacy stuff, now give my book!" Aurora yelled.

"No!" Sparkler yelled, she then flew down the hall.

"Ugh, MOM! Sparkler won't give my book back!" Aurora yelled.

Just then, Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, ran into the hall.

"Sparkler! Give your sister her book back!" Twilight yelled.

"But Mom" Sparkler started. "If I just give her the book, then she won't learn anything about flight or levitation, and we wouldn't want that, would we?"

"While you make a good point, Aurora needs to finish that book report, or else she won't learn the basics of flight and levitation!" Twilight said, annoyed as she pointed to the title of the book.

"Oh, um, here you go, Aurora, I'm sorry, that wasn't very friendly of me." Sparkler apologized.

"Ya darn right you should be sorry." Aurora said as she tried to get to her room, only to be stopped by Twilight.

"We're not done, Aurora, I want to speak with you up in your room. And Sparkler, go play with Pine or something, just don't eavesdrop." Twilight said.

"But Mom, Pine's still in the Crystal Empire learning with Sunburst! He won't be back for another week!" Sparkler whined.

"Oh, right. Well, then, just go do something else besides eavesdropping."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, I'll go now." Sparkler said as she flew off.

Aurora and her mother proceeded to go to Aurora's room, both were deathly silent. Once they got there, Aurora went and sat down on her four-poster bed.

"Actually, Aurora, I'd like you to sit down on the floor this time." Twilight said as she gestured to the rug in the middle go the giant room.

"Okay. So what do you want to lecture me about today?" Aurora asked as she sat down with her mother.

"A little something called destiny." Twilight answered.

"Oh, great, the destiny talk, Pine told me lots of great things about it." Aurora said sarcastically.

"Aurora, you know that I have a legacy, and it's a pretty big one. But legacy does not mean destiny. While Sparkler is outstanding at magic, Pine is incredibly smart. But you don't exactly posses anything in either those categories." Twilight said.

"So what are you gonna do? Disown me? Would you really do that?"

"No, but there's something that you should know. Ten years ago, when you and your siblings were born, Princess Luna came in to visit while we were thinking of a name for you, and she said that princesses should name at least one newborn, and Luna chose your name. She chose Aurora because she was reminded of when she was young and first learning how to control the stars, and the moon, and the aurora. She also chose you to be her heir, she said that she would teach you how to raise the moon and the stars, as well as control the aurora borealis." Twilight explained.

"So, you mean I'll be able to raise the moon and the stars? When do I start?" Aurora asked excitedly.

"Well, your father and I were afraid that you would hurt yourself since you were so small, so we said that we wouldn't let you start until you were fourteen." Twilight said.

"Oh, so you think that I don't know enough magic, or that I need to be smarter. Well, it makes sense, I guess, I mean, Sparkler became Celestia's apprentice when she was eight." Aurora said glumly.

"Yes, that is true, but I want to prepare you for when you can learn, I want to tutor you, one on one in magic and flight. Both of which you will need if you want to become Princess of the Night." Twilight said.

"Oh, okay, so, are you gonna teach me now? Or am I gonna have to wait until I'm thirteen?" Aurora asked.

"Well, I have to prepare for the Grand Galloping Gala today, but I promise that I'll tutor you soon." Twilight said as she left the room.

"Okay, hey, Mom? When's Dad gonna come home?' Aurora asked.

"He and aunt Glorriosa won't be back until after the Gala, they do have to advertise for their camp." Twilight said.

"But shouldn't you be helping out with the preparations in Canterlot?" Aurora asked.

"Sigh Aurora, sweetheart, your father and I are going through some things right now, and I would appreciate it if you don't ask questions." Twilight sighed.

"Is it Flash?" Aurora asked.

"Yes, he just came back from Saddle Arabia, and he wants me back. Your father and I are disagreeing on what to do about the situation." Twilight said.

"Oh, I see, well, is there anything that I can do to help?"

"Well, I was going to send to Canterlot so you could get to know Princess Luna a little bit more, so maybe while you're there you could talk to him about things." Twilight said.

"Okay, but when do I leave?" Aurora asked.

"Well, it's not just you, Sparkler's going to be coming with you, so she can take her lessons with Celestia." Twilight said.

"Oh. So I have to survive an entire train ride with Sparkler?"

"Yeah, just keep your distance and you'll be fine, I have to go plan for the Gala." Twilight said as she left the room.

"O-okay, bye, Mom." Aurora said as Twilight walked out of the room.

Wow, me. Heir to the night, that's pretty amazing. Aurora thought as she started on her book report.

Aurora- Fifteen Years old

Aurora sighed. She was about to go back to Ponyville to meet her parents for the summer. She had just finished her first year of being Princess Luna's apprentice, a role that demanded many long hours of night training. She loved being able to stay in Canterlot, away from her fretting mother, or her overprotective father. But she mostly loved that her role required her to train at night while her sister, Sparkler trained in the day, meaning that the two would hardly interact with each other. So, Aurora didn't have the greatest reaction when Princess Luna told her that she was going home for two and-a-half months. She took her bag and got onto the Friendship Express along with her sister. The two had grown apart over the years and had barely spoken to each other since they were twelve. They took their seats on the train and waited for it to start moving.

