Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria…
Canterlot was sunny, the birds were singing and creatures of all shapes and sizes walked the streets with noticeable springs in their steps. Ponies, changelings, griffons, yaks and so much more. They all laughed together, the children played together, certain individuals had even found it in themselves to love together. Considering the city had once been dominated almost solely by ponies, unicorns specifically, the world seemed eras apart from what it once was.
Relations with other nations were flourishing, Equestria’s immediate neighbours free to come and go as they pleased. So many other species had come to call Equestria home, just as many ponies now called those nations home as well. Borders were blurred, the world seeming a little more united than it once was.
Of course, it wasn’t all so picturesque. Not every corner of the world got the large end of the stick, the ongoing feud between the Abyssians and the Diamond Dogs could attest to that. But that was life, they could only hope to continue on and do the best they could to make it better for everyone.
Princess Twilight Sparkle’s friends had made her understand that, once.
“Taking in the view?” a voice asked from behind the alicorn, the immortal pony turning to see a muscular dragon squeezing his way into the royal lounge with a checklist held in his claw. “Nice day, huh?”
Twilight turned to face the dragon with a serene, happy smile. Her ethereal mane swished behind her as she made the turn, then returning to its docile state flowing in an unseen breeze.
“Very,” Twilight replied happily. “What’s on the itinerary today, Spike?”
“Well, Capper wanted to meet with you. I told him to enter the court like everycreature else,” he recited. “He also tried to bribe the guards to let him in early.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’ll have to speak to him about that. What does he want, anyway?”
“Something about the Diamond Dog situation. Says that Tempest is in on… whatever scheme he has cooked up.”
“Spike, you know she goes by Fizzlepop now. And has for decades.”
Spike shrugged. “Come on, Twilight. You know her alias is far cooler.”
“And yet we should respect her decision,” she gently chided the drake. “Now, what’s next?”
“Just the usual. Meeting a couple of nobles, plus some griffon dignitaries, for the usual polite nodding and pretending to follow their conversation. Also, Blueblood.”
“Ah. Complaints?”
“He seems less than enthused about the upper district’s newest griffon resident. I guess some ponies just don’t get with the times.”
“He is stubborn. I’ll deal with it.”
“Alrighty, and that leaves- Owch!”
Twilight covered her mouth with a hoof to stifle incoming laughter at the dragon’s indignation, Spike having absentmindedly smacked his head on a light fixture while he was focusing on the list.
“Stupid…” he muttered. “That never used to happen.”
“You used to be a lot shorter,” Twilight pointed out with a small smirk. “Think, soon enough you’ll be too large to fit in this castle.”
“That’s still a ways off, I think,” he retorted. “Got a lot of growing to do before being considered an ‘adult’ dragon. Why do my people grow so slowly?”
“Do you want me to go over the finer points of dragon biology, magics and growth rates in the absence of a horde?”
“What, again? I’ll pass,” he decided. “Anyway, the last thing is a series of documents awaiting approval for the new train line to Mount Aris.”
“Quite the undertaking, I need to study their methods for an underwater railway,” Twilight mused. “But later, I should start with the day court. I’d hate to keep Capper waiting.”
“Sounds good to me!” Spike replied, but he then stopped and seemed to hesitate. He clutched his stomach, the Princess giving him a curious look of worry. “Uh, actually, there might be one more thing…
There was a belch and a sudden onslaught of green flame, lasting mere moments, that then dissipated to reveal an intact scroll flopping onto the floor.
“Ah, it appears my student has a report,” Twilight said with a happy smile, stepping further and lifting the scroll into her magic. “I wonder what lesson has been learned this time.”
“You ever showed her the ones you used to send?” he asked curiously.
“Not as of yet. She has to learn these lessons for herself,” Twilight explained, opening the scroll and looking at its contents.
Dear Princess Twilight,
Today was a rollercoaster! We were preparing for Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s anniversary at Sugarcube Corner when my friends and I decided we just had to help Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich prepare the buffet! Various items Wonderbolt and apple-related, as you might expect.
Only… we couldn’t agree on the finer points, and it ended up with us trying to override each other’s work. Then there was arguing, some crying and then a giant cake monster animated by magic. There was some blaming, but we ended up realising we had to pool our ideas and make a plan and compromise on certain aspects so we could work together to bring it down.
We did it, though Applejack and Rainbow Dash were down one desert at the anniversary. They got it, though, said we reminded them of old times. Wish you could have been there, and so do they!
So…. I guess we learned that when friends have opposing ideas to you, you should work together on a compromise that works best for everypony rather than trying to do your own thing at the cost of your friend’s. Yay for teamwork!
