The First Re-Mark

by iowaforever

Rating: everyone
Tags: Starlight Glimmer, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Other, Drama
Length: 12986

A traveler arrives in Our Town, challenging all that Starlight believes in. But then, Equality is truth... right?

Stable. Calm. Orderly.

That was what Starlight Glimmer had sought when she set up her community, a place where all ponies would be equal in everything they had or did. No fighting, no competition, no cutie marks: it would be the perfect symbol of Equality by which the rest of Equestria would rally behind.

But one stormy night, a mysterious mare arrives to question Starlight about her beliefs, doubting whether Equality is truly what Ponykind needs. Surely such notions are those of an older time, and Equality is a future that Starlight can defend.

... isn't it?

Special thanks to Avenging Hobbits for editing and proofreading.

Comments may contain spoilers. You have been warned.

Published 2018-09-22 16:50:02 UTC
Last updated 2018-10-12 02:52:37 UTC

"Call me Revelation"

“Call me Revelation”

Starlight Glimmer had chosen the site for her commune carefully: far enough away from outside influence where she could work out her philosophy (and perhaps bring in a few new community members nopony would really miss), dry enough that she would not have ponies questioning the weather too much, and fertile enough that they would not starve to death on a few weak harvests. For the first weeks, it had served them well, the little community slowly growing under Starlight’s careful watch. Nothing was out of place, nothing was left to chance, everything and everypony was equal.

Stable. Just as everything was supposed to be.

Still, fate was fate, as Starlight and the others found out when a sudden storm had rolled in from the west. She knew enough on habitats to know storms were not too unusual for deserts, but that it had to happen on the day of their first Equality Festival...

Oh well, we’ll just have to hold the Festival tomorrow.

“Is everything secure, Double Diamond?” she asked, trotting up to the Earth Pony in question.

“All the banners are secure and all the food’s been put away,” Double Diamond replied, his voice as calm as ever. “We just wait a little longer, and then we can get back to celebrating.”

“Wonderful!” Starlight beamed. “I’m so glad that everypony has come together to make our Festival a success despite all the weather! You really are a shining example of our community, Double Diamond!” The Festival’s success was still in question, as was finishing it tonight, but there was nothing a little positive reinforcement couldn’t help.

“Thank you, Starlight! It really means a lot to me.” Double Diamond’s smile faded for a moment. “But what about Sugar Belle and Party Favor?” Starlight cast a glance towards one of the houses on the far end of the town. It was a little difficult to hear her “words of encouragement” softly playing to the occupants over the storm, but the storm was not bad enough to jeopardize all Starlight had set up.

“Oh, they’ll be fine,” she said, giving a short wave of her hoof. “A little storm never hurt anyone, and think of how much closer they will get riding out this storm together.” This seemed to satisfy Double Diamond, who gave Starlight a smile before she continued. “Now you get to shelter too; no need for anypony to catch a cold out here.”

“Of course not. You stay safe, Starlight.” and with that the two parted ways, Starlight bolting for her house just as the first raindrops began to fall. A small magic shield would be enough to deflect some of the bigger drops, but she was still far from dry as she ducked into her house and closed the door.

“Made it,” she whispered, wiping a few drops off her forehead as she took inventory. Her house was well stocked for the storm, with freshly cut firewood aplenty and comfy furniture to keep things cozy while wind and rain lashed as her community. Humming to herself, Starlight reached for a nearby towel, wiping down her mane before giving the rest of her body a once over.

The fake cutie mark had gotten some splashes. That would have to be redone.

She reached for the makeup kit she had stashed, pulling the kit free while simultaneously rubbing down her flank to remove the old cutie mark. From there, it was a simple matter of applying a good amount of foundation to go unnoticed, followed by a dusting of charcoal to create the equal sign. It was a process she had completed dozens of times since building the community, and not once had it gone noticed by anypony.

Quiet. Stable. Just as things were supposed to be.

She had just finished with her right flank when a knock came from the door. Starlight was so caught off guard by the knock she almost dropped the kit, cursing a bit under her breath before her composure returned. “Just cleaning up a bit!” she called. “I’ll be right there.” The pony on the other side did not respond. Probably just Double Diamond, Starlight thought as she finished her left flank. He does get scared so easily nowadays. Starlight made for the door only after making sure her makeup was hidden away once more, cracking the door open to get a good look at her visitor.

It was not Double Diamond. It wasn’t anypony from the community, but a tall mare in a hooded grey cloak. From what Starlight could see she had a lighter blue coat, a slight frame like those showmares from Las Pegasus she had read about, and soft turquoise eyes. The mare took a moment to brush some of her mane out of her eyes before speaking.

“Please, ma’am,” she said. “I was travelling through when the storm came. May I rest here until it passes?” Starlight chewed her lip. An outsider could mean a new friend for the community, if the mare was willing to stay, but it could also mean another chance at somepony discovering more than they needed to know. Logic told Starlight to send the mare on her way, or at least point her to one of the other houses so she could meet the community before being brought to Starlight.

But then, there’s no reason to be rude.

“Please, come in.” Starlight said, giving the mare a warm smile as she held the door open. The newcomer nodded her thanks and stepped in, pushing her hood back once she was inside. Now Starlight could see the newcomer was a unicorn, her horn poking out from beneath a tangled mess of blue mane.

“Thank you so much for your hospitality,” the mare said. “It is rare that I get a chance to spend time in a warm house.”

“Oh you poor thing!” Starlight gasped. “Well, nopony should have to wait out a storm alone. Please, make yourself at home; it is the least I could do for one such as you.” again, the mare nodded her thanks, moving to a nearby rack to hang her cloak. Starlight crossed to her fireplace, levitating a few logs into the fireplace as she looked around for matches.

“Would you like something to drink?” Starlight asked. “Water, or perhaps a glass of warm milk?”

“I have some tea, if you would be willing to share.” the mare said, pulling a small packet from her cloak.

“Good, good.” Starlight turned away for a moment, frowning as she failed to locate her matches. Well, a little magic won’t kill anypony. Her smile returning, Starlight cast a quick Firestarter spell, sparks flickering from her horn before catching on the firewood. Once she felt the fire was sufficient, she turned back to her guest.

“I’ll go put some water on, and then we can enjoy your tea.” she said. The other mare gave a quick smile before speaking.

“Your hospitality knows no bounds,” she said. “I feel almost rude, coming in here and putting you to work like this.”

“Please, it really is no trouble,” Starlight grabbed a kettle and moved towards the kitchen. “It is so rare that our little community gets visitors, we have to do as much as we can to be hospitable.”

“I see...” a pause, Starlight humming a short tune as she filled the kettle. Then she chuckled.

“Look at us,” she said. “We’ve gone so far and we don’t even know each other’s names.” the kettle sufficiently full, she turned and headed back to the fire. “I’m Starlight Glimmer. What’s your name, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Oh, I’ve gathered a lot of names over the years.” the mare said, portioning out the tea into two cups Starlight could have sworn were not there moments before. “For now, you may call me Revelation.”

“‘Revelation’...” Starlight repeated, a chill running down her spine. Ponies had a wide variety of names, but something about this one... she shook her head and hung the kettle over the fire. “What an interesting name.”

“So I’ve been told.” Revelation said, setting the tea cups aside. There was a pause before Starlight spoke again.

“So, Revelation... What brings you this far out?”

“I seek knowledge, understanding,” Revelation said. “My mentor taught me that it was advantageous to be on the move, collecting bits and pieces of information to better understand the whole. So I’ve been travelling from town to town, speaking with ponies so I may learn more about them and their lives.”

“I see,” Starlight looked to her guest’s flank. “I suppose it has something to do with your special talent?” Revelation raised an eyebrow at this before tracing Starlight’s gaze to her cutie mark, a black wolf’s head against an upturned white crescent.

