"Hey, Spike, I got the herbs."
Starlight trotted into the castle, her saddlebag loaded with herbs from Zecora. "How's the cleaning-," Starlight paused when she came across a concerning sight. Spike was scrubbing the floors haphazardly with a very miserable frown on his face. Starlight looked around and saw the cleaning wasn't going very well. While Spike was a slacker, he took pride in his work.
"What's wrong with Twilight?" Starlight asked the baby dragon in a severe tone. After living in the castle for a few weeks, Starlight came to see Spike as Twilight's surrogate younger brother. When a more youthful sibling was in a bad mood, it meant the older sibling was in a worse one, and so when Spike was unhappy, it meant Twilight wasn't in a good mood.
Starlight's suspicions were confirmed when the baby dragon looked up at her with an even more morose expression. He even began trembling a bit. "Nothing's wrong," he denied.
Starlight didn't look convinced. "Spike," Starlight asked in a more gentle, albeit forceful, tone, "what-,"
"Twilight was upset for some reason," Spike said, his voice shaking, "I told her to take a day off and..."
Starlight let out an annoyed sigh. "Let me guess. Twilight worked herself into a coma again?"
"No, it's much worse," Spike said, his voice becoming even more unsteady. "She...actually took a break." Starlight stared at the baby dragon in shock, let out a horrified gasp, and then galloped up the stairs so fast she left her saddlebag behind.
Starlight came to the floor of Twilight's study and discovered a genuinely unholy scene.
Twilight was sitting in front of those machines she had brought from the human world. They were called "video games" or something. The pony princess wasn't stressing about her work, or deadlines, or fussing about paperwork.
She looked perfectly relaxed and peaceful. Like she didn't have a care in the world.
It was horrible.
Starlight trotted out of the room. "Spike!" The unicorn bellowed down the stairs. "Write to Pinkie Pie! Tell her its code P."
"On it."
Twilight was playing on the video game set Flash had set up for her when she heard a loud burst of confetti and a squeaking sound.
"Hi, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie chirped with an encouraging smile on her face and a pink party hat on her head. The alicorn princess' eyes remained glued to the screen. Not a pony who let grumpy ponies ruin her good spirits, Pinkie continued. "I'm here to throw you a Cheer-You-Up Party!" Starlight and Spike appeared beside her with hopeful smiles on their faces and party hats on their heads.
Pinkie Pie reached into her pink mane and pulled out a steamed silver platter. "To start, we've got your favorites." Starlight and Spike also got out steamed silver platters. Pinkie opened the lid, revealing some documents. "For lunch, we have a bunch of tax returns fresh from the printer."
Spike opened his platter. "For a snack, some zoning requirements the mayor needs to be done."
Starlight opened her dinner. "And for dinner, some insurance statements so complicated and tedious, you'll have to work on them all night long." Starlight's smile widened. "Doesn't that sound like fun!"
"Oh, I know what you're trying to do," Twilight said, an edge to her voice. "You're getting me all those fun things because you want something from me, aren't you?"
Something in that tone was very concerning to the two ponies and dragon present. "What are you-?"
"You're trying to be nice to me so I can appoint you a noble, aren't you?!" Twilight suddenly yelled in an accusatory tone. Starlight was taken aback by this outburst. Twilight could be stern, stressed, and angry. But Starlight had never seen the Princess of Friendship act so paranoid and cagey. Or, more specifically, act like she did when she was "promoting equality." "Twilight," Starlight began in an even more concerned tone, "where is this coming-,"
"Well, it's not gonna work!" Twilight bellowed in a rage. "So why don't you all get out and get lost!"
Pinkie Pie looked at her with no small amount of concern. "Twilight, we're your friends!" Pinkie Pie barely ducked as the video game controller smashed against the wall in a rage. Twilight soon started throwing other things near, but not at, them.
"I SAID GET OUT OF HERE!" Twilight raged, her horn glowing dangerously. "WHY DON'T YOU GET OUT OF HERE! JUST GO AWAY, YOU DON'T LOVE ME! YOU ALL..."Twilight stopped her tirade as she felt Spike and Pinkie hugging her. With that, her rage died down, and she soon broke down in tears. "I'm sorry," Princess Twilight said, crying and apologizing to her friends, all the while, Spike and Pinkie Pie continued to comfort the Princess of Friendship with hugs and assurance,
Starlight wanted to hold Twilight till she was OK, but she felt she wasn't close enough to hug Twilight yet. Starlight just watched this episode with sadness and a slight chill running down her spine. Twilight was always a brave and optimistic mare. What could've rattled her so severely?
Pinkie carried the pony princess to bed and made her some nice cinnamon oats, recognizing Twilight was not in any shape to party. Once she had calmed down and eaten them, the lavender mare began telling Pinkie, Spike, and Starlight a story about her journey to another dimension.
Starlight only vaguely knew about this other dimension but wasn't privy to details since Twilight, the forgiving mare she was, didn't fully trust her enough. She only knew about Sunset Shimmer, a mare that had also been Twilight's former foe had been living there. (Twilight used Sunset's tale of villainy and redemption to show Starlight she could change).
The dimension was populated by talking monkey creatures, and that there were counterparts of many of the ponies Starlight knew. That's when Twilight got to the story of her human self. And it wasn't a happy story.
While a genius prodigy like Pony Twilight, the Human Twilight had not had it easy. She had no real friends, her parents were deceased, her classmates bullied her, and her principal blackmailed her into being in a contest. The Human Twilight learned about magic on her own, but she screwed up so badly that she nearly ruined the contest and Sunset Shimmer bawled her out. Then that horrible human mare and those classmates bullied her into using magic, which, combined with her anger and rage, turned her into a dimension-destroying demon who wanted to destroy her classmates and all of reality.
The story had a mostly happy ending: Sunset talked down the Human Twilight, the principal got fired for cheating, and the Human Twilight went to school with Sunset and her human friends.