Friendship is hard. But I think you were right, it’s worth it.
Your Faithful Student,
Luster Dawn.
“Teamwork. I’m glad her newfound friendships are starting to develop,” Twilight said pridefully, rolling up her protégé’s letter with the intent of adding it to the growing collection.
“Cake monster, heh.” Spike chuckled to himself. “Sounds like the trouble we used to cause back when we first moved to Ponyville. We started more than a few fires, didn’t we?”
“We always put them out,” Twilight joked back. However, her smile then slipped away as her expression went sombre, glancing back down at the scroll with a thoughtful expression. “Not anymore, though…”
“Twilight…?” Spike enquired worriedly.
Her smile returning, Twilight gave the drake an encouraging nod. “Just reminiscing, Spike. Come on, day court awaits.”
“I understand, but please understand that it’s not my place to interfere,” Twilight spoke to an accompanying noble as she walked through the halls of Canterlot Castle, subtly willing the sun to begin setting.
“But this gathering is for all of the elite!” the noble whined. “My lack of an invitation must be a mistake!”
“I cannot control the guest list of what, in essence, is a private party,” the Princess of Friendship decreed. “I am not the host.”
“But you are a guest!”
“I’m invited to all the big parties in Canterlot,” she pointed out. Every noble and their aunts wanted to be seen with one of the present two alicorn rulers of Equestria. “This is a matter to take up with the host himself. Speak to Fancy Pants.”
“I suppose I can approach the old stallion…” he grumbled. “Very well, your Highness. Thank you for your time.”
“The pleasure was mine.” Twilight graciously gave a small bow of her head as he departed, feeling no small relief as the final task of the day seemed to finally end.
Now she could just be Twilight Sparkle for a few hours.
The alicorn moved briskly through the castle, heading back to the lounge where Spike had briefed her on the day’s agenda earlier on. She nodded to the guards outside, particularly at the blue griffon that perked up considerably on seeing his old headmare, before slipping inside and closing the door.
Giving a small huff of satisfaction as she found herself among peace and quiet, Twilight ensured to grab a small glass of Sweet Apple Acres cider from the liquor cabinet before heading back to the balcony where the day started.
The moon was drifting high into the sky, night befalling the city and willing its inhabitants to slowly drift back to their homes and beds. Not all, of course, there was always the nightlife. But the souls filling the streets were considerably lessened now.
And then the moon adjusted itself to the left by a few inches.
“Luna…” Twilight muttered with a mix of amusement and irritation.
She always did this! Retirement never stopped her from putting the moon right where she wanted it on a nightly basis!
Celestia was the same with the sun, only she tried to be at least a little subtle about it.
Twilight giggled to herself, taking a sip of her cider as she regarded the city. Her thoughts then drifted to another distant set of lights beyond Mount Canterhorn, a familiar castle just visible far in the distance.
Ponyville.
Twilight’s expression fell again, her mind stuck on that friendship report she had received from Luster.
How many such reports had she sent to Celestia while such a thing was still expected? That first year in Ponyville before her ascension, getting to know her newfound friends and learning more about friendship and herself along the way. And then after, when she was learning the ropes of royalty. They helped her, she helped them. They shared their dreams, their lives, it felt like they were one whole when they were together.
The lessons. The adventures. The life they lived.
Of course, they still had each other. Once every moon they still gathered, and she saw them more frequently than that on an individual basis. But part of her couldn’t help but dream about those times, oddly simpler times despite the dangers they faced, a group of friends against the world. A life Luster Dawn was living now, all in Twilight’s stead.
Twilight couldn’t help but feel that their story had ended.
“Well, of course it has ended, you got the happy ending!”
“Discord,” Twilight greeted coolly, not even needing to turn her head to know the Spirit of Chaos was lounging on the roof above the balcony. “I didn’t expect you.”
“You know I don’t like to call ahead,” he remarked, his head appearing before Twilight with a phone taped to it.
“Funny.”
"I like to think so,” he said, putting himself back together and appearing next to the alicorn in a flash. “I couldn’t help but notice you moping about. And after that speech you gave that protégé of yours not so long ago! You got the crown, you have your friends, what’s the big whoop?”
“Time. It’s daunting,” Twilight answered. “I’m an immortal, just like you. They aren’t. They’re ageing, Fluttershy is ageing. It doesn’t bother you?”
“It should?”
“Probably. I remember young ponies who went on adventures, learnt lessons about friendship and then went out for doughnuts afterwards. We don’t do that anymore. That fell to the Student Six after I got the throne, and now it falls to Luster.”
“Yes, she does match your capacity to overthink the obvious, that one.”