“Not particularly,” Revelation replied with a chuckle. “This is just a hobby of mine, something to keep life from growing boring, as it were.”

“Ah.” another pause. By now the kettle had started to boil, a plume of steam rising up into the rafters. “Oh, looks like our water is ready.” Revelation gave a small nod, reaching out with her magic to carry the kettle closer.

“Tell me, Starlight,” Revelation said as she poured the water. “How does a community like yours end up all the way out here? I am well learned in Equestria’s geography, and I did not think this to be a good place for a town.”

“Of course, from the outside it may seem harsh,” Starlight said as she took her cup from Revelation. “But we have found it to be quite charming besides, perfect for our little community.”

“Perhaps,” Revelation shifted in her seat before raising her glass. “To your health.”

“And yours.” Starlight took a sip. The tea was nutty, a sweet aftertaste following quickly after. She allowed a small giggle as she drank, such that she almost missed Revelation’s next comment.

“Everything does seem well structured,” the other mare said. “Almost obsessively so...”

“We do our best to make sure everypony gets exactly the same housing.” Starlight replied. “Not too big, not too small; just perfect for everypony.”

“I see.” a pause. “A small isolated community set to exacting designs, and I did notice earlier that you share the same cutie mark as some of your fellows. Is there a reason behind that?” Starlight’s pulse picked up. This pony was interested in learning more about Equality, and so calmly too? It was as if Celestia Herself had sought to bless Starlight for her good fortune.

Play it cool, Starlight, she thought. Sell the idea of Equality, then you can discuss details.

“All you have seen is to foster the cause of Equality,” she said, grinning with pride. “Nopony here has any advantages over anypony else. The same food, the same house in roughly similar position, and the same cutie mark! We don’t allow such things as special talents or unusual skills divide us, for we all live together in absolute harmony.”

“Sounds positively dull.” Revelation said. While Starlight’s smile did not slip, her eye did twitch.

“I’m... I’m sorry?”

“The differences between ponies is what has made Equestria so vibrant, so flourishing,” Revelation continued. “It is in our very nature to seek out what we are best at, and we draw strength even from those who might not understand our drives. To live without that?” she shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I cannot see anything harmonious about that.”

“Uh...” Starlight frowned. This was going to be a tougher sell than she thought. “B-but surely you’ve seen the division among ponies. When one gains a special talent, they claim superiority over others around them and thus push them away from their own drives to achieve the same. This division leads to a breakdown of friendship as achievement becomes competition, and then where are they left? Divided, angry, confused.”

“But it is within that competition that a pony truly becomes themselves,” Revelation countered, taking a sip from her tea. “If we did not seek to become more than what we are, would we ever truly grow? Would we not still be foals grasping at straws, listening to what more ‘learned’ ponies have said before?”

“That’s what you might think, but Equality is such a liberating experience,” Starlight took another drink before continuing. “So much pressure and doubt is placed upon ponies these days, trying to find their special talents or make sense of the world. But through Equality, they have purpose: to contribute to the community, take the place set before them, and work together so all prosper fairly.”

“Who’s purpose, though?” Revelation frowned. “What point is purpose if you have no say in your part in it? And to be set along a single path, without a chance to turn to the right or to the left.” she looked away. “That sounds like a horrible fate I would not wish on anyone.”

“I would appreciate if you did not call our community life ‘horrible’, Miss Revelation,” Starlight said, frowning. Of course, there were going to be hard converts, but this pony was just being beyond stubborn.

“Apologies, I did not mean to appear rude,” Revelation said. “This is your community, and I am your guest. I merely find your stance on life to be... odd.”

“Many ponies do, I’m sure.” Starlight said, some of her composure returning. “They really shouldn’t, though. The signs of Equality are all around us, if somepony knows where to look.”

“Perhaps, but I do not think it would appear in the way you think.” there was a lengthy pause, Revelation calmly sipping at her tea before Starlight spoke.

“You think this unnatural, an abomination,” she said, ears drooping.

“I would not go as far to say ‘abomination’, but unnatural? Yes.” Revelation set her tea aside. “Ponykind in all its forms is a celebration of differences, exemplified by our cutie marks. To enforce rigid conformity is to deny all that we are.”

“And that’s where you’re wrong.” Starlight said, setting her own tea down. “Cutie marks highlight the divides between us, and provide a focal point by which we judge one another. All throughout history ponies have broken apart because of these differences, abandoning one another for their own desires. All because of cutie marks.”

“I am a student of history myself,” Revelation replied. “And I can assure you that it is not merely a cutie mark that can break apart a relationship.” Oh, so it’s a battle of wits, then? Well, Sugar Belle was no trouble; Revelation should not be too difficult.

“If you don’t see for yourself,” Starlight said. “Allow me to convince you.”

"The Basis of Division"

“The Basis of Division”

More rain had started to fall, a faint drumming on the roof that Starlight felt compelled to ignore. Rain was normally a calming experience, but in the face of the mare that called herself Revelation it gave her little comfort. Starlight did her best to appear composed as Revelation poured more tea, the mare silently passing the cup to Starlight before speaking.

“Now, you were going to convince me that cuties marks bring division, and Equality is the natural state of all things.” Revelation said.

“Yes,” Starlight took the cup before continuing. “I will show you why cutie marks do more harm than good, and why here in our town we are the model of perfect Equestrian living. Once you are convinced, perhaps you will come to appreciate all we have to offer.”

“Perhaps...” Revelation took a sip as Starlight began.

“Cutie marks appear when a pony discovers his or her so-called ‘special talent’.” Starlight resisted the urge to do hoof quotes as she continued. “From there, a pony is expected to live out their special talent in all they do, in the hopes that they prove themselves productive members of society. But tell me, do you know just how much pressure is put upon a pony to find that special talent? Do you know how much pressure they must endure to fulfill that talent?”

“I am no stranger to such tribulations,” Revelation said. “But then you must also know that not everything is universal; some may receive enormous pressure, others may not.”

“All the more reason why cutie marks are no good.” Starlight said, stamping her hoof. “Why do we just arbitrarily judge based on who has a mark on their flank and who does not? Why must young foals be driven apart because they have no cutie mark?”

“The judgement of others is a tricky subject indeed,” Revelation said. “Certainly education and breaking of old norms can remedy this. And sometimes the lack of a cutie mark, the pressure and trepidation, can be common ground for ponies to bond over.”

“I doubt it. Under pressure, a pony is liable to withdraw into themselves and never seek to break out. If all ponies are equal, the pressure is gone, and a pony is free to be whoever he or she wants to be.”

“Not true.” Starlight blinked as Revelation continued. “Pressure is a prime motivator of ponies to break from the norms in which they live. Would Equestria itself have been founded had the Hearth’s Warming Ponies merely fallen back on what they knew?”

“That’s just an old fairy tale mothers tell their foals to get them to behave.” Starlight said, waving her hoof dismissively. “Not once have I found a situation where a pony has prospered under the pressures of not having a cutie mark.”

“And yet I can provide you with three examples, all of them drawn together by their struggle.” Revelation’s horn shimmered before a picture appeared before Starlight. It was the mare, laughing at the antics of three young fillies. All of them were blank flanks, yet to see such joy in their eyes...

“Who are they?” she asked.

“They called themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” Revelation said, taking the picture back. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo. None of them, as far as I know, have found their cutie mark, yet they continue to try new activities, new adventures, to try and find that special talent.”

“They should not have to struggle in the first place,” Starlight said quickly. “Under Equality, they would have no need to struggle. They would have a place waiting for them when they came of age, and they would be happy for it.”