"If everything worked out," Starlight asked her mentor, "then why are you upset?"
Twilight looked at Starlight with an even more troubled expression. "Starlight, do ponies really like me?"
Pinkie Pie, Starlight looked at the Princess like she asked if Celestia raised the sun. "Twilight, of course, ponies love you. You're the Princess of Friend-,"
"That's not what I mean, Pinkie Pie!" Twilight harshly bellowed. The mare angrily threw off her blanket, got off the bed, and began marching toward the window staring outside of it in some kind of daze.
Spike looked concerned. "Twilight-,"
The alicorn furiously turned around to look at her friends with a desperate tone. "Do ponies like me? Not the Princess of Friendship? Not the prized pupil of Princess Celestia? Not the Element of Magic? ME!"
Starlight looked at Twilight with a severe expression, guessing why her mentor was in a fit. "You think the only reason ponies like you is because of you being important?"
Twilight's muzzle scrunched up as she sat on the verge of tears. "Well," Twilight said uneasily, "I met my human self. She has the same personality like me, the same flaws, but she wasn't anypony important in her world!" Twilight paused to keep herself from crying, "and those girls at her old school didn't like her." Twilight's muzzle trembled even more. "And she worked hard like me, and that horrible principal blackmailed her. Sunset didn't like her at all when she first met her! And because of all those humans hating her, she became an evil villain!"
"Twilight," Starlight said, but the Princess of Friendship went on.
"If I wasn't so lucky, would ponies be as mean as to me as those humans were to my human self?" Twilight yelled before collapsing into tears again. Pinkie once again returned to hug her friend, while Spike gave his sister figure a comforting "Would anypony like me if, I don't know, my horn fell off, and I couldn't do magic?! Would Princess Celestia, or anypony, care about me-,"
"Twilight, you're not that lucky!" Pinkie Pie assured Twilight. "I mean, you only had a mom with a noble background and a sweet job as the Daring Do editor, your brother was a high ranking officer who could sic one of his forces on anypony who messed with his baby sister, you had enough magical power that an ancient pony princess decided to mentor you, your babysitter and future sister-in-law was the Princess of Love, you lived in a castle and got all the food and books you wanted, you had a cushy job as a librarian, you managed to become the Element of Magic, you created new magic and became Princess-" Pinkie Pie paused for a moment. "Wow, Twilight, you are lucky."
"Pinkie Pie," Spike hissed in annoyance, reminding her of Twilight's sad state. "Twilight, you're not that lucky. Tirek destroyed your library-,"
"But then all the Elements decided to give you a new castle that was tax-free," Pinkie Pie butted in obliviously," with more rooms than you could ever use." Twilight's expression got even more morose. "Why are you upset over getting a castle?"
"Pinkie, I'm not trying to be ungrateful," Twilight said as her tears died down. "It's just...my human self wasn't anypony important in her world. She lost her parents too." Twilight's expression became even more troubled. "She had Cadence and Shining Armor, but they weren't important either." Twilight took a deep breath before continuing. "If I didn't have a noble background, or my parents, or magic, or Princess Celestia, or a royal guard for a brother, and a pony princess as my sister, would ponies hate me just as much as those humans hated my human self? Would I become an evil villain?"
"Twilight," Starlight butted in with a severe tone. "I can answer that question." Starlight looked down with a pause. "But...you may not like the answer I give you."
Twilight looked at her pupil with concern. Starlight didn't look hopeful like Pinkie Pie or Spike, but she didn't look broken and melancholy like herself. Starlight seemed uncommonly severe and stern. Like she was about to reveal something she didn't want to.
Twilight looked uneasy. "Well-,"
"Oh boy, storytime." Pinkie Pie rushed out of the room and came back with a bag of popcorn on her back. "You're about to tell us the story of how you turned into a meanie pants when your best friend moved away, aren't you?"
"You and your friends are gullible, aren't you?" Starlight said with an incredulous smile. The two ponies and baby dragon present looked at Starlight in confusion. "Did you think I did all those crazy things just because my best friend moved away?" Starlight said, her voice becoming even more annoyed.
"Well," Pinkie Pie said, "Princess Luna became evil and tried to make the Sun not shine because she wanted attention."
"And Discord tried to bath Equestria in strife and chaos because he was bored and had no friends," Spike added.
"And Sunset bullied everypony at the human school and tried to destroy me because Celestia didn't think she was ready to be a princess," Twilight added. "Yeah, becoming evil for dumb reasons happens a lot."
Starlight let out a tired sigh. "Point taken. And," Starlight's voice got even heavier, "I still had no excuse for what I did...but I did have a reason to be upset."
Twilight and the others could see the genuine hurt in Starlight's voice. Twilight knew this wasn't going to be fun since Starlight didn't want to share her background, but Twilight realized it must be important if she was offering to reveal it. "Go ahead, you can tell me."
"Sunburst didn't move away," Starlight began in a somber tone, her ears falling flat on her head. "We both went to the same magical school-Ivory Academy-but my time there wasn't the best. My parents weren't exactly wealthy or well-connected. While Starburst got into school no problem, I needed the scholarship to get in. And let's just say this school wasn't...friendly to ponies with scholarships.
Starlight was taking books out of her locker. She saw a nasty yellow filly glaring at her when she closed it.
Starlight smiled sheepishly. "Hey-hey Upper Crust, how's it-"
"Hey, Gutter Trash," Upper Crust sneered, "why don't you go back to the hovel where you came from!"
"I didn't come from a-," Starlight paused as she felt herself being lifted into the air in Upper Crust's magical levitation, "put me down! PUT ME DOWN!"
"OK." Upper Crust sneered. She dropped Starlight.
Into a trash can full of moldy garbage. "See, I brought you back to your house." All the fillies and colts began laughing at Starlight. Once the bell rang, and all the fillies went to class. Inside the trash can, Starlight started crying.