"So, how was training?" Sparkler asked.

Sparkler had grown into her alicorn figure a lot more than Aurora had. Meaning that she was much taller, and had larger wings and a horn. Aurora, however, was only at the height and size of a normal pony.

"It was fine, how about you?" Aurora asked as she looked out of the window.

"Pretty good, but I seem to be having a lot of trouble keeping the sun on it's path throughout the day." Sparkler said.

"Oh, I just seem to always forget some of the stars, there are so many."

"Yeah, the night looks beautiful though, I take it you're doing well?"

"Yes, well, as well as an alicorn who's magic hasn't fully developed yet."

"Yeah. Hey, I'm sorry for how I treated you when we were kids, it wasn't very friendly of me." Sparkler said.

"It's fine, hey! The train's finally moving!"

"Yay! We finally get to see Mom and Dad again!" Sparkler said excitedly.

"Whoohoo, yay! We get to see Mom and Dad fight!" Aurora cheered sarcastically.

"What do you mean?" Sparkler asked.

"Oh, right, you weren't there for our two-day spring break. Well, Mom and Dad are still fighting about Flash, it's pretty annoying."

"Oh, well, maybe we should help them stop fighting! I was given a friendship mission from Celestia, I wonder what it is." Sparkler said as she pulled a scroll out from her saddle bag.

"Oh, Celestia gives you friendship missions? Luna only gives me homework, and lots of it."

"Hm, it says that I have to help fix broken friendships! Yay! I can help Mom and Dad! And I'll kill two birds one stone!" Sparkler said, ignoring whatever Aurora said.

"Um, I don't think you're supposed to help couples, I think you're supposed to-"

"Nonsense! Any positive relationship counts as friendships!"

"Did Celestia say-"

"Of course she didn't! Mom did! And she's better at friendship than anypony!"

"When did-"

"Hearthswarming when you weren't there."

"O-Okay, but what's more powerful, the magic of friendship, or true love?" Aurora quizzed, sort of.

"That's easy, true love, it doesn't have to be romantic to be love, and friendship is a form of love, but romantic love is also very powerful, so both the power of love and friendship combined is pretty powerful."

"Interesting, so did Mom tell you that?"

"No, I actually read it in an old book in the library of the Castle of the Two Pony Sisters."

"Oh, when did you go there?"

"Oh, Celestia took me there so I could learn more about the history of Equestria."

"Oh. Hey look! It's Ponyville!" Aurora pointed out.

"Yay!! We get to go home!!" Sparkler said happily.

"Whoopee." Aurora said sarcastically.

"Oh, come on, sis, lighten up a bit! We finally get to sleep in our own beds again!"

"But I actually liked the Canterlot Castle beds."

"Well, too bad, you have to at least spend two and-a-half months in your own bed."

"Well, actually, I think I've decided to only spend two weeks here, since I started training pretty late, I'd like to get in as much as I can, and two weeks is enough to spend with you, Mom, Dad, and Pine." Aurora said.

"Oh, but you really should stay, it won't be the same without you!"

"But if I don't train enough, I might not be able to raise the moon or the stars soon enough, and if something happens to Princess Luna,"

"Oh, I'm sure Celestia can do that, after all, she did do it for a thousand years, then she can teach me how to do that as well! And I can raise the sun, moon, stars, and control the aurora borealis! That would be amazing!"

"Sparkler! Celestia would continue to teach me, Luna chose me as her heir, and that's how it's gonna stay, you always want to take away what little power I have!"

"Ugh, you always say that, you're just jealous that I'm gonna be the ruler of Equestria, and the Princess of friendship one day, and you'll only control the night, that everypony sleeps through."

"No! You're just jealous that I'll be able to control more things than you will! And you just want to have all of the power to yourself!" Aurora yelled.

"Um, you two gonna get off? The train's been in Ponyville for five minutes now." the conductor said as he walked up to them.

"She is, I'm going back to Canterlot, where my annoying sister isn't." Aurora said through gritted teeth.

"Um, you'll need a ticket then, would you like to buy one at the station?" the conductor asked.

"Sure, I'll spend a few minutes here." Aurora said.

"Um, the next train to Canterlot doesn't leave for another nine hours, you highness." the conductor said.

"Well, then, I guess I'll just spend nine hours in Ponyville."

"Okay, but you still have to get off the train."

"Right, right." Aurora said as she got off the train.

"I can't believe you." Sparkler said once they were in the station.

"Why not? Because I won't give up my power to you?"

"No! Because you won't even visit Mom and Dad in their time of need, and what about Pine?" Sparkler asked on fury.

"The Crystal train will be here in the next nine hours, I can see him when he gets here, now, if you'll excuse me, I have a train ticket to buy." Aurora said as she pushed past Sparkler and up to the ticket window.

"Whatever! Just know that you're a disappointment!" Sparkler yelled as she headed to the castle.

"One ticket for the next train to Canterlot please." Aurora said to the lady at the ticket window.