“Would they?” Revelation asked. “Look at these fillies. Their search has been fruitless in the sense that none of them have found their special talent, but the memories they’ll share and the lessons they’ll learn will last their entire lives. Yes, there is struggle, but the bond they build in this time will never be broken, even by the deepest of disagreements.”

“That’s not possible!” Starlight cried. “Weighed down by the pressures of modern society a young pony is broken until she does not trust anypony. She withdraws, shuts down, becomes useless in the eyes of all. Only with Equality can she become who she truly is.”

“Sounds like you have had a personal experience with that.” Starlight’s jaw tightened. She was slipping up, and Revelation had noticed. Just a few words and everything would be undone.

Stable... calm... orderly... that was what she needed to focus on.

“That is not the topic we were discussing,” Starlight said, doing her best to unclench her jaw. “I was talking about how cutie marks divide us.”

“Yes.” Revelation nodded. “You believe that the presence or lack of a cutie mark is enough to cause unmendable division.”

“Yes.” Starlight said, closing her eyes. “I saw it too many times to ignore; friends driven apart because of irreconcilable differences, competition between one pony and another, all because of a cutie mark.” she looked up. “Is that really a society that we need to live in? Where everypony is trying to outdo one another?”

“Perhaps not. Such rivalries have done great damage to Equestria in the past...” Starlight noticed Revelation’s eyes softened for a brief moment before she started speaking again. “But to force one down another’s path of thinking, that can do far more damage than even a simple disagreement.”

“Who said I was forcing anyone?” Starlight frowned again. “Everypony who lives here voluntarily gave up their cutie mark once they understood what I... what we were capable of accomplishing.”

“They helped you come up with this philosophy? Fellows who had been challenged and persecuted for their cutie marks?” Starlight fidgeted, trying to think of the right words to say, again.

“They could all see what I meant,” she started, but Revelation was quick to cut her off.

“There you use the word ‘I’,” she said. “That implies that you were the sole creator of this philosophy of cutie marks being the basis of division among our kind. You presented to these ponies and perhaps some believed, some did not, but all that matters now is that you could ‘educate’ these ponies to understand what you saw, not what they saw. That hardly seems equal.”

“Everypony who lives here is here because they want to be here.” Starlight growled. “If you are just going to be stubborn and shoot down all of my points so callously, you can leave.”

“Apologies, I did not mean to be rude,” Revelation looked away. “I have a bad habit of that... of not always listening to what other ponies are saying to me.” Well, at least she has the courage to admit it, Starlight through, but she was not going to stoop to Revelation’s level. “Have you heard of King Gorice?”

“No, I haven’t,” Starlight said. “Why does it matter?”

“Gorice was the third king of Griffonstone, ascending after his father King Gunther. Gorice was the model of any griffon: strong, handsome, wealthy. But his greed was far greater than a lust for gold and jewels; he desired the love of all creatures, griffons first and foremost. Plans for a great griffon empire formed in his mind, a realm where all would bow down and sing praises to his name. But first he needed the love and affection of his subjects.

“To that end, he constructed a great statue in his likeness, a statue that stood taller than the tallest spires of Canterlot. ‘Bow before my likeness,’ he commanded. ‘I am your king, and your love shall be mine. Bow, and let us all stand united as one’. Every action, every day of every week, was punctuated by a griffon bowing to the statue, so that all would know that Gorice was king in Griffonstone. Any griffon that dissented, even if it was just forgetfulness for one bow, was dragged away to the king’s dungeons beneath his castle for ‘re-education’.

“Within a month the statue was toppled, and Gorice was forced to abdicate by his son Gavin. The griffons could not find it within themselves to love a creature that did not respect their own desires, a creature who imposed his will and order so harshly upon them.”

“That is an interesting story,” Starlight said, reaching for her now cold tea. “But it does not have a lot to do with anything. So one griffon tried to force others to love him? The exchange was not equal, and he suffered from it.”

“You are correct, the exchange was not equal,” Revelation stood, moving towards the window to watch the storm. “But then the story is not meant as a warning against Inequality. Gorice demanded more than what his subjects could provide him, forcing them to bend to his will or suffer the consequences. Like Griffonstone, this town is one that forces ponies to follow one philosophy, one line of thinking above all others- a hypocritical line of thinking if you are to take the very basic definition of Equality, no?”

“I am not forcing anypony to do what I want.” Starlight growled again, her tea cup trembling in her magic.

“Then I suppose those two souls you have locked up in the building on the end of town are there by their own will?” Starlight’s magic cut out, the cup plummeting to the floor. It never struck, for the blue glow of Revelation’s magic caught it and the spilt tea before either had a chance to land. But so shocked was Starlight that she found herself unable to move, her breath coming out in short gasps.

“Do not think I am a blind mare, Starlight,” Revelation looked back to her. “I have seen many things in my time, some far worse than what you have here. But can you justify locking away dissidents and ‘re-educating’ them, as Gorice did?”

“... Get out of my town.” Starlight fixed Revelation with a glare. The other mare returned one of her own, Starlight doing her best to match stare for stare.

“No,” Revelation said. “Not until you understand just what you have done.”

"Invasive, Dark Magics"

“Invasive, Dark Magics”

Starlight noticed that her heartbeat had matched the drumming of the rain on her roof. The mantra of “stable, calm, orderly” would only do her so much, especially considering Revelation stood calmly before her, unaffected by the rising tensions.

“I think we’ve said all that needs to be said,” Starlight growled, eyes narrowing. “You may leave now, Revelation.”

“We both know that is not the truth,” Revelation countered. “There is still more that needs to be said. You have done little to convince me that your Equality is not but a lie to subvert ponies to your will, and I have not said my piece to draw you away from this dangerous path you tread.”

“Dangerous?” Starlight scoffed. “I hardly find my philosophy to be dangerous. Perhaps to established order, to those who hate and are confused by the mere concept of Equality as you seem to be, but to the common pony it is a liberating experience, a true validation of the natural order of things.” Now Revelation scoffed.

“If cutie marks were truly unnatural, would we still gain them?” Revelation moved around the house, inspecting it closely as she continued. “The universe has an order to it, a means by which natural and unnatural are kept seperate. Every once in a while you get a breach, a rift that opens to allow the unnatural through; Windigoes are a great example, mindless creatures fueled by pure hatred and disharmony, such that even the slight notion of friendship is fatal to their kind.”

“Again with stories?” Starlight rolled her eyes. “Windigoes are just another make-believe monster, perfect for tales like the Hearth’s Warming fable.”

“My point is,” Revelation said, seemingly ignoring Starlight’s comment. “That when something unnatural enters the universe, it is confronted and repelled by something that is natural. Were a cutie mark truly what you said it is, an unnatural blight upon Ponykind, then they would have long vanished from knowledge centuries ago. But they persist, even if modified in the sense of you and your fellows, and thus do not fit the divide of natural and unnatural.”

“That’s a pretty broad definition, Revelation,” Starlight said. “That’s basically saying an eclipse is unnatural because it blocks the sun from shining on a certain point of the globe for a few minutes.”

“Eclipses are well documented natural phenomena, though.” Revelation looked to Starlight. “But consider Nightmare Moon’s rebellion against Equestria; holding the moon in place as she did was an unnatural act, and Celestia’s use of the Elements of Harmony against her restored the natural cycles once more.”

“You’re just twisting stories and fairy tales to better suit your argument,” Starlight moved away, taking the now empty kettle back towards her kitchen. “None of the examples you have given me actually disprove my statement that cutie marks promote inequality, that removing cutie marks we can achieve Equality for all.”

“Neither would saying that to make a Pegasus equal to an Earth Pony, the Pegasus must have their wings removed. Yet there have been those that have suggested such lines of thought.” Starlight opened her mouth to object, but Revelation raised a hoof. “I understand those are two entirely different mutilations, but they remain mutilations nonetheless.”