Twilight broke out of her melancholy, seeing her student's emotional distress.
"Starlight," Twilight said in a sympathetic tone. "I'm so sorry. But didn't you think about-"
"Telling the teacher?" Starlight asked somewhat forcefully. "Well, what do you do when your bully's mom is a member of the school board?" Starlight asked in a growing rage. "Or what do you do when your principal doesn't want you there either."
"So you are a scholarship student. Mrs. Glimmer." Principal Neighsay asked her. Above the pony was a poster with a bright golden crown and a text that read "Ponies for the Restoration of Harmony."
"Yeah," the filly, still soiled from being dumped in the trash can, replied. Before returning to a more civilized face, a brief look of contempt flashed on the white unicorn's face. "Why-,"
"It appears that you're blaming Upper Crust for your lack of hygiene."
Starlight was taken aback by what Neighsay was implying. "What?!"
Principal Neighsay got up from his chair. "Upper Crust a bright filly with a...cultured background. You seem to want to blame her for your poor grooming and hygiene."
"She dumped me in the trash can!" Starlight bellowed incredulously.
"Young filly," the white unicorn said in a condescending tone, "I must ask you to tone it down."
"But-"
"And now you're interrupting me and yelling-"
"I'm not interrupting you or yelling!"
"And that is strike three," Neighsay said with a slight smirk on his face. "Report to me for detention this evening!"
Starlight was almost on the verge of tears. "For what?"
"For your disorderly conduct and disrupting a...superior," the principal said, his eyes darting back and forth, "and for lying about a classmate, blaming her for your...distasteful hygiene."
"But I didn't-"
"Would you like to have two days of detention!" The older pony threatened. The little filly clammed up. "Good. Now leave my presence, and when you return tonight, you must bring a quill and ink. Your punishment will be writing, 'I must not tell lies on the scrolls as many times as I deem necessary." Starlight meekly nodded her head and trotted out of the room in a daze. She got to the bathroom, washed herself off as best she could before locking herself in one of the stalls and crying where nopony could hear her.
When Starlight finished with her part of the story, Pinkie Pie looked sad, Twilight Sparkle looked shocked, while Spike fumed with rage.
"Wait, Chancellor Neighsay?" Twilight asked in confusion. "The Head of the Equestrian Education Association?"
"You know that meanie?" Pinkie Pie asked Twilight.
"Not really, "The pony Princess replied. "I've...spoken to him at some of the royal banquets I went to with Princess Celestia, but I didn't know him."
"That stupid filly dumped you in the trash, and that jerk punished you?!" Spike yelled in outrage, smoke coming out of his nostrils. "And he's in charge of Equestria's schools!"
A nasty smile appeared on Starlight's smile. "Imagine how I felt when I read about his promotion in the newspapers."
"A member of Restoration of Harmony is in charge of Equestria's schools?" Twilight asked with disgust.
"What's that?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"An organization that promotes harmony," Starlight said, disgusted sarcasm dripping from her voice.
Pinkie Pie, who didn't understand sarcasm, felt her smile return. "He doesn't seem that bad-,"
"No, Pinkie," Twilight said in a sad tone. "Ponies for the Restoration of Harmony is an organization that believes that Equestria can only be harmonious when the crown restores the power and privileges of Old Equestria's nobility. They also argue that Celestia should eliminate the rights of commoners." The Princess of Friendship glanced sadly at her dragon younger brother. "They also say that non-ponies must be excluded or banned from Equestria."
Spike's rage only grew. "So they're an organization of dumb snobs who want to treat anypony who isn't a noble and any creature who isn't a pony like garbage."
"Pretty much," Starlight said with a roll of her eyes. "Neighsay and his...ilk think young upstarts like me are a threat to their power, and thus Harmony. They think a common pony like me ought to stay in my place."
Twilight frowned bitterly. The former unicorn knew that classism among Equestria's elites was a severe problem. She read about it in her sociology studies and newspaper scandals relating to excesses among the nobility. But in her experience, Twilight never thought it was anything serious. The worst she had ever seen growing up in Canterlot were snobby remarks and ponies being mean to their servants. But apparently, snobbishness could do genuine harm to ponies, as it had done to Starlight.
Twilight was beginning to realize why: she had a noble background on her mom's side, and nopony was foolish enough to try and persecute the pupil of Princess Celestia.
Spike was even more outraged. "So they act like jerks, and they call that Harmony?"
"Yep," Starlight said in a flat tone. "A lot of ponies wear the word 'Harmony' on their sleeves, but they don't seem to know what it means." Twilight again frowning, remembering some snobby nobles who did the same thing: throwing that word around while not living up to any of its virtues.
Pinkie's bubbliness returned to her face. "But at least you had Sunburst to be your best friend, right?" Pinkie's joy faded when she saw Starlight's face became even more pained. "Starlight?" Spike and Twilight were also deeply concerned.
Taking a deep breath to control her tears, Starlight continued. "Well, I wasn't lying about Sunburst moving away...kinda." Starlight's eyes darted back and forth. "We drifted apart. He didn't want to be with the school loser."
"Look, it's the flying filly!" Upper Crust chirped, using her magic to toss Starlight around like a ragdoll while the entire cafeteria watched.
"Put me down!" Starlight yelled in a rage. The response she got was being slammed into the wall and mocking laughter. Starlight's hopes rose when she saw Sunburst looking up. "Sunburst, help me." To Starlight's confusion, Sunburst turned away from her and trotted. "Sunburst!" She yelled. Either Sunburst didn't hear her over the mocking laughter of the entire lunchroom, he was too ashamed, or he just didn't care. "Sunburst," she said even more quietly, but the orange colt just trotted out of the room. With that, Starlight broke down in tears, not caring about being tossed around or the fillies jeering at her.
"Sunburst avoided me and started hanging out with...with...her," Starlight muttered, barely holding back the tears, though her ears flattening on her head betrayed the amount of pain she felt from Sunburst's betrayal.
