What makes a leader?
That should be an easy question to answer, right? Well, the truth is a lot more complicated than that. It’s something that I’ve been asking myself for a long time, but one that I never knew the answer to. The reason for that is…well, I’ve never had answer it. I haven’t ever been in a position of leadership until now, and it just feels so overwhelming. Those ponies are probably very worried about me, but I can’t go back. I can’t face them. I can’t tell them I’m a failure. The only thing I can do now is hide and wait until they think I’m dead.
The forest has always been a place of comfort for me. There have been times where I’ve felt so alone, so frustrated. And the snow-capped trees have provided the perfect place for reflection. It’s a place where I can reach out to my ancestors in the stars and ask for their help when dealing with certain situations. In this case, I need their advice on how to navigate this difficult process. I know my fellow ponies are counting on me to be everything Allura wasn’t. But…I’m not sure if this is something I’m even capable of handling. I don’t want to disappoint them, but I can’t even begin to describe how much this position doesn’t fit me. I can’t handle this, and I have no one to confide in now that Comet is gone.
I know our new friends from Equestria mean well, but I’ve never wanted to be a leader. That’s why I was so quick to pick them. I mean, they were the ones who liberated us, so surely they deserve it more than little ‘ol me, right? Why didn’t they take the position instead? We’ve never had a central government before Allura and Twitch conquered us. Not even when our ancestors migrated here centuries ago did we ever have one pony in charge. It was a slot that was always on rotation. We just did whatever we felt like doing. The only thing that a so-called “leader” would do was plan out activities for us for Starshine Time. There were no rules or regulations. Starlight Ridge was a place for fun and nothing else. The Nova Charm was just something we passed around from pony to pony every month randomly. It was fine that way, and we didn’t know any better.
Yet in the blink of an eye, we had our entire life stolen from us. That blasted snow leopard took our only hope away and took over the town without much resistance. And because there were no laws involved aside from whoever holds the Nova Charm gets to be the leader, we didn’t possess any means to fight back. She stole our village and enslaved us for decades, and there was nothing we could do to stop her. We watched helplessly as she took control of our minds and made us harvest the spirits of our relatives, all in a vain attempt to find that special star of hers. But it was okay, right? That was just what true leaders did. They took from the less fortunate to give to themselves. That was our only concept of what these beings of higher authority were capable of.
Except…it wasn’t.
As if a miracle had been bestowed upon us, these strange ponies from a completely different realm arrived on our snow and brought forth questions and curiosities. No matter how much we tried to drive them away, they were persistent in helping us. How could we refuse? We were never shown kindness like this before, and they showed us all what being a leader really means. Only…I wish they had taken over instead of me. We would’ve been fine as slaves to outsiders once again. That’s how we’ve lived for decades, and we would’ve at least trusted that they had the whole thing figured out. They came from a place where leadership was common, I’m sure they would’ve done a great job!
Instead…I was forced into leading my fellow ponies, and after everything they did for us, I couldn’t just refuse. They were all chanting my name. They wanted me. They believed in me, and my ability to provide for others. But this was something I’ve never had to deal with in my life, and I suddenly found it thrust upon me without any say in the matter. In saving us, they inadvertently forced their ways upon us as well, and we were left to deal with the aftermath. I was left with a position that I never wanted, and a destiny uncertain.
Now I feel the weight of it all caving in on me. The walls of my mental cave are closing in and trapping me within them. It’s too much. I can’t have this responsibility. What if I become just like Allura? What if one day, I decide that I want more power and I make the lives of everypony worse? I’m just one pony. There’s no way that I can manage myself. Leadership can’t just be about caring for your friends, right? There has to be a lot more than that involved.
I wish I could ask them, but I’m on my own. I only have the steep hills of snow between me and my beautiful town. Before, I could always rely on Comet to help me through these difficult times, but he’s gone off to live a new life. I’m happy for him as it’s what he always wanted. I didn’t hesitate to let him know that leaving Starlight Ridge was okay and I know he’s living the best life that he could possibly live in that other realm. I didn’t call him back, even though I knew it would’ve been the best thing for me to do mentally. I knew what I was doing, but it didn’t matter. All I wanted was for my best friend to be happy, and I was willing to sacrifice anything for it.
However, as a result, I don’t have anyone to turn to anymore. I only have myself and my own judgment. I can’t stop myself from becoming power-hungry, and it’s that prospect that scares me. It’s a very real possibility that I can’t ignore. Surely Allura was once like me, right? She had to have been pure of heart at some point and then something corrupted her into what she is today. You aren’t born evil, there has to be something that makes you go over the edge. And I fear that my new position might be it. The only thing I know about being a leader is from what Allura constantly told me when we were alone together. I still remember the lies that she fed me, and how much she tried to brainwash me into becoming like her.