“Mutilations...” Starlight repeated, turning her back on Revelation. “You think we’re barbarians that carve ponies up if they do not comply with rigid order? The cutie unmarking is completely painless and non-invasive, let me assure you.”

“I find it hard to believe that having one’s special talent ripped from their psyche is ‘painless’. Only the most powerful of dark magics can do anything like that, and the sorcerers and demons that conjured such powers were not one to make it a pleasant experience.”

“Then you should be happy to know that this is no ‘dark magic’.” Starlight turned around, smiling. “When I was travelling Equestria on my way to find a good site for our town, I discovered an artefact of great power: the Staff of Sameness.”

“The Staff of Sameness?” Revelation asked, ears drooping. “I cannot say I am familiar with that one.”

“Oh?” Starlight smirked. “High and Mighty Revelation does not know of the Staff of Sameness? Oh, what a shame; it truly is one of the most fascinating artefacts in Equestria.”

“If it is so fascinating, enlighten me.” Revelation took her seat again. “Tell me what you know of this ‘Staff of Sameness’.”

“Once I realized what I had was a relic of great power, I did all the research I could to identify what it was I had.” Starlight walked back to Revelation. “The Staff of Sameness is one of the last of nine artefacts enchanted by the great Mage Meadowbrook. A sage unicorn from the east, Meadowbrook fully understood the need for ponies to be Equal, and enchanted the staff of Sameness to be able to remove a pony’s cutie mark with ease.” Starlight sighed. “Unfortunately, she disappeared before she could use it, and the Staff was lost to time... until I discovered it again.” Starlight puffed out her chest. “And what do you say to that?”

Revelation said nothing. Instead, she threw back her head and laughed.

“Oh my dear Starlight,” she said, laughing further. “At first I had thought you had truly stumped me, but now I see you have gone straight to lying to keep up the facade.”

“L-Lying?!” Starlight cried, eyes going wide as Revelation continued to laugh. “How dare you accuse me of lying! I have been nothing but honest-”

“Then you would know that Meadowbrook had only eight artefacts, not nine.” Revelation said, her laughter dying down. “And of those eight, none of them were a staff. Additionally, Meadowbrook was not an eastern unicorn sage; that was her counterpart and friend Mistmane, who specialized in enchantments and other conjurings and celebrated the beauty of nature and the differences therein. Meadowbrook was an Earth Pony witch doctor from the southern swamps who specialized in healing salves and magic potions, nothing like cutie mark removal.” Starlight blinked, fighting the urge to have her jaw drop. Her brain tried and failed to come up with a good explanation, that perhaps there was some other Meadowbrook Revelation had not heard about, but every excuse that came up was just that: an excuse.

“S-so maybe it isn’t one of Meadowbrook’s artefacts,” she said finally. “The Staff of Sameness is still powerful, and not some means of horrific mutilation.”

“At this point I am thinking that perhaps it is merely an odd looking stick you found out in the desert,” Revelation mused. “... Oh, but I’m being rude again, aren’t I? Perhaps you did find some powerful artefact, and perhaps it does have the ability to remove a cutie mark. Did you not stop to think that perhaps whoever created it did not mean it for benevolent purposes?”

“Why wouldn’t they, considering Equality is what ponies were meant to achieve.” Starlight’s ears flattened against her head. Revelation once more did not appear to notice the threat, shifting in her seat before speaking again.

“There was a sorcerer named Arabus,” she started. “Who spoke of the theory that the cutie mark is the cornerstone of a pony’s personality. It appears when a pony makes the first concrete determinations about his or her identity, reinforcing what little they already have so that a greater whole can be built. Like a building, to change one cornerstone is to change the entire architecture, and thus to change a cutie mark was to alter a pony’s entire personality.” Revelation paused, looking back to Starlight. “Arabus used this to enslave the population of Neighples, breaking and remolding the populace’s cutie marks to better suit whatever whims he had at the time. He was defeated, but the scars of his manipulation remain to this day.”

“Using the example of one wicked soul is not going to-”

“Then perhaps another? The demon lord Tirek possessed the power to steal a pony’s cutie mark, taking their magic for his own. He used this power in a bid to overthrow Equestria, but he too was defeated by those who stood in defiance, united in one cause despite their disagreements and diversity.”

“Again, how is that supposed to-”

“Or even recently, when six mares from completely different backgrounds not only defeated and cleansed Nightmare Moon, but also overcame the powerful chaos spirit Discord, the queen of Changelings, and the Crystal Tyrant King Sombra?” Revelation rose to her hooves. “Do you not see, Starlight? Time and again wicked beings have come to impose control over all that we admire about Equestria. It is not sameness that has defeated them, but different ponies uniting despite those differences. In fact, that they brought new experiences and understandings often gave them strength against those that would see to crush them, and this made their friendship all the more greater. Would you deny them that? Would you crush the spirit of friendship and unification in some mad dash to make everypony just like you?”

“The difference is that I am right!” Starlight shouted, stamping her hoof against the floor.

“Spoken like a true demagogue.” Revelation said, eyes narrowing. Starlight’s eye twitched again.

“Alright, fine! If that’s what you want to believe, so be it!” she snarled. “You think I’m a monster, a dictator who wants to break ponies for their amusement!”

“I never said that,” Revelation countered. “I merely think your approach is an extreme reaction to what you see around you.”

“Extreme? Extreme?!” she stamped her hooves. “Is it extreme to want to help ponies? It is extreme to want to give ponies in need a second chance?! I am doing good for these ponies, and you would just take that away from me, from them?! For what, so you can leave them to their differences, so they can be lost and alone and judged?!”

“Of course not. If these ponies are truly lost, they can be helped. But denying what they crave the most, a chance to be who they are, that will only make them crave it all the more. They will not sit idle, they will only conform for so long, and then your little experiment here will come crashing down around you.” Revelation’s gaze softened. “I am only trying to help you see that.”

“You just don’t understand what I am trying to do.” Starlight shook her head, trying and failing once more to get her anger reined in. “These ponies were lost, confused, and I gave them purpose! I gave them friendship! I gave them a place where they don’t have to worry about being judged, being abandoned, of losing somepony they care about because of a cutie mark! Nopony here has to lose anything anymore, and nopony in Equestria will lose anything anymore because I will make sure they are equal!” With that Starlight’s horn lit up, the door of the house flinging open. “If you just don’t want to accept that, then you can leave! There’s no place for somepony so negative like you in my town!”

“What was their name?” Revelation asked softly. Starlight blinked, trying to refocus her anger.

“What difference does it make? You’ve outstayed your welcome, and now you need to leave!”

“You keep dodging the questions about your past, about what caused you to start thinking like this in the first place,” Revelation took a step towards Starlight. “What was their name? Who was the pony that caused all this?” Starlight gritted her teeth, fighting the urge to paw at the ground in frustration. Revelation had come and made a mockery of her beliefs, and now just wanted to rub salt into the wound. What a disrespectful mare...

“Fine.” Starlight slammed her door shut. “If that’s what you want, fine. I’ll tell you all the sordid details about my past, about why cutie marks have ruined mine and many others’ lives. And then you will leave, and never come back to this village again.” there was a pause, Revelation returning to her seat.

“Very well,” the other mare said. “Tell me everything.” Starlight resisted the urge to stomp too much as she crossed back to her chair, sitting down and fixing Revelation with a glare. There was a pause before Starlight began.

“I was born in the small town of Sire’s Hollow. Even for one who travels as you say, you’ve probably never heard of it. My mother was apparently a flighty mare who left shortly after I was born, leaving my father to raise me on his own.” Starlight closed her eyes and sighed. “He did mean the best for me, but his overprotectiveness meant that I didn’t really get a chance to meet other ponies my age. I was always shunted from one historical society to the next, always in the background, never noticed by anypony... except one colt.