"Oh, Starlight," Pinkie began, putting out her forelegs to try and give the former villain some comfort, but Starlight continued her story anyways, her expression heavy and sad.
"But the thing that pushed me over the edge was," Starlight paused, trying to gain control of herself. When she knew she wouldn't cry, she pressed ahead. "It was the middle of the school year. Our astronomy teacher told us to build a sundial from scratch." Starlight took another deep breath before continuing. The three creatures present in the room sat in quiet anticipation, knowing what they were about to hear would be painful to hear.
"Anyways," Starlight said with a sigh, "I asked some pony. I knew how I could get Upper Crust to stop bullying me. The pony told me that if I were nice to Upper Crust, she would be my friend. So, I went up to Upper Crust and offered to work with her on the sundial project." Starlight rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Or, more specifically, I did the work for her, and she just watched."
"Did she stop bullying you?" Spike asked with a somewhat hopeful expression. Starlight's equanimity began falling apart. "You mean she took credit for all the work and kept being mean to you?" Spike concluded with a horrified expression. The sadness on Twilight and Pinkie's faces grew even more.
Starlight began glaring at Spike. However, it was less out of anger at Spike and more in an attempt to keep herself from losing control. "No," Starlight said in a quiet and sad voice, "she did something worse."
Starlight found herself back in Principal Neighsay's office. The white unicorn glared down at her while Upper Crust sneered at her. "That's the filly who was making me do all the work," Upper Crust accused with a fake frown but with mockery in her eyes.
"I'm the one who did all the work!" Starlight protested before glaring at the yellow brat. "She made me-,"
"Young filly," Neighsay scolded. "I have told you not to tell lies. And here you are, blaming Upper Crust for your sloth."
"She's lying!" Starlight angrily protested. "She's the one who made me-,"
"Since you insist on lying after forcing others to do your work, it is clear you need a lesson," Principal Neighsay warned ominously. "Starlight Sarah Glimmer, you are suspended from Ivory Academy for the semester."
"But what about my scholarship?!"
A smirk briefly formed on Neighsay's muzzle before he pushed it away with a cruel frown. "Well, you should've thought of that before you stole another student's work.
Starlight's heart broke in two as she sat there in a daze. She barely heard Neighsay telling her to pack up her stuff and leave by tonight before she galloped out of the room, sprinted toward her room, locked the door, and broke down crying.
Her crying continued even as she left Ivory Academy, her father Fireflight miserably carrying her on her back and a bundle with all her possessions grasped in her foreleg.
With that, Starlight finally lost all of her composure and broke down crying. It was one of the worst episodes of crying anypony had ever seen. The poor mare wept as she recounted the worst experience of her entire life. She barely noticed when Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight all hugged her, but she was thankful for it anyways. After a few minutes, Starlight's weeping finally stopped, and she began sniffling and rubbing the tears out of her eyes with tissues.
Pinkie Pie was barely able to force a smile on her face. "But come on. Surely Sunburst, Upper Crust, and that meanie Principal eventually said sorry, didn't they?" Starlight looked away from Pinkie. "C'mon Starry, they surely-,"
"They didn't Pinkie Pie," Starlight snarled.
"But, but," Pinkie Pie stammered sadly. "Stories are supposed to have happy endings."
"Sorry, Pinkie," Starlight said regretfully. "This story doesn't have one." Her expression became even more bitter. "Welcome to life when you're not an Element of Harmony."
"But why didn't you, I don't know, tell someone?" Spike asked in a sad, frustrated voice.
"Because the only witness I had was me," Starlight muttered with deep anger. "I didn't have anypony at Ivory Academy who would speak on my behalf. My dad loved me, but he didn't have the money for a lawsuit. Remember, it took a scholarship to get me in there in the first place."
Twilight Sparkle looked at her pupil with not just sympathy but with an incredible amount of understanding. "That's why you tried to make everypony equal?" The bookworm asked her pupil. "Because you hated what a bunch of snobs did to you? And because you were angry at Sunburst for abandoning you? You thought if you made everypony equal, nothing like that would ever happen again?"
Starlight, out of tears, let out a pained whimper. "That's...part of it," Starlight said uneasily. "But...deep down...I was jealous." Starlight's lip began trembling. "I was...jealous of ponies who had...it easy..."
"You were jealous of me?" Princess Twilight asked Starlight. Starlight just stared at Twilight with no small amount of shame on her face. "Starlight, it's OK. You can tell me."
"Yes," Starlight muttered with an incredible self-loathing. "I was jealous of you." Before Twilight could say anything, Spike started walking out of the room. "Spike," Starlight asked, "where are you going?"
Spike paused as he grasped the door. When he turned around, the #1 Assistant of Twilight Sparkle was absent. In his place was Spike the Angry Dragon. "I'm gonna activate my dragon greed," Spike said with a cool menace that shook everypony present. "And when I become big, I'm gonna stomp that stupid Neighsay-"
"Spike, no!" Princess Twilight ordered her younger brother figure.
"But Twilight!" Spike bellowed, his draconic rage bubbling to the surface. "He deserves it for what he did to Starlight-,"
"Spike, as Princess, I order you to come back here!" Twilight ordered, her volume approaching, but not quite reaching, the decibel of the Royal Canterlot Voice. Spike growled in anger, but he realized he couldn't ignore an order from the Princess. "I know you're angry, but you can't go and smash somepony you want. If you do that, you'll get sent to jail or banished from Equestria." She pulled her younger brother into a hug.
Frustrated, angry tears rolled down Spike's eyes. "But-,"
"I don't want to lose you! He's not worth me never seeing you again." With that, Twilight hugged the baby dragon while he wept in anger.
"Don't worry, Spike," Pinkie Pie assured the purple reptile, "Twilight will make sure that meany-weany gets fired. Right?" Pinkie's hopeful expression died when her princess friend looked at her with a morose expression.
