The Three Friends

by Penalt

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad
Length: 1234

Celestia recounts the story of the three ponies who founded Canterlot

On a cold, winters night Celestia warms her faithful student by the fire and tells her the old story of the three founders of Canterlot.

I have forgone my usual editors here and run solo on this. Credit is due to Wind of the Skies for their inspiration and setting my muse running.

Published 2017-04-08 02:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-04-08 02:20:01 UTC

The Story

Author's Note

This story was written somewhat differently from my usual stories and is a bit of a change of pace from my usual format and style. Earlier today, in Damaged's Discord chat, Wind of the Skies asked in the roleplay channel, "Tell us a story, oh wise pony." For the next ten minutes, the story Celestia recites here literally flowed off of my fingers as fast as I could type them.

I hope you enjoy the following and find it pleasing.

The Story

It was late into the evening of a chilly Canterlot night and a young Twilight Sparkle lay before a fire happily roaring away in the quarters of her teacher and mentor, Princess Celestia. It had been a long cold day in the archives and Twilight had taken a chill. Celestia had brought her half frozen student into her own room, sat Twilight down with a mug of hot cocoa and commanded her student to do nothing but lay in front of the fire and warm up.

After a minute or two Celestia lay down beside her student and drew Twilight in next to her own body, folding a warm wing over the young unicorn. The warmth of the Princess next to her, the cocoa and the fire began to warm Twilight and make her a bit sleepy.

“Princess,” said Twilight, laying her head onto her forelegs, “could you tell me a story?”

“Of course, dear Twilight,” said Celestia, who began to recite.

Long ago, there were 3 ponies. Different as different could be.

One pegasi, one unicorn, one earth pony,
The pegasus was slim and lean, pale blue with a fiery red mane.
The unicorn was of middle build, black maned with a coat of orange.
The earth pony had a strong, thick body. His brown coat contrasted with his blond mane.

They were foals, and each walked through their own personal fire and flames.
Til' seeking brave hearts, they found each other.
Their friendship grew, because no matter the challenge.
At least one of the three could match the threat to their combined ability.

Over the hills, far and away, they roamed.
In gleaming summer sun,
In driving, pouring rain,
Through deepest snow, the three could ever be found.
Laughing, playing, holding to their friendship, against the harsh cruelty of reality.

For their greatest pain, was their families,
Who understood them not, who tried to drive them apart.
But the friendship of the three was strong.
Like a braid of three ropes, it stretched but did not break.

In time, their families realized they could not break the bond between the three.
Despite forbidding their association, still could the three ever be found in each other’s company.
They looked to themselves and realized why their foals cleaved so desperately to their friends.
And it shamed them, to realized they had brought such pain to the blood of their blood, and flesh of their flesh.

Slowly, the friendship of their foals changed them.

They became more understanding, more open.
The unicorn family realized that having magic did not make them superior to the other tribes.
The pegasi family realized they had been looking down on the others, literally and figuratively.
The earth pony family realized they had been using their strength as bullies.

The three families realized they might not be friends, such as their foals were, but they could respect each other more.
And from that respect, slowly grew an alliance, a mutual dependence on each other.
When one family needed things moved, the pegasi family helped.
When one family needed something finely built it was the earth ponies who responded.
When magical pests threatened crops, the unicorns helped the others.
Each of the families realized, like their foals, that each could help the others with strengths they themselves lacked.

In time, the foals came to adulthood, and still they were inseparable.
Their families stood behind them. Once fractured and fighting, now a solid base of support.
Others saw the three families, linked together. Protecting, defending and strengthening each other.
In time, the three friends grew to become a respected counselor, teacher and smith.

When they came upon their 30th year they were acclaimed to the village council.
Though they had not asked for the position, the support of their families made it inevitable.
And so their village grew, and prospered.
As the three friends governed together in friendship, they and their families setting an example for all.

As the seasons rolled by, the village became a town, for there was no challenge the village could not overcome.
So strong had their friendship made the village ponies.
Later still, the parents of those foals began to pass into the Summerlands, respected elders all.
Each of the friends comforted the other, as they mourned the loss of those who had risen above petty squabbling, to become...more.
As the three friends began to reach their own elder years, they were approached by two Sisters.

Alicorns.

Who asked that the town, now nearly a city, be made into the capital of what was to be a new kingdom.
The three friends agreed, finally laying down their burden of joint rulership that they had held for so long.
Becoming once again, just three friends, who cared for each other.
So deep was their bond that, as their own ends neared, they asked the Sisters for a favor.

That the Sisters make it so that the three friends, who had lived a lifetime together, would make their final journey together.
At first the Sisters refused, for to do so would be the ending of two lives.
But the friends insisted. They had lived their lives together and each of them wished to pass from this life together.

And so, the Sisters relented, and bound the life force of the friends together as one.
And in the fullness of time, the three indeed passed over to the Summerlands, together, smiling. Lives well lived.
The name of their Village?
Canterlot, the city, the town, the village, founded on and made great...by friendship.

Sunlight flashed in Twilight’s eyes and she blinked as the memory of that winter night faded and brought her back to the here and now. No longer a unicorn. Twilight Sparkle now stood beside her one time mentor, as a full Princess of Equestria. Celestia was pausing at the reaction of the crowd before the Princesses as she finished her retelling of the old tale. Together, Twilight and Celestia stood in front of the massive tarpaulin.

“So today,” declared Celestia in a great, loud voice,” on the 1500th anniversary of the founding of Canterlot, I am proud to unveil this statue of the three founders of our great city.” Celestia and Twilight together pulled down the tarpaulin, revealing the statue of three ponies. One earth pony, one pegasus, one unicorn. Each of them protecting the other, standing together, looking off toward an unseen horizon. Friends united, friends forever.