“His name was Sunburst. He was about my age, and in the same boat I was; his father had passed in a magic accident, and his mother liked to push him out into the spotlight so he wouldn’t be too lost. We met one day at some town hall meeting, and we... we bonded over our shared pressures, confusions.” Starlight allowed herself a short chuckle.

“We were inseparable after that. We ate lunch together, studied magic together, played games together. Even with all the shuffling and the pushing we always had each other, and it seemed like there was nothing that could break us apart.” she closed her eyes, brow furrowing.

“Except one day, there was. We were playing some game where you try to stack up as many books as you can without them falling over.” Starlight looked up. “You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“I was a foal once too.” Revelation said. “Such games are good use for learning control over magic.”

“True, but that day I decided to be a little more daring... and I almost paid the price for it.” she looked away. “The stack got too high and fell on me. I probably could have caught the books, but I was so startled I didn’t know what to do. I could have been crushed, had Sunburst not caught the stack before it hit me. With a single burst of magic he caught the books, set them all in order, and shelved them perfectly... and got his cutie mark in the process.” Starlight found herself almost spitting that last sentence.

“From there, is was all celebrations and praise for Sunburst. They threw him a party, and the next day his mother packed him off to Canterlot to study magic in Celestia’s school. Me? I was left alone, watching as my best friend left, and forgot about me... and never wrote... n-never came back to visit.” Starlight fought back the urge to cry. “All because of his cutie mark. When I finally got mine the next year I begged my father to let me go to Canterlot so I could study magic. ‘Maybe’, I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll be able to see him there and we can be friends again’. But my father was in fine form that day, and didn’t want his ‘punky-wunky sweetie pie’ to go run off to a dangerous city like Canterlot.

“So I ran away. I packed up what little I had and left Sire’s Hollow, searching for somewhere I could be alone, where I could have meaning.” She scowled at the fire. “But everywhere it was cutie marks, cutie marks, cutie marks! It didn’t matter who you were, just what the stupid mark on your flanks meant to you! Oh, ponies tried to make friends with me, they really did, but it call came back to cutie marks.” she looked back at Revelation, scowl unwavering.

“That’s when I realized that cutie marks were only a divider among ponies. Cutie marks forced you down your own path, and nopony could ever change that. Cutie marks made some ponies too good for others, cutie marks made others feel inadequate if they didn’t have a good enough one. So I did my research, founded this town, and made a place where no one would be judged, no one would be unhappy, no one would leave because of their cutie mark.” there was a lengthy pause, Starlight rising to her hooves and glaring at Revelation. “Does that sate your curiosity, Revelation?”

“... For what it is worth, Starlight,” Revelation said, her voice soft. “I am sorry for the pain you have suffered.”

“Oh, now you’re sorry,” Starlight scoffed. “Only after I’ve told you everything do you see that I was right, and now you’re ‘sorry’ that you doubted me and tried to destroy everything I’ve worked to accomplish.”

“No,” Revelation said. “I am truly sorry for what you have faced. Sunburst does sound like a good friend, and to lose him in such a way is a fate I wish on nopony.” she looked away. “But understand, even though you have suffered so, it does not give you excuse to spread your own pain on other ponies. These citizens may have genuinely wanted to be your friend, yet you forced them to conform so you would not be hurt again.”

“It was the only way I could be their friend.” Starlight growled, tears forming in her eyes. “They would have left for some reason or another. I couldn’t go through that again.” She turned away. “What would you know about it? What would you know about being abandoned, forgotten, to have all your hopes and dreams crushed before your very eyes?!”

“... Too much.” was Revelation’s only reply. Starlight did not turn, reaching up to dry her eyes before speaking.

“Leave.” she said. “J-Just leave, please. Go away and never come back. There’s an old train station a few miles from here th-that runs now and again. Go to whatever home you have and forget this town ever existed. It would be better for both of us.”

“... If that is what you wish, I will leave.” Revelation said. “But if you would permit me, before I leave I would like to tell you one more story.”

“Haven’t you told enough?” Starlight asked, rounding on Revelation. “What does one more of your fairy tales have to do with anything?”

“This one, I think you will like.” Revelation motioned towards Starlight’s chair. “Please, sit down. Let your stress fade for a moment.” Starlight hesitated, looking between the mare who ruined her dream and the chair. Finally, she sighed and climbed back into the seat, waiting patiently as Revelation began her story.

"Nothing More to Give"

“Nothing More to Give”

“Centuries ago, a ruler rose from the ashes of a dead kingdom. She was a Queen, mighty in strength and beautiful as the morning sun. Her armor was gold, her voice like a ringing bell, her wisdom a vast collection from a thousand lifetimes. With a word she could speak the stars into place, and with a glance the mightiest of demons and horrible creatures would wither.

“But for all her power and majesty, she was alone. There was no one to share the world with her, for in that day only demons and other creatures populated the land. Ponykind would arise in due time, but the Queen found none to be with her.

“‘It is not good,’ she said. ‘For me to rule alone like this. I will craft a new being to rule at my side’. So using her magic she plucked a star from the sky, crafting it to fit her image and breathing life to fill its lungs. The star took the form of a mare, slight in frame with a coat of rich blue night. The mare looked upon the Queen and said ‘I am your equal in all things, am I not?’

“‘No,’ said the Queen. ‘ You are much more than that’.

“And the Queen loved the mare as if she were her daughter. She set a tiara of onyx and jewels on her head, and draped a silver chain around her neck. The mare was clad in armor of gilded silver, her weapons forged from lightning. She was placed at the head of hundreds and the head of thousands, and all Ponykind bowed at her name. The Queen gifted the mare with treasure fit for ten kings, giving her a palace that sparkled as she did. The mare and her friends feasted on splendor, the spread great enough to feed a village for months. The Queen roamed far and wide, finding new gifts and treasures to bring to the mare. And for a while then, the mare was happy.

“But one day, a demon entered the court of the mare while she and her friends were feasting. He dazzled them with gifts and parlor tricks, his wit unmatched by any the mare had seen before. The mare was pleased, and invited the demon to sit at her side for the feast.

“The demon bowed low and asked. ‘Why, O Queen of Queens, do you allow yourself to take such a lowly position, and sit beside a traveler like me?’

“‘Lowly?’ The mare asked. ‘Is not the splendor of my court fit for ten kings? Is not my army vast, and are my subjects healthy and loyal? Why then do you say I am lowly?’

“‘Great is your splendor, O Queen, and vast are the riches under your roof,’ the demon said. ‘But there sits above you one greater, more glorious than you. I have seen the splendor of the Queen’s court, and it is a rival to yours in many ways. And it should not be so, for is not yours the greater throne whom ponies and beings of all kinds seek, not hers? Should she not yield to you her throne, that you make take what is rightfully yours?’

“The mare sent the demon away, but his words troubled her. Why would the Queen be above her, if she doted on her so? Would it be truly fair if she were to be ruled over? So she went to the Queen, sadness and concern lining her face.

“‘My dear friend, what troubles you so?’ the Queen asked. ‘Has there been some transgression between us? Please, speak your mind, and I will help you however I can.’

“‘O Queen,” the mare said. “How can you call me your equal when your splendor is greater than mine? Why must you rule over all while I am left picking at scraps? Is this truly how you intended us to be together?’ This made the Queen sad, and she took pity on the mare.

“‘My dear, what is mine to give is yours,’ she said. ‘What gift of my throne would you like? If there is some transgression I must set right, I will do so right away. Go and set before me what troubles you.’

“‘It is the very throne you sit upon,’ the mare said. ‘That throne implies I am but a subject, not an equal. Give me your throne, make me Queen in your stead, for if I am lowly in your sight then you must be lowly in mine.’ This only troubled the Queen further, and she withdrew from the mare.