"Pony, I can't just fire him," Twilight said. "I believe what Starlight said was true, but I can't just hoof Neighsay a pink slip."
"But Twilight," Pinkie Pie protested, "you're the Princess."
"Pinkie, just because I'm a Princess doesn't mean I can just do what I want," Twilight stressed. "There are laws against what Neighsay did, but laws exist that prevent me from firing ponies willy-nilly." Twilight frowned morosely.
Twilight once glorified Equestria's parliamentary system and system of checks and balances. She believed that it made Equestria an enlightened and civilized place, and she was happy Princess Celestia had slowly devolved her political powers over her millennium of rule.
Then she was confronted with one day succeeding Princess Luna and Celestia. She learned just how stressful constitutional government was for the ruler: negotiating with competing interests, backroom dealing, and blocs of politicians who could shut down the government to get what they wanted.
Princess Luna, who came from a period when absolute power was the norm, complained that elected government was a popularity contest where charismatic idiots won over those worthy of ruling. Princess Twilight saw Princess Luna's point. But no matter she disliked the slowness of elected government, Twilight couldn't bring about a return the absolute rule. It was what opened the door to tyrants like King Sombra. Twilight would have to negotiate and work with somewhat unpleasant beings to get what she needed to prevent purely evil beings from coming to power.
But it meant creatures like Neighsay could abuse the legal system and mistreat others under a polite facade. Mundane corruption was one evil that the Elements of Harmony couldn't extirpate, making it more sinister.
"I can order an investigation, but those take months to get off the ground," Twilight said with some frustration. "I need to find witnesses and look through his paperwork." She frowned severely before looking back over to a morose Starlight. "But I can at least contact Sunburst and Upper Crust and have them write you apology-,"
"Twilight, don't!" Starlight told her mentor.
Twilight was stern. "But Starlight-,"
"I want an apology from those two, but I wasn't them to apologize to Starlight Glimmer, not the pupil of Twilight Sparkle," Starlight Glimmer said with exhaustion. "If Sunburst and Upper Crust haven't written me an apology letter by now, I should just forget them."
Twilight sighed heavily. "Starlight, why didn't you tell me about this?"
Starlight looked at Princess Twilight uneasily. "Because...because I was ashamed, OK!" Starlight's eyes got wet. "Because...I became just as bad as Upper Crust and Neighsay. I hated Neighsay for being a hypocrite, but look at me: I whined about equality, but I forced ponies into hovels, robbed them of their talents, and made them live miserable lives while I kept my magic and lived in a nicer house." Starlight began weeping again but eventually got control of herself. "And...yeah, it wasn't fair for them to hurt me just because I was a middle-class pony, but it hurting you just because you were a princess was just as bad." Starlight let out another sigh of disgust. "I took all my anger at Upper Crust and took it out on you just because I assumed you were a snob-,"
"I am a snob!' Princess Twilight whined. "A stupid, selfish snob!"
"Twilight," Spike admonished.
"Don't say mean things about yourself," Pinkie Pie urged her friend.
"I am Pinkie!" Twilight said. "I get upset over the stupidest things. I brainwashed an entire town so that I could write a friendship report! I used to whine about getting party invitations when some ponies didn't even get to go to parties. I complained about getting a free castle when some creatures don't even have homes." Twilight frowned in utter self-loathing before tears came back to her eyes. "The only reason I have those things is that I'm a lucky, spoiled, stupid mare!" She wept a little bit. "That's my special talent: being a lucky mare who is useful enough for other ponies to put up with."
"Twilight Virgo Sparkle!" Twilight broke from her tears, confused as she saw her student and a former villain scolding her like she was an out of sorts filly. "Listen to me very carefully, OK? Have you had an easier life? Yes, you have. You're a very charmed pony. Being a celebrity with many connections means that ponies have overlooked your flaws and given you special treatment. And yes, being close to a Princess means you've never had to deal with awful flankheads like Neighsay." Starlight put a foreleg over Twilight's barrel. "But are you a good pony? The answer to that question is 'definitely'".
"She's right, you know," Spike added, gently putting his claws on one of Twilight's legs. "You didn't just become Princess because you had magical potential. Princess Celestia made you a Princess because you worked your flank off and were a good pony." Spike reassured his older sister with a smile. "Even when you didn't want friends, you treated everypony you met with politeness. Whenever we visit Canterlot Castle, all the guards and servants smile and wave at you."
"And everypony who has ever met you has always become a better pony!" Pinkie Pie chirped with a happy smile. "Look at Applejack and Rarity. They couldn't stand each other, and they are good friends because of you. And look at all the meanies you've made into good friends: Princess Luna, Discord, Sunset-,"
"Did Sunset listen to me because I was a good pony, or was she just scared of me because I beat her?" Princess Twilight asked miserably. "She listened to me, but she was kind of mean to the other Twilight."
"Yes, Twilight," Starlight Glimmer said with a smile. "Again, having power, connections, and authority has made your life easier, and without them, your life would be harder. But who you are isn't about having those things. It is how you've used your advantages." Starlight grabbed Twilight's hooves with her hooves and looked at the sad Princess with a kind smile. "Many ponies would let those things get to their heads, but you've used them to do so much good." Starlight's smile grew wider. "As Pinkie said, you've made my life better."
"Because I gave you a room in my castle?" Twilight said bitterly.
"Well, that's part of it," Starlight admitted sheepishly. "But you've taught me a valuable lesson: that I didn't have to let one bad experience and a few bad ponies get to me. I could've easily done something different. I could've gone to a different school or done an apprenticeship or-," Starlight paused, realizing she was ranting over her lost opportunities. "Anyways, yes, Twilight, I do have to work twice as hard as you to get half the credit. I do have to face more unpleasant ponies than you have to, and I've seen them get away with being mean to me. And I've had a friendship problem that didn't have a happy ending." Starlight frowned but replaced it with a smile. "But thanks to you, I can have a new beginning. I don't have to let my past define me." Starlight's expression got brighter. "Thanks to you...I've remembered that while our world isn't perfect, there is still love and kindness and good ponies it". She pulled Twilight in for a hug. "Even when you're at your lowest, like right now, you've taken time to help a mean pony like me. Even at your worst, you've still made me feel like I mattered. That shows me that there is a such a thing as the Magic of Friendship."