“Leaders take, Violet Frost. They don’t give, and I am under no obligation to spare any of you from my mind control.”
“Please! Just…spare the other ponies. You can have me under your spell all you want, but they didn’t ask for any of this!”
“Nor will they ever have to. If my special star is not found by the end of the month, I’ll burn this entire village to the ground and take you with me.”
I shiver. I don’t know if it is because of the cold weather, or the memory of our last conversation weighing down on me. I fear the implications of this memory on my mind and it makes me want to break down. But I can’t do that. I may not know what to do right now, but all I know is that I can’t be her. I can’t turn into someone that will hurt my friends. That will dishonor the legacy that our saviors left behind, and make everything we fought for useless. I can’t abandon them. They need me to be there. I can’t let my own self-doubt drive me away from the only home I’ve ever known.
My hooves tread through the shimmering snow as I turn around in the direction of the village. I remember the last thing that Sunny said to me before she and her friends disappeared through that portal, how much she believed in me.
“You’re gonna do great.”
If only she knew. If only she understood how overwhelmed I was feeling about any of this. How I wished that I could beg her to take it all back, to lead the ponies of Starlight Ridge and relieve me of all this burden. But it’s not that simple…is it? It’s never that simple. I know full well that I can never ask her to leave her friends and rule a village full of strangers. It’s just not right. There are no Equestrians to save us now. They’ve fulfilled their promises. Now there is only us…only me.
I have to step up, or else I would be nothing. I can’t change the past, nor predict my future. All I can do is move forward towards the future, and strive to be the leader that my ponies deserve. I’m scared, but I know that won’t do any good. I have the means to protect my fellow ponies, and they deserve somepony they can trust. I can’t let despair consume me now, as I have to be vigilant. Those ponies have been through too much already, and they put their faith in me. I refuse to let their confidence go unrewarded.
They don’t deserve to be abandoned like that. They deserve to know that I’m okay, and that I wasn’t abducted. We all still fear Allura, and I know she’s still out there somewhere…searching for a way back into our lives. The threat of her return is still very real and it’s why many of us still haven’t left town to explore more of the realm. It’s very likely that search parties are being organized right now. I have to return to them. There’s a world full of possibilities out there, and I need to be there and guide them in the only way I know how.
I skid to a halt at the top of the hill and I’m greeted by the sight of my beloved village. Ponies are all over the one-street, looking for me in every direction. I can see the worried expressions on their faces even from a distance; some even look panicked. I wave to them from where I am and one of the mares spots me and waves back. She turns to her partner and he calls to the others, letting them know that I’m okay. The shouts of concern suddenly turn into great cheer as they see me. Their eyes light up with joy and they stomp their hooves on the ground.
I climb down from the hill and walk back to my peers. The wind blows through my mane and my form looks regal as I seemingly descend from the heavens above. The ponies stop panicking and freeze where they are. They’re looking to me for guidance, yet I resist the urge to run this time. I’m done running.
I don’t know what might happen in the future, but at least I know that I’m not Allura. We are nothing alike. She took everything and enslaved us all for her own selfish gain. I care about my friends, and I give back to those who show me kindness and love. Those ponies put me in charge because they saw a good heart. They saw how much I was willing to sacrifice for those around me, and how I didn’t hesitate to let my only friend live their life, even if it meant that I would be without them for the rest of my life.
As I stand in front of my citizens, I smile and an Aurora Flare goes off in the distance. It’s a sign from our ancestors, and they’re telling me that I’m ready. I was given my freedom, and a new opportunity. I remember those who saved us, and I know they can come back here whenever they want. But this is not their home, it’s mine. There have been times where I’ve been so unsure of myself, but now is not that time. My time alone in the forest has given me clarity, and I know what I have to do.
What is a leader? I think I have the answer now. A leader is somepony who nurtures others and guides them. They’re not infallible and they’ll always be faced with difficult decisions to the day they die, but what separates the good from the bad is that the good ones care. They give back to those in need and they don’t take. They take initiative, but know when to ask their friends for help whenever they’re in trouble.
I know my place, and I know who I am at long last. My name is Violet Frost and I am the leader of Starlight Ridge.
Author's Note
It’s another Chapter 6 story! Man, I’m on a roll. Only one month and I’ve already completed four total stories! For this fic, I wanted to pivot the focus to another character that I think deserves more love than she’s currently getting from anyone. Violet Frost is a very interesting character to me, and I hope Tell Your Tale explores her and Starlight Ridge more. Going off of where Secrets of Starlight left her character, I found the idea of her grappling with her new responsibilities quite intriguing to explore. This also makes my first true introspective story since I’m Looking Out For You. Things truly have come full circle at long last.
Feel free to let me know what you think of it in the comments below and I’ll be seeing you guys soon!