“‘I am sorry,’ she said. ‘But the path that led me to this throne is not one for you to traverse. I have given you all I have, save for that which has not yet come, but with this I am sorry to say that I have nothing more to give you.’

“The mare left in a rage, cursing the Queen for denying her what she felt was hers to take. She returned to her palace, and there the demon awaited her. ‘Now, what will you do?’ he asked.

“‘What can I do?’ the mare replied. ‘The throne is mine, but the Queen will not give it to me. I will drive her away and take what is mine, and then she will know what it means to be lowly!’

“‘If this is what you seek,’ the demon said. ‘Then give me a vessel to fight against the Queen. My power is a pale shadow compared to hers, but with her help I may oppose her as well.’

“‘Very well.” the mare said. ‘Take what you want. When I am Queen, such a trade will be trivial in my eyes.’ The demon smiled, and with a single stroke drove the mare from her body, taking it as his own.

“‘Foolish mare!’ he cackled. ‘In your arrogance and greed you have squandered all that you have! Now I will take my vengeance on my greatest enemy, and when the Queen is dead at my feet you will both be equals, rulers of the slain and forgotten!’

“And so the demon and his legions made war against the Queen and her throne. Her magic was great, but with a broken heart she could not hope to overcome the demon. The mare watched and wept, for she had been deceived to turn against her greatest, oldest friend.

“The Queen lay injured at the demon’s feet, and she spoke. ‘Demon, release now the mare’s soul.’

“‘Why?’ the demon asked. ‘You have nothing more to give, nothing that I have not already taken. What more do you have to offer, that would be worth the soul of a foolish mare?’

“‘That which only now I am able to give.’ the Queen shed her armor and dropped her weapons, holding her neck out to the demon. ‘Come now, take my soul for hers! I gave my wealth, my power, my word that she might move forward, now I give my life that she might be free! Come, demon! Finish this now and free her soul!’ the mare saw this, watched as the demon drew his blade back to slay the Queen. With a cry the mare threw herself forward, not hesitating even as the blade slashed through her wings and tore at her soul.

“But in this the demon’s control was broken by such a selfless act. The Queen banished the monster, sending it and its legions back to the hell that it came from. The mare fell injured, but peace returned to the land.

“‘My Queen,’ the mare said. ‘I am sorry for my rebellion. I am not worthy of your life.’

“‘No, my child.’ said the Queen. ‘You are far more worthy than you realize.’

“‘I only wanted us to be equals,’ the mare sobbed. ‘I grew envious of your throne, and only wanted it for myself.’

“‘As I said, my throne is not for me to give to you,’ the Queen said. ‘My throne, my life, my destiny, all has been given to me from kings long dead. That, I cannot change, but I had so much more to give to you. The wealth and power is but a symbol, a means by which you would be free to forge your own destiny, your own kingdom. I gave you all that I had to give, for you are more than my equal: you are my friend, my companion, and you can do so much more than follow my own footsteps.’

“The mare rested until she was healed. From there she set out, seeking to bring good to all she had hurt in her quest for power. And peace reigned in that kingdom for many years.”

Revelation fell silent. Starlight thought of some witty rebuttal, but nothing came to her. Even her anger from earlier seemed hollow. The two unicorns sat in silence for several minutes, listening to the drumming of the rain overhead before Revelation spoke again.

“Do you see now why I spoke with you? Why I was so persistent in breaking down that wall?” she asked.

“No...” Starlight said, looking up at Revelation. “That story was the Tale of the Two Sisters, embellished a little but it’s still the same story. Why did you tell me this?”

“Every pony has a destiny, some role to play in the world around them.” Revelation said, rising to her hooves. “Perhaps it is a grand destiny, like that of the Princesses in Canterlot, or perhaps it is something simple, like a baker caring for his wife and family. But the one thing that unites them all is that everypony’s destiny is unique to them, even if they do not realize that.” she looked to her flanks. “A cutie mark is not a symbol of destiny as some might think, but it is a part of the soul just the same. To deny one is to deny the other, and in doing so one breaks the soul of its very being.” Revelation looked to Starlight.

“Your destiny was derailed because you suffered loss and heartbreak. Now, you break the souls of those around you and deny their destinies, their very being as ponies of Equestria. You may have meant well, but often I have found that the most well meaning of actions can have the most tragic of consequences.” she got off her chair and crossed to Starlight, resting a hoof on her shoulder. “You must let them go, if they are going to be happy again, if you are going to heal.”

“I-I can’t.” Starlight stammered, shrugging off Revelation. “I have seen too much. I-I don’t want anypony to be hurt like I was-”

“You do not want yourself to be hurt again,” Revelation interrupted. “You are scared, confused, but you do not need to be. There are ponies who want to genuinely be your friend, who can help you regain what was lost. Now you tread a dark path, where you deny ponies true friendship and twist them to better suit your needs. In this, you must let them go.”

“No. No! I-I can’t do it!” Starlight backed away from Revelation. “Ponies will just leave me again, they always have. Th-this is the only way I can have true friendship... And why would you care? You’ve been trying to drive them all away from me, to shame me into letting go. Why would you care about me?”

“Because I was just like you, Starlight,” Revelation said. “I was once scared and alone, unsure of where I stood in the world. I once tried to control others and twist them to their wills, and I paid the price for it. I am reaching out to you because I am the mare from the story.” With that, a brilliant light engulfed Revelation, Starlight shielding her eyes as it filled her house. The thought of defending herself flowed through her mind, but with no idea what she was facing no good spells followed after.

When the light faded, Revelation was gone. In her place stood a majestic alicorn, her wings gently lowering her to the ground. Her coat was a deep midnight blue, her mane a swirling mass of blue energy flecked by motes of starlight. She wore silver shoes and a black necklace marked with a white crescent moon, reflecting the cutie mark displayed prominently on her flank. Starlight’s jaw fell limp, her brain trying and failing to make sense of who stood before her.

“P-P-Princess Luna?!” she cried. “But... how did you...?!”

“You may not remember, but it was you who called me here,” Luna said, crossing to Starlight. “Many nights ago, I glimpsed a dream of a pony in pain, one who had been lost and worried. I saw she desired to reach out, to cry out and have somepony hear her... but the dream faded before I could reach it fully.

“So I ventured out, disguised myself as a wandering unicorn in search of that pony. I followed the dreams of ponies crying out for help, for somepony to reach out and save them from themselves, but for all the ponies I reached I still could not find that one.” Luna gave a sad frown. “Until now, when I found you weeping for your lost friend while wearing the face of a content mare”

“I... I remember that dream,” Starlight said. “It was just before Double Diamond agreed to have his cutie mark removed... but why the disguise?”

“Would you have spoken to me as you did if I had appeared to you as I am now?” Starlight worked her jaw as Luna continued. “As much as I hate to admit it, the regal presence my sister and I carry often silences more voices than it invites.”

“Then, everything you talked about.” Starlight stammered, shying away from Luna. “Meadowbrook, the Two Sisters... that was all real.”

“Starlight, I allowed my jealousy and desire to surpass Celestia to cloud my vision, and I turned to dark powers for guidance rather than truly opening myself to my sister.” Luna looked away. “For my actions I was locked away for a thousand years, and even now I do not believe it was ample punishment for my transgressions. And when I saw you following that same path of desperation, I had to act before it was too late.”

“I-I didn’t mean too...” Starlight stammered again, tears welling up in her eyes. “I-I-I just didn’t want to be hurt again.”

“I know.” Luna knelt to be on eye level with Starlight. “But what you did was wrong, and that cannot be excused. I can hear and see the dreams of every stallion, mare, and foal that falls asleep in Equestria. I see their hopes, their memories, their losses.” the princess reached out, drying a tear on Starlight’s cheek.