"And Twilight," Pinkie Pie added while joining the hug as well. "We love you too."
"And even if you lose your horn and you stop being Princess," Spike added with a warm voice while also hugging Twilight, "we'll still love you. We'll always love you." With that, the last of Twilight's self-doubt faded, and she gratefully returned the hug her friends were giving her.
"Thanks, Starlight," Twilight said in a soft and grateful voice. "And you too, Pinkie and Spike." Twilight had a wry grin. "I thought I'd be teaching you a lesson, but you ended up teaching me one."
"Maybe I should be the Princess," Starlight said with irony in her voice. Twilight responded with a snicker. "Anyways," Starlight said with confidence. "Your human self may have had bad classmates and a bad principal, but she doesn't have to let those things get to her either. With Sunset helping her out, I know she can rebuild and do better." Starlight thought it over. "Maybe you can bring her over here, and I can talk with her."
Twilight had a confident smile on her face. "That's not a bad idea." She then frowned furiously. "But first things first. Spike!" She looked to her number 1 assistant. "Get me some notepads! We're going to build a case against that so-called administrator!" Twilight had a fire in her eyes, unlike when she faced Tirek for destroying her library. "Pinkie, this is gonna be an all-night job so-,"
"Don't worry," Pinkie assured her royal friend, "I'm gonna get you enough treats to last you a week." She zipped out of the castle to Sugarcube Corner to start baking.
"Starlight," Twilight said, looking like the figure of authority she was, "I need you to help me draft a letter to the legal department."
"On it," Starlight said with a smile before galloping to the library to begin research. Starlight's spirits rose quite a bit. The Twilight she knew was back. Industrious and hardworking, if slightly obsessive and workaholic. But also a pony who used her talents and resources to do what was just.
Maybe the human Twilight could do the same with enough help and guidance.
Canterlot High Science Lab
"Why are you doing this?" Twilight asked with some suspicion. The class was over, which meant Twilight usually went home. Sunset asked her to come to the science lab for an emergency. It turns out the science club was throwing her a "Join Us Party" complete with a "Welcome Twilight" banner and a cake. Nevertheless, Twilight felt her paranoia from Crystal Prep flaring up. "It is because I look like...her?" Twilight asked, describing her pony Princess counterpart, "or because you think I'm a she-demon who needs special favors?"
Micro-Chips, the head off the club, looked at her like she asked for a silly question. "You've been here for a while," the computer geek said. "Long enough to know that you're neither pony princesses nor a she-demon." His expression became warmer. "You're special in your way."
Twilight was taken aback by what Micro Chips was saying and frowned in uncertainty. Micro Chips put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know what you're afraid of. I've been," Micro Chips paused as some painful memories came back, "unappreciated for my genius. We've all been there at least once in our lives. But if we didn't appreciate you," he said with a reassuring smile, we wouldn't have bothered to get you a cake."
With that, Twilight felt herself breaking down and crying. Sunset pulled her into a hug, with the rest of the science club joining in. Twilight was upset about what she missed out on as a teenager. Upset about all the time she wasted at Crystal Prep. But she was also happy. For the first time since her parents died, she felt like she belonged somewhere.
Twilight Sparkle got off the bus with a spring to her step and a smile on her face. The Science Club did seem welcoming. I mean, they were excited to meet someone who had somehow managed to detect magic without knowing what it was, but they seemed to like her too.
Maybe she did have a chance at a social life. Perhaps she did have a chance at friends. Maybe-
Twilight was so lost in thought, didn't notice someone running into her, and she fell to the ground on her back. Not enough to leave a bruise, but she did feel some pain
"Sorry." A scared regretful voice said. That was somewhat reassuring. Unlike the jerks at Crystal Prep, they never actually bothered to apologize for tripping her, accidental or otherwise. Or help pull her up.
"I didn't mean to knock you down!" The girl had pinkish-purple skin, light blue eyes, and long purple hair with blue streaks. She had a purple beret with stars on her head, a black vest over a blue blouse, and grey jeans with holes deliberately cut into them. And she looked skittish and nervous. "I'm new to this neighborhood, and I'm trying to get my errands done, but I don't know where everything is, and I have a curfew and-"
"You just moved here?" Twilight asked. Homes did go up for sale in her neighborhood, but she never really noticed. She wasn't close to her neighbors since they often chose to isolate-
Twilight put aside her self-pity and excuses, realizing she never tried to get to know her neighbors. Well, no more hiding in her house. Twilight Virgo Sparkle was going to put herself out there. Sunset and her friends had faith in her, so now it was time to have confidence in herself.
"A small house down there," Starlight said. Again, the beret-wearing girl frowned in a bit of self-loathing. "Sorry again, I didn't mean to,"
"Don't worry about it," Twilight said with a welcoming smile, "we all have one of those days."
The girl rolled her eyes. "I have a word for those days," she said. "I call them 'every day."
"Don't worry about it," Twilight said with a small smile. "If you have time this weekend, I can show you around the neighborhood."
The girl was stunned. "You want to show me around?"
Twilight forced a calm but welcoming smile on her face. "I love making new friends." She extended her hand. "Twilight Sparkle. What's your name?"
The girl looked uncertain but took Twilight's hand anyway.
"Starlight Glimmer."
Author's Note
This story is based on a blog post I made earlier this year, in which I explore the idea that Sci-Twi might be the better and more relatable version of Twilight.