“Not the point,” the Princess shot back. “Everything that was, our story, it’s ended. And every grey hair I see on them also seems like more endings coming our way. I’m happy with how things ended, I’m at peace with it. But… I miss it. And I don’t know what comes next for me, especially when they are no longer here.”
Discord hummed, becoming uncharacteristically sombre as he too started to look out over the city.
“There was a time when I thought my story was all there was. It was all about me, everything else was so… small by comparison,” he admitted. “Never did I think I would come to value my former playthings as friends. Nor could I ever imagine the concept of love or such nonsense. Forget about having a wife! Fluttershy gave me all of that, not to neglect your part but it was mostly her, and I will always cherish her for it. But yes, she will pass. I know this. You know this!”
“So, it does bother you?”
“A little,” he replied. “But so long as she goes when she is ready, I will make do. After all, just because our tales end, doesn’t mean it’s the end of everything. You have the pleasure of watching others go through the same thing, craft their own stories and learn their own lessons. You will find comfort in that, I think.”
“You’re right, of course. It’s just hard not to be sentimental,” Twilight responded with a sad smile. “Just because our chapter has ended, and yet the story goes on. I will be honoured to guide for as long as I am able, to watch Luster and others like her evolve and grow. But our story, it will always be close to my heart. I’ll cherish what we had rather than fear the changes coming our way. Even if it isn’t always easy, I know this to be true.”
“More than you know,” Discord said with a sly smirk, gaining Twilight’s attention. "Your story may be ending, but this is but one of many. For others, their tales are just getting started."
A click of his talons and images started to appear before the Princess of Equestria. She could see herself, but… different. Earth pony? Her friends! They were so like the ones she knew, and yet different at the same time. Subtle things. Obvious things. But… they would learn from each other. Journey with one another.
Another world. Another them. A story yet untold, but soon would be.
For all the changes, the friendship that binds them would be eternal.
“Thank you, Discord,” Twilight said sincerely. “I needed that.”
“Just don’t tell the others, I have a chaotic image to keep up!” he warned.
Twilight chuckled. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“Oh good. Now, a final piece of advice.”
“Oh?”
“AppleDash won through, even I got hooked, but here you are moping to yourself in a dark room!” he remarked with a glint in his eye that made Twilight’s stomach sink. “Get a boyfriend, Twiggles!”
“Discord…!”
“Okay, good talk bye!”
Discord vanished as a cushion from the nearby sofa flew at terminal velocity through where he had just been standing, proceeding to fall through the air with enough speeds that, when it hit the top of a flagpole down below, it was instantly impaled on it.
Whoops.
Eh, she would deal with it later.
Laughing cheerfully to herself, Twilight finished her cider and moved back into the lounge. And there, resting on a table, Twilight located and picked up a small picture frame that had been placed out for easy view and access.
Twilight and her friends, so young and unaware of the destiny before them so soon after her arrival in Ponyville, together and happy.
Yes. Their story was ended, but it happened. It will always have happened, and it would be remembered. The adventures. The lessons. The cheers. The tears. Everything in between.
Twilight brought it closer, pressing the frame against the regalia covering her heart.
Their story would always be there. Even as new beginnings emerged.
“Twilight!” Spike addressed as he barged into the lounge. “Hey, you here!?”
“I am here,” she confirmed, replacing the picture and turning towards her number one assistant. “What wrong?”
“The girls have just shown up!” he quickly explained. “Something about ‘Discord said you needed a hug’?”
A smile graced Twilight’s face, her magic lighting up and enveloping her royal attire. She lifted all the pieces off, carefully placing them down onto the sofa. She pulled off her crown last, giving it a small look before putting it down and turning to her oldest friend.
“Donut Joe’s. Ten minutes.”
“Aye aye, Princess!”
He quickly ran out of the lounge to inform the others, Twilight laughing to herself as she mentally sent a silent word of thanks to the Spirit of Chaos. For all his mistakes and flaws, he’d learned from them.
And so, leaving her title behind for a little while, Twilight Sparkle and her friends would reunite and spend the evening with one another. All the while, in Ponyville, Luster and her collection of friends had similar experiences of their own as their budding friendships continued to blossom.
And then, across generations and universal divides, six very familiar ponies began their own journey into the unknown.
All of these stories, never-ending and forever, all revealing one complete truth. Something that, even as one story ended, would continue into the aeons beyond.
Friendship is Magic.
Author's Note
And so ends My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Even though our journey with these wonderful characters has ended, there are still other takes to be told. Both in fanfiction... and in Generation 5, starting soon enough.
In some form, we'll all meet again.