“The citizens of this town are in pain, even if all you can see are smiles. Every one of them cries out for not just their cutie marks, but their talents, their skills, their souls, which you have denied even through the best intentions.” Starlight fought back sobs, pushing Luna’s hoof away.

“I don’t deserve your sympathy,” she said. “I’m just a broken pony... and what I did, I-I don’t deserve-”

“I tried to overthrow my sister and plunge Equestria into eternal darkness, yet somepony still thought I was worthy of forgiveness.” Starlight looked at Luna, her face scrunched up as she tried to hold herself together. Finally something broke, and she threw herself around the princess, sobbing into Luna’s shoulder.

“I-It hurt so much, Princess...” she cried, tears flowing down her cheeks. “I-I thought I could move on, b-but every day I just saw more reminders of w-w-what I lost.”

“I know, Starlight.” Luna said. “But I am here now, my little pony, and I will help you heal.”

“How? I’ve done so much wrong already...”

“Then perhaps you may learn from one who has also walked the path of forgiveness.” Luna pulled away from Starlight before continuing. “Come back with me to Canterlot. I can be your mentor, both in honing your magic and rebuilding your confidence in friendship. There are many ponies I know, all good stallions and mares, who would be glad to have you by their side, and I can help you take those first steps to regaining true friendship.”

“Friends...” Starlight repeated, her sobs dying down. “B-but what if they leave me? What if I screw up?”

“There will be mistakes here and there, that I won’t deny.” Luna gave Starlight a smile. “But I will never abandon you, Starlight, no matter what may happen.” Starlight sniffled, but she could feel a smile forming on her face. A chance to learn from a Princess, to start over and make friends again... to never be alone again.

“Okay...” she said, nodding quickly. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“Good.” Luna smiled. “There’s just one more thing we must settle before we can leave, though. Do you think you are up to the task?”

“Yes... I-I think I am.”

"The First Step"

“The First Step”

Starlight awoke to the sun beaming down in her face. She blinked, trying to pull her covers over her head to shield her eyes from the light, but to no avail. Sighing, Starlight stat up in be, licking her lips as she came back to reality.

“What a dream,” she mumbled, shuffling out of bed. “Good thing it’s passed now, then maybe I can focus again.” She stopped briefly by the bathroom to splash a little water on her face, just enough to freshen up before heading out into town. Double Diamond would probably be along soon to see if the celebration would still be on.

Stable, calm, orderly... although after what she had seen the night before, that felt a lot hollower than she imagined.

She gave another sigh, trudging down the stairs towards the door. A quick talk with Double Diamond, maybe let him know she wasn’t feeling up for the Celebration, then she could get some breakfast and get back to-

“Good morning, Starlight. Did you sleep well?”

Starlight yelped, reeling back as she tried to keep herself from falling the rest of the way. Princess Luna was seated in a chair, a small pile of pancakes and some tea set before her. Princess Luna was sitting in her home, with breakfast.

Last night... that actually happened?!

“I.... Uh...” Starlight stammered, her brain trying to work out a feasible explanation of what she saw.

“Sorry for startling you; you were in such distress last night I thought I would stay and make sure your dreams were no longer troubled.” Luna’s magic enveloped the pancakes and a nearby fork as she passed them to Starlight. “I made you breakfast, if you’re hungry. I admit, my cooking skills are not as refined as my sister’s, but I would like to think they are getting better.”

“I...” Starlight swallowed, some semblance of calm returning. “Thank you, Princess.” Starlight accepted the pancakes and fork, gently prodding the food as she spoke. “Last night... we really did speak, didn’t we?”

“In this case, yes.” Luna nodded. “Sometimes I have merely appeared within my subjects’ dreams, but given how torn you were I felt it best to speak in person.” Starlight’s ears drooped as she pawed nervously at the floor.

“I... I suppose your offer still stands,” she said finally.

“Of course.” Luna said. “But only if you are willing, and after you return the cutie marks of those here.” Starlight fidgeted again.

“They’re going to hate me...” she said. “After all I’ve done, there’s no way they’ll let me go that easily.”

“That is for them to decide, I suppose,” there was a pause before Luna spoke. “Please, eat. You’ll need your strength for the journey ahead.” Starlight nodded, cutting off a piece of pancake and eating quickly. It was a little rubbery, but Starlight still found a happy sigh slipping past her lips as she ate.

“This is great.” she mumbled through a mouthful of pancakes. “This is probably the best thing I’ve eaten in months!” she paused, swallowing as her ears drooped again. “I’m... probably partially responsible for that.”

“Perhaps...” there was another pause before a knock at the door cut through the silence. “It seems the citizens of your town need their leader.

“Oh, right!” Starlight nodded quickly, setting down her food and crossing to the door. She paused short of actually opening it, though; if it was Double Diamond, or any of the citizens of the town, how could see look them in the face and explain what happened? How she had lied to them and stole their cutie marks?

I will never abandon you, Starlight, no matter what happens.

Starlight gave another sigh and cracked the door, peering out until she saw who was standing at her door. “Good morning, Double Diamond.”

“Good morning, Starlight!” Double Diamond said, giving Starlight a cheery smile. A forced smile, she thought, but said nothing more. “Did you sleep well last night?”

“No, not really.” Starlight said. “Had a... a rough night, all things considered.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Double Diamond replied, his smile not wavering for an instant. “So, should we get the celebration started back up again?”

“Well...” Starlight started, massaging her leg as she thought up the right words to say. “A-actually, I was thinking we’d call a town meeting first. There’s a few things I would like to discuss before we head out for the day. Oh, and make sure Sugar Belle and Party Favor are there as well.”

“Are you going to see if they’ll want their cutie marks removed?”

“There are a few things I’d like to...” she chewed her lip. “I’d like to clear up first, okay. Just go get everypony together.”

“Sure thing, Starlight!” and with that Double Diamond was off, Starlight closing the door and giving a long sigh.

“This is going to be more difficult than I thought,” she mumbled.

“The first step down the path of redemption is always a difficult one,” Luna said, coming up and resting a hoof on Starlight’s shoulder. “For my own part, it took me many months before I dared step out and speak to anypony besides my sister or my guards, but once I took that first step I found many ponies who were more than happy to have me.”

“I don’t know how many ponies would be willing to help somepony who enslaved an entire village out of fear of rejection.” Starlight countered.

“You have one so far.” Luna gave her a smile. “And the final number may surprise you.” there was a lengthy pause before Luna spoke again. “Are you ready, Starlight?”

“Yes...” Starlight said, nodding. “I-I think I’m ready.” she moved back to the door, taking a deep breath before speaking. “Princess Luna? If it’s no bother, could you wait here until I’ve finished speaking?”

“I will respect that.” Luna nodded before continuing. “But should you need my help, I will not be far away.” Starlight chewed her lip, tentatively reaching out to the door with her magic. It would be easy to back away, to just ask Luna to speak to them and send them on their way: she would be safe, and they would hate her in private.

But... would I heal?

Finally, she opened the door and stepped outside. Double Diamond was there with all the other ponies, a tired looking Sugar Belle and Party Favor standing before the crowd. She paused before forcing a smile back on. “Good morning, everypony.” she said.

“Good morning, Starlight!” the crowd responded, almost in unison save for one or two stragglers. Double Diamond stepped forward, smiling widely.

“I’ve got some good news, Starlight,” he said. “Sounds like Sugar Belle and Party Favor would like to join our community at last!” this received a chorus of cheers from some of the other townsponies, and a couple of weary smiles from the ponies in question. Starlight’s smile slipped as she massaged her leg again.

“Um, yes...” she started. “Well... I have an announcement to make.” the other ponies looked eagerly to her before she spoke again. “I... There will be no Unmarking Ceremony today, or any day going forward for that matter.”