My argument is that Twilight, despite her lack of friendship at the beginning of the show, was certainly a very well-connected pony before she even became the Element of Magic and a Princess: she is apparently one of the magically skilled unicorns in Equestria, she has a pony princess as her teacher, her brother is a Captain of the Royal Guard, her babysitter and future sister-in-law is the Princess of Love, she lives in a nice room in a palace, she has loving parents, and in the first episode she got a lot of party invitations for a pony who was supposedly a loner.
Sci-Twi, meanwhile, was persecuted by her classmates, tormented by her principal, and her only companion was a dog. I also don't think her family life is perfect: her parents are deceased, and her older brother and sister-in-law make her go to a school where nobody likes her. I think Sci-Twi is the better protagonist for a story about friendship because such things don't come easy to her.
And this blog post led me to the story idea: how would Princess Twilight react to the suffering her human self had to endure? My answer is she would dread that ponies cared about her because of her magical talent and connections. And not because they like her.
This fic was supposed to be a future chapter of Vanishing Act (and I will explore this idea once I get back to regularly publishing Vanishing Act), but I felt this could make for a good story all on its own.
And as you've probably guessed, I wasn't a fan of Starlight's motivation for turning evil. A friend moving away is upsetting, but I think it wouldn't drive a pony to push for equality and spitefully destroy the life of another pony with time travel.
Pinkie Pie Spreads Love and Tolerance To Neighsay
Author's Note
A little bonus chapter for those who wanted Neighsay to get his lesson.
Pinkie Pie Spreads Love and Tolerance To Neighsay
Chancellor Neighsay sat reviewing the applications for Canterlot University. As the head of Equestrian Educational Administration, it was his job to ensure only the best and brightest could enjoy higher education.
But he also had a more discreet duty that few ponies were aware of: ensuring that only creatures of a particular "disposition" could be allowed to enter, as well as the proper class and background, all to ensure that Equestria remained a harmonious and balanced society. He fastidiously looked through all the applicants, marking all rejections with a quill dipped in red ink.
"HEY!" The white unicorn looked up and saw a pink Earth pony glaring at him with light blue eyes.
Chancellor Neighsay, seeing that the pony looked familiar, regarded the intruder defensively, not wanting ponies to see his work. "How did you get in here?" He hadn't noticed any hoof-steps, and the door itself wasn't even open. "If you wish to meet with me," he said, while covertly slipping his rejection letters inside a drawer, "you must make an appointment like everypony-"
"Apologize!" The intruder screeched.
Neighsay was even more confused. "Apologize for what?"
The pony pointed at him in an accusatory manner. "Apologize for being a big mean, meany pants to Starlight Glimmer!"
Neighsay's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Who-," Neighsay paused, but then his eyes widened in remembrance. "Oh, the Madmare of Equality." A contemptuous gaze came upon Neighsay as he recollected that thorn in his flank.
The pink mare became even more incensed. "It's your fault Starlight became an evil meany who tried to take over Equestria!"
The bearded stallion's gaze became harder. "I did not force that mare into villainy. Glimmer's horrible actions are her own doing. Or do you think she is too feeble to accept responsibility for her actions?"
The pink mare's glare faltered for a bit. "Well," Pinkie's eyes darted back and forth. "Yeah. I guess." The pony's hardened gaze returned. "But you were still mean to her. Now say your sorry!"
"I did nothing wrong," Neighsay said with utter calmness and certainty that it raised the pink pony's temper even higher. "Ms. Glimmer was a disobedient student who always misbehaved. Her little spectacle is clearly why those of common background should pursue careers more suiting of their status." A sneer formed on the administrator's face. "Her little outburst is proof that I was not hard enough on the brat. A decent society would've been locked her in Tartarus like Equestria's worst criminals." It annoyed the middle-aged unicorn how soft the Princesses were on miscreants.
The mare was deeply offended by Neighsay's words. "Princess Luna was an evil Queen Meany who tried to destroy the sun. Should she have been locked up in Tartarus?!"
Neighsay glared at the pony. "Princess Luna is an alicorn of high-breeding and heritage. Ms. Glimmer is a young strumpet who sought to disrupt the social order."
The pink mare's expression became one of desperation and pleading. "Starlight said sorry for the mean things she did. Princess Luna said sorry." She put on puppy dog eyes and started weeping. "Why can't you be a nice pony and say sorry?"
Having dealt with cheeky foals, Heighsay was immune to such histrionics. "I have done nothing but preserve Harmony by ensuring that the common ponies remain in their station. Harmony is a concept a pony such as yourself doesn't understand." The mare's lips pursed angrily at his use of the word "Harmony." "Now I've had enough of this...dispute." He pointed with his hoof toward the door. "Now, I must ask you to observe the door and step right through it, or I will have you removed for trespassing and making a scene."
The mare gave a cold expression before smiling at him oddly. "Don't worry, Mr. Neighsay," the pink pony chirped while removing her saddlebags. "I won't get angry." She started emptying the bag. "I have somebody else to do that for me."
"What are you-," Neighsay paused in amazement as several massive objects fell out of the bag: talon guards, a boulder bigger than the bag itself, and most astonishingly, a grey Earth pony mare and a griffin. "How did you fit all of that into a bag?"
"Pinkie, you dweeb!" The griffin yelled in anger. "You need to clean the bag! It stank in there!"
"No, that was you, Ms. I-Don't-Clean-My-Feathers!" The grey mare yelled in annoyance.
The griffin immediately got into the pony's face. "I told you, I need a special soap for my feathers, you rock head!"
The grey mare's face got even more threatening. "Why don't we step outside. I'll give you a good scrub!" The fight ended with a polite cough from the pink mare. The pony and griffin remembered their goals and turned back to glare at the white stallion.
Neighsay was spooked by the glare of a griffin, remembering the stories he learned about their innate barbarity. "A foul beast come to devour my flesh!" Neighsay attempted to break the exit, only to be blocked by the gray mare.
