History of the Glimmerarchy
Dear (Past) Me,
I tried to write my history paper about the founding of Ponyville, but I ~~~procrastig~~~ ~~~procasticat~~~ put it off until too late. But that wasn't all my fault! It was too hard to find good references. There aren't a lot of books about Ponyville's history. The librarian said Ponyville is "too small a market, and mostly illiterate."
Ever since Starlight Glimmer won, Twilight Sparkle has been really grumpy. I don't know why she's so upset. Starlight even let Twilight stay a princess, even though Twilight lost. So isn't it like they both won?
Anyway, let's pick an easier topic. The Glimmerarchy's history is good. There are so many books and newspapers and magazines about Starlight Glimmer and how she became a princess. The Foal Free Press even ran an interview with her. It's a good plan!
It's much better than writing about ancient history of boring old Ponyville. Also better than Twilight's suggestion to write a paper about why Starlight "isn't really all that," but TS mostly used ruder words, I think. A lot of those words were long ones I don't even know, but TS looked really angry when she said them.
Love, Me
Dear Me,
Today I had an even better idea! If I can just write my paper a hundred words at a time, and keep sending everything I've written so far to my past self using Glimmermail, I'll only have to write a little bit each sameweek instead of having to write the whole thing! It's almost like not having to write a paper at all.
I'm so glad I thought of that. I'll bet some of my classmates are already writing papers that way, but they probably didn't want to tell anypony because Cheerilee would get mad if she found out.
Next sameday I can start writing my paper, now that I have TWO good ideas to make it so much easier.
Love, Me
Dear Me,
We have to really start writing our history paper, not just more letters about how we have to start writing it, or the envelope will get too thick.
History of the Glimmerarchy
Probably millions of little fillies want to grow up to be a princess. But how many have really done it? My favorite princess is Princess Starlight Glimmer, because she found a way to help EVERYPONY fix their mistakes, not just her.
When Starlight Glimmer was just a little filly, her best friend got his cutie mark really young, and he was sent away to a special school where ponies learn how to be ~~~dull~stupid~nerds~~~ boring. (We shouldn't use nerd as an insult, because Starlight Glimmer said in one interview, maybe she's kind of a nerd. But I heard Sunburst is still living at home with his mommy, or with Moon Dancer, which I guess is almost as bad?)
Anyway, because Starlight Glimmer lost her best friend when he got his cutie mark, she decided she didn't want anypony to get cutie marks anymore.
She also says that was one of the biggest mistakes of her life. But in a way, it was a good decision too, because it turned out well! But the reason it turned out well is, she didn't just make a mistake, she LEARNED FROM IT.
That's what she wants everypony to know: mistakes are ok, if you learn from them. That's why she created Glimmermail, so Equestria can learn from its mistakes, by telling our past selves not to do them.
Even the worst, most terrible mistake isn't so bad if we can tell our past self to fix it before we even make it.
That's why I love Starlight Glimmer so much! Instead of selfishly keeping magic for herself, she lets every earth pony and pegasus use time magic to make things better.
That's why she's better than all the princesses we've had before her. Does Princess Celestia let other ponies take turns raising the sun? I don't think so! But even I can send messages to my past self, just like if I was a real Time Mage.
Starlight Glimmer really is the best.
I'm glad you're working so hard on your paper! Keep it up!
Love, Princess Starlight
Dear Me,
Wow! A note from Princess Starlight! That's another reason she's the best. All I ever got from Twilight was overdue notices. But now I need to write the rest of my history paper.
Another reason Starlight Glimmer is the best is because when she was fighting a Time War against Twilight Sparkle, Starlight kept changing the past to try to keep the Elements of Harmony from breaking up her Markless Town, but Starlight saw how stopping the Elements was just making the world worse.
Instead of trying even harder, Starlight changed her mind. She said, time travel shouldn't just be a way to make other ponies fail. Instead, time travel should be used to help everypony succeed!
Starlight told her idea to Twilight, and that's how the Time War ended. Because Twilight finally understood Starlight was really a good pony! When Starlight told Twilight that she was going to give absolutely everypony an opportunity to send their own past self of a week ago a letter about how to make their next week better, Twilight just fell over and stopped fighting!
Princess Starlight says when Twilight heard about that idea, she was so happy she cried a whole lot. It's in all of our new history books.
Can ponies really be so happy they start crying? I guess they must, because Twilight did.
Maybe I would be so happy I would cry too.
And that's why Princess Starlight Glimmer is the best princess ever! And why now she rules Equestria. (Even though some other ponies still get to be princesses too.)
Not so long ago, I would have given this paper an F for plagiarizing from yourself.
However, you ARE learning how to use Glimmermail effectively. I guess you'll be a big success in life.
Congratulations.
Cheerilee
Author's Note
This story is partly inspired by an intriguing notion and conversation in Cloud Ring's "Not Always." Of course, I had to turn the idea into a different idea, because me.
Cloud, I thank you for the inspiration, and for doing a bit of prereading.
When people REALLY want crossed-out words to look different even in a text file download of a story, they can try ~~~this~~~, I guess, like I did.