Back to Canterlot

Aurora looked out of the window of the train, watching the sun go down, and the moon rise. Her brother, Pine was sitting next to her, rambling on and on about how much he had learned over the past year, adjusting his glasses every five seconds.

"And that's how Equestria was made!" Pine said.

"Cool, cool." Aurora said as she tried to focus on the moon rising, and how slow it was going.

"Are you even listening?" Pine asked, annoyed that his sister wasn't interested in the great history of Equestria.

"Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind right now, and I don't really want to here about history right now." Aurora said.

"Sis, I wanted to come to Canterlot with you to make sure you weren't moping around, and the only way that I can do that is by teaching you the great history of our land."

"Well, you didn't really have to, you could've just stayed with Mom, Dad, and Sparkler. And besides, I'm gonna be up at night, so you'll probably miss me most of the time." Aurora said as she looked out the window.

"I know, but I just wanted to make sure that my sister's alright." Pine said.

"I'm fine. You can just stay in Canterlot for a day or two, to be a tourist or something."

"Sigh, okay. Just don't beat yourself up." Pine said.

"I won't, don't worry. You should probably get some sleep, it's kinda late for you."

"Okay, I'll try."

Aurora walked back into the west tower, seeking out Princess Luna. She found Luna's bedroom, and knocked on the large, navy blue door.

"Princess Luna? It's me, Aurora, I got in a fight with Sparkler and decided to just spend my summer here, training."

Luna opened the door, and looked surprised when she saw Aurora standing there.

"Aurora, you should know not to let a small fight get in the way of what you want to do." Luna scolded.

"Well, you know that with Sparkler, fights are never small. And, I didn't really want to go home." Aurora explained.

"Oh, well you should know that your parents will be very disappointed." Luna said.

"Well, if they even acknowledged that I was there, they've been fighting non-stop."

"Still?"

"Well, in Mom's last letter to me, she didn't say the nicest things about Dad, and vice versa."

"Oh, well, I did have a lesson ready for you, just in case something like this happened, follow me." Luna said as she led Aurora the main balcony of the west tower. Once they got up there, Luna started to rearrange a few of the stars into an A position.

"Why are you doing that?" Aurora asked, but Luna continued to rearrange the stars.

"Stay here, I need to get something." Luna said once she was finished.

Aurora was left there, alone and looking up at the big A that the stars formed. Then, the A began to morph. Aurora couldn't make out whatever the stars were morphing into until she could sort of make out what seemed to be wings and a horn. Then, she could see hooves forming, as well as what seemed to be a tail. Then, to her surprise, she could finally make out the figure of a stallion. But he looked like a constellation. She could see no color in his short, but shaggy mane, or his coat, and his only outline were the stars connected by silver lines. He was a truly interesting sight.

[url=somecraftyname.deviantart.com/art/Untitled-658702197]An Interesting Sight

The stallion's constellation began to shrink and come closer to Aurora, until he was eventually her size and right in front of her. The stallion then looked at Aurora with curiosity. He began to circle around her, scared to do anything else.

"W-Who are you?" Aurora asked.

The stallion didn't say anything, he just stared at her. Luna finally came back, breaking the silence.

"Oh! Aurora, I see that you have met, or seen, Astrim. But you didn't touch him, did you?" Luna asked.

"No, what would happen if I did that?" Aurora asked.

"Oh, you'll only just fall under an unspeakable curse." Luna said.

"Oof, yeah, I wouldn't want that to happen." Aurora said.

Astrim waved his hooves at Luna and pointed at his mouth.

"Oh! Yes, you can speak now, Astrim." Luna said as she sent a beam of light towards his throat.

"Why couldn't he speak in the first place?" Aurora asked.

"Here, take this book and read it sometime, it has everything you need to know about star spirits and other mythical creatures." Luna said as she handed Aurora a book.

"Hey! I think Mom had a book like this, she mentioned something about a human and a weird dragon, I kinda forgot." Aurora said.

"Oof, yeah that was an experience." Luna muttered.

"So, what is Astrim?" Aurora asked.

"Oh, right, Astrim is a star spirit, a spirit that has never been born, and sentenced to life in the stars, alone until somepony finds them and becomes their master. But alicorns are forbidden to interact with one because over two thousand years ago, their kind waged a war on alicorns, wanting to rule the land. In the end, the alicorns won, but only a small portion were left, and to protect future alicorns, they cursed the spirits so that they could never touch an alicorn, and the only sprits left were only children, and they were all nice, so they never touched a single alicorn. Eventually all of the star sprits died out except for one, and that's Astrim." Luna explained.

"But it says here in the book that star spirits are immortal, how would the other die out?" Aurora asked.

"Much will be explained later, but right now, you should start on lowering the stars, it's almost sunrise, Astrim, you should go, wouldn't want you to be trapped here forever." Luna said.

"Yes, of course." Astrim said, bowing then flying off into the stars.

Aurora and Luna lowered the stars and the moon and left the balcony to get some sleep, well, Aurora, anyway, Luna had to go to a royal meeting with King Thorax.

Aurora went to bed, the events of the day replaying through her mind as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

Ah! Sorry for the late update, it's just that I have school, and I got the flu, and I'm working on other writing projects.