"Sorry, teach," the mare said with a nasty look. "We have to...talk. Of course, you can try and get through me if you want?" The grey Earth pony gave him a silent challenge with her green eyes, but Neighsay realized it would be hazardous to his health. Based on her pose and build, the mare looked quite formidable, and his combat magic was lacking. Neighsay imagined it would be like going through a brick wall.
"Professor Meany Pants, meet Gilda and my sister Limestone. Gilda and Limestone, this was the meany-weany pants I was telling you about."
"So you're the pathetic piece of roadkill?" The griffin said, looking at the stallion like he was an insect.
"Pathetic? I have three degrees!" Neighsay said defensively.
The griffin gave him a scornful smile through her beak. "You know I'm not really into that Love and Tolerance junk, but you ponies are supposed to be living up to that." Gilda's glare hardened. "If there's anything I don't like, and that's a lot of things, it's a lying hypocrite."
The grey-colored mare also glared at the educator. "What I don't like is pretentious snobs who look down on ponies like me; hard-working mares who bust their flanks on a rock farm fifty hours a week so ponies like you can live large."
Neighsay's anxiety grew. "What is your business?"
"Our business is nailing you for the classist creep you are," Gilda snarled. "And then nailing you, you know, physically." A brief pause ensued. "We're gonna beat you up."
Neighsay's sneer returned. "Oh really. Who are you going to tell? It's your word against mine." The smiles of the two Earth ponies and the griffin widened.
"No, it's your word against the Element of Laughter." Limestone sneered. Neighsay's eyes widened as he realized why the pink mare was so familiar. The rock farmer chuckled mockingly while the griffin and the other. "You didn't know my little sis was an Elemental Bearer," Lime said, a small amount of pride and joy for her younger sibling entering my voice. "For a teacher, you act like you've got nothing but granite for brains." She snickered some more. "You even said you know more about harmony than her."
Neighsay felt cold sweat run down his muzzle. "Elemental Bearer!"
"Aside from Ponko The Lame here being a famous hero with tons of credibility," Gilda said with a bit of pride in her voice," her rank affords her the powers of law enforcement, meaning 'you're doomed."
Neighsay was gritting his teeth in a rage. "Under what-,"
"Section 274 of Equestria's Criminal Code prohibits discrimination based on class and creature In all public fields," Limestone Pie said, reciting the Criminal Code by heart. Neighsay was stunned. "What, you thought I was just some dumb dirt pony?" She snorted. "I did have to take business and law courses, so I can help Ma and Pa run their rock farm."
"And if nopony believes me," Pinkie smiled, pulling out some rectangular object from out of nowhere.
Neighsay was confused. "What is-," Pinkie pushed a button on the device, playing back Neighsay's voice. Including the classist and racist statements, he made to Pinkie. Neighsay's face turned pale with fear. "What," he stammered, "is that-,"
"Tape recorder!" Pinkie Pie chirped. "It was invented...someplace far away." Her expression became shifty.
"Also," Limestone said, holding up the rejection letters which she was able to acquire from his desk without him noticing, "there is an obvious racial and class bias that the nature of your letters can determine. Since I'm acting on behalf of a Bearer, it means that I can collect these documents as evidence."
"And as a Bearer with law enforcement powers," Pinkie said, taking the letters and stuffing them into her mane, "I can reveal to Princess Celestia herself," Neighsay said nothing, staring dumbly at the wall, knowing his professional career was about to collapse.
"Not to mention you called me a foul beast for being a griffin, which is discriminatory," Gilda said, sounding more amused than annoyed. "I mean, I am a foul beast, but not because I'm a griffin."
Limestone rolled her eyes. "It's because you don't shower," Gilda gave a side-eye to Limestone before turning back to glare at the soon-to-be-redlined prosecuted administrator. "Anyways, we're going to leave-,'
"OK, leave," Neighsay muttered in a broken voice.
"OK," Pinkie chirped before giving the bearded pony a cold smile. "But first...Limey-Wimey and Gilda-Wilda-,"
"I told you not to call me that!" Gilda groaned. Limestone gave the irate griffin a silent look, showing she was also annoyed with her younger sister's antics.
"-want to teach you some Love and Tolerance." The voice was kind, but the pink mare's blue eyes were icy and merciless.
"Here's Love!" Limestone said, picking up the massive boulder with a cruel grin.
"Here's Tolerance!" Gilda said, putting on her talon guards and waving them menacingly at the white unicorn.
Neighsay's face contorted in terror. "I'll scream and tell everypony to your plans to assault me."
Pinkie smirked. "Well, it's a good thing we planned this during break time where there's nopony around to hear you." Neighsay again paled, realizing he had been played from the beginning.
"Besides," Limestone Pie chirped with a smug smile, "who would ever believe the sweet Element of Laughter was capable of hurting anypony? Some racist snob?" Neighsay began shaking, realizing his back was to the wall.
"Wait!" Neighsay screeched desperately to the pink mare, hoping for some mercy, "I thought you believed in friendship?" Neighsay hoped appealing to friendship could get the pink mare to give him mercy, but her nasty smile proved she wasn't fooled for a minute.
"Of course we do!" Limestone said nastily. "Gilda and I decided to share! I get to break your legs, and she gets to break your skull!"
"Where have you been all my life?" Gilda asked Limestone.
"On a bleak rock farm in the middle of nowhere. You?"
"Struggling to survive in a desolate town full of greedy jerks where you literally have to pay attention." The rock farmer and the griffin intensely gazed at each other for a moment.
"Want to grab a hay smoothie later?" Limestone said.
"Sure," Gilda said. "But after we deal with Professor Lame-O!" The rock farmer and griffin closed in on the quaking administrator and proceeded to punish him severely, even as he screamed for mercy.
Pinkie Pie would never forget his cries of agony. They were the cries of friendship.
"MY LEGS!"
And broken bones.