“What?!” Double Diamond asked, his smile dropping quickly as the rest of the community gasped and murmured among themselves. “But Starlight, what will we do to make ponies Equal without the Unmarking Ceremony? Why would you do this?”

“Because it’s what’s right!” Starlight cried, trying to fight her tears again. “Because... because I lied to you all! I still have my cutie mark!” with that she turned her flank to the crowd, electing another gasp from all assembled.

“You... you still have your cutie mark?” one foal asked.

“Yes.” Starlight said, closing her eyes so she would not have to look at them. “I never removed my cutie mark. I just used makeup to give myself a fake one and found a stick to act like a magic staff so you would never suspect I still had my magic.”

“But why would you lie to us?” Double Diamond asked. “You told us all ponies could be Equal if they gave up their cutie marks.”

“I know.” Starlight’s lip quivered. “I-I lied to you because I d-didn’t want to be hurt again. Throughout my life it seemed like ponies would leave me because of their cutie marks, or judging me because of cutie marks, a-a-and I d-didn’t want anypony to leave me again b-because their cutie mark called them elsewhere.” she finally looked back up at the others. “But I realized something last night. It was not my right to deny you all of you special talents, your destinies, your lives, just b-b-because I’d been hurt in the past. I should have tried to heal, made new friends, but I didn’t, and you were the ones who suffered.” there was a pause, all the ponies in the crowd looking to one another before Starlight continued.

“You can go up to the Cutie Vault and get your marks back.” she said, wiping away a tear. “The rock’s rather brittle, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble breaking it. And then, you can do whatever you like. Go live your lives, a-and if you do hate me... th-th-that would be fine. It’s more than I deserve.” she sank down on her haunches, head hanging as she waited for a response. She heard somepony drawing closer, Double Diamond no doubt, and waited for the first volley of insults to arrive.

It never did.

“Starlight,” the Earth Pony said. “I’d wish you’d told us all sooner.”

“I know.” Starlight said. “Go on, say you hate me now. Get it out of your system, and then I’ll leave and you’ll never see me again.”

“Well...” Double Diamond paused, pawing at the ground before speaking. “Well, I don’t hate you, Starlight.”

“Wha...?” Starlight started, looking up at Double Diamond. “But what I did-”

“What you did was wrong, Starlight,” one pony said from the crowd. “Why didn’t you just tell us all this instead of tricking us into giving up our special talents?” there was a murmur of agreement from the crowd, Starlight’s head dropping again. And here it comes.

“Hey now, everypony!” Double Diamond cried, rounding on the others. “Starlight apologized and wants to make things right. Why should we just shut her out when she wants to help? Don’t you all have some things in your life you’ve lied about because you didn’t want to face them?” a few ponies looked nervously to one another as Double Diamond continued. “Maybe Starlight was wrong, and we shouldn’t have to give up our cutie marks to be Equal. But should we be nasty with somepony when they’re wrong?”

“Well... no...” another pony said. “But we can’t just let her leave like this.”

“I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Starlight said, springing up to her hooves. “Not just giving you your cutie marks back. I’ll help you rebuild this community, get back in the swing of things, be a real town instead of just a safe place for myself! J-just give me a chance, and I’ll make everything right.” her ears drooped. “Please...?”

There was another pause, the ponies looking to one another for guidance. Starlight’s heart sunk lower with every passing second, the ponies’ uncertainty building upon her own. Surely they’d reject her offer and drive her out of town now, wouldn’t they?

“She is trying to make up for things,” one pony said. “Maybe we should give her a second chance?”

“But what if she just takes our cutie marks again?”

“We can keep an eye on her.” Double Diamond said. “If she’s being honest, nothing bad will happen and we’ll all get our cutie marks back. Let’s get that out of the way, and then we can send Starlight on her way.” more murmuring, most of the ponies looking as though they would accept that reasoning.

The first step on the path of redemption... Luna’s voice echoed through her mind. It was a small step, but perhaps that’s all Starlight needed.

"Make a Change"

“Make a Change”

Getting their cutie marks back was no great task. Sugar Belle and Party Favor still had enough of their strength to crack open the rock, and the magic within the cutie marks did the rest of the work. Soon, the cave was filled with shouts of joy, ponies celebrating that they had reclaimed what had been taken from them. For Starlight, it hurt to see her hard work falling away, but the joy of the townsponies... that more than made up for any pain.

Some ponies packed their things and left as soon as they returned to town, Starlight even helping some of them pack up and sending them on their way. Some stayed, bringing out what they had saved for the Equality Festival to have a real celebration. The air was thick with conversation and the smell of baked goods, ponies laughing and playing as they enjoyed a real celebration as a real town, not Starlight’s “playthings”

But then, all things had to come to an end at some point. Ponies were not automatons, after all.

“You sure you don’t want to stay?” Double Diamond asked as Starlight walked to the edge of town. “Some of us want to make this village a proper community, and we’d love to have you as our first mayor.”

“I’d love to, Double Diamond,” Starlight said. “But after what I’ve done, I think I need some time to collect my thoughts, find myself again as it were. You are all great ponies, and I’m honored to call you my friends, but...” she paused. “I think I need some time alone, just to think things over.”

“Oh,” Double Diamond’s face fell, but he did smile eventually. “But you come back soon, okay? Don’t be a stranger, and we can’t wait to hear all the new, wonderful things you’ll find out there.”

“I’d never dream of anything else.” Starlight leaned in and gave Double Diamond a hug. “Take care Double Diamond.”

“You too, Starlight.” and with that Starlight started off, taking the path that led towards the old train station while the townsponies returned to their celebration. Starlight walked in silence for several minutes, taking in the sights of the desert as she walked. After the rain the place seemed to come alive, small shoots and brush blossoming as they took advantage of the temporary deluge of moisture, creating a vibrant mosaic in the dimming light of late afternoon. Starlight was half tempted to find a place to sit down and just take everything in for a few minutes, but she had a schedule to keep... she thought.

“All has gone well, then?” Starlight looked up, spotting Princess Luna standing in the shade of a tree. The cloak she had brought was now tied around her neck, though she did not seem willing to take up the full guise of Revelation once more.

“I... I hope so,” Starlight replied. “I think they’re going to do well, now that they have their special talents again...”

“You still feel uneasy, don’t you?” Luna asked. There was a pause before Starlight spoke.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t,” she said. “There’s so much out there that I don’t know, that I can’t control...” she looked down. “And what if I mess up, what if I slide back into my old habits? I-I suppose I’m worrying about that as well.”

“I understand.” Luna replied. Starlight took a breath before continuing.

“But I am willing to make a change,” she said, looking back up at Luna. “I do not want to be hurt again, or hurt other ponies again. I do not want to keep old wounds festering on my soul, and I do not want to rule over anypony as I did here.” she allowed a small smile. “And now I know that even if I do make mistakes, I’ll have a good teacher ready to catch me should I stumble.”

“Good.” Luna said. “You are already making better progress at this than I did...” Starlight’s smile slipped, but only for a moment as Luna continued. “But then that is why we are here now- to rebuild ourselves and make up for those past sins.”

“Of course...” Starlight paused, kicking up a small cloud of dirt before speaking. “So... where do we begin?”

“First, I would like to take you to a small town called Ponyville.” Luna said, turning towards the west. “There are three little fillies that I would like to introduce you to, and I think they have quite a few stories to tell.” Starlight smiled, taking a spot next to her new mentor as they headed to the west. Calm energy filled every step she took, such that any trepidation she might have had were nothing more than dust on her hooves.

In the distance, Starlight could have sworn she heard a clock chiming once. She paused for a brief moment, then shook her head and continued on. Just the desert playing tricks on her- all that was left now was to keep moving forward.