One of my favorite MLP episodes is “For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils”. I also had a good time writing the other MLP/Wild Kratts crossover, so I thought I’d write another one inspired by that episode. :)
“Hello, Martin speaking,” I answered as professionally as possible.
“Hello, Martin. I’m George Harding I work with Animal Planet. I talked to Leo Eaton. I really liked your stuff and I would like to work to get your show on the air.” I tried to keep my excitement in check.
“Really? That’s wonderful! Just tell me when you want us to talk to you and I’ll let Chris know.”
“Yes, about Chris. We thought it would be best if only you worked on the show.”
My heart fell in the pit of my stomach.
“Why is that?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“Well, we love your brother dynamic on screen. But we think it would be better if there were just one person. That way, the kids could get to know the person rather than associating them with someone else.” I pondered this a moment. I couldn’t deny I saw where he was coming from.
“Why me and not Chris?”
“You were the one who gave Leo the show proposal.”
“But Chris and I both helped develop the ideas for the show.”
“Well, we’ll give credit as needed. But the developer of the episodes will be only you.”
I had no idea what to do.
“Can I at least… think about it?” I finally said.
“Of course. Call me by the end of the week.” He gave me his number and we hung up. Chris came over from where he was working in the next room of my apartment.
“Hey bro, who was that?”
“Oh… um… it was no one. Just a telemarketer.”
“Oh. Ok,” he said. He clearly knew that I was lying, but decided not to make a fuss about it. “It’s almost dinner time. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Later.”
I could barely concentrate on anything else but the phone call for the rest of the day. I hated myself for thinking twice about this. I should have been able to say no in an instant. Our dream had always been to work together. Always. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad for me to be known as an individual rather than one of two brothers. And working together would definitely bring along challenges in our brother relationship that we weren’t prepared for. And my own show. It sounded tempting, as much as I hated to admit it. I’d be able to achieve my dream, as sad as it was that Chris wasn’t in it. But what about Chris’s dream? He’d be crushed if he heard about this. How could I do that to my own brother?
My thoughts were interrupted by a beautiful mare with the most amazing mane and tail I’d ever seen. She had both wings and a horn. I remembered her—she was a character in a story my sisters loved when they were young. I must have been dreaming.
“Princess Celestia? That’s… that’s your name, right?
“Indeed,” Celestia said a little matter-of-factly.
“What… what are you doing here? At my apartment? How’d you even get in here?”
“Magic.”
“Oh. Right. But… why are you here of all places?”
“Well, I’m an older sibling, just like you are.”
“Oh yeah, you are. Luna. That’s your sister’s name.”
“Yes. And like you, I work with my sibling, so I know hard it can be. I hear you’re having trouble.”
I took a deep breath. “Is it selfish for me to think about doing the show on my own? We worked so hard to get to get a show on the air, and now it finally can happen. If I say no, there’s not a guarantee we’ll get another chance. But then again, I didn’t make it happen. We made it happen. Chris and I. How can I do this without him? What should I do?”
“Well, I’m not in your situation. All I can do is help you answer that question yourself.”
“How?” I saw her horn glow and all of the sudden the environment around me was as blue as the sky. Given that blue is my favorite color, I was totally okay with this, despite how strange this all was.
“Look over here,” she said. I saw a wall of what looked like TV screens. Celestia used her horn to bring one towards us. I saw Celestia watching over her subjects.
“Fillies and Gentlecolts. I am honored to raise the sun once again for our summer sun celebration and celebrate our freedom from Nightmare Moon!” she said. There was a loud cheer. I remembered the story now. Luna was trapped in the moon. She was still bitter and jealous of the love everyone gave for her older sister. The scene changed to Celestia sat in her bedroom. She stared longingly at the moon.
“Luna, I miss you. I… I hope you miss me, too,” she said. “There shouldn’t be a need for a celebration every year on this day. I knew that you were unhappy, but I chose to ignore it. I’m so sorry for being so stupid and foolish.” The vision ended and Celestia put the screen back with the others.
“Would Chris become like Luna if I did the show on my own?”
“Only one way to know for sure.”
“But I still can’t help but wonder if working together would be much better. Do you and Luna argue? Even after she turned back into Luna?” Celestia brought another screen over.
“Do not presume to know what it is like to govern the dream realm!” I heard Luna yell.
“And yet you know exactly what it’s like to be me? Oh PLEASE!” Celestia responded.
“ENOUGH!” a light purple pony shouted. I saw the most interesting tale show before me of how this purple pony switched Celestia and Luna’s magic and they took each other’s jobs. At the end, Celestia said they were closer than ever.
“So, even if working together is hard, the hardships bring your closer?”
“Exactly.” I paused a moment to process what I had seen.
“Are you saying I should decline the offer?”
“Well, not necessarily. I’m saying I know what it’s like to be blinded by power and how that can hurt others. Whatever decision you make, I want you to make one with a clear and conscious mind.”
I sighed and nodded. “Thanks Celestia. For everything. I know what to do now.”
“Glad to help.”
