Romance and the Fate of Equestria

This is the last humongous rant on my agenda, honest. From here on out they'll be regular-sized. I just had a lot on my mind after finishing Part One, that's all. I apologize. Moving on…

The culture of this show, more than any I've ever heard of, revolves largely around its fan works. Stating the obvious, I know, but think about it: did you ever consider it odd that the entire fan community agrees on the names, occupations, and relationships of characters who technically don't even exist, except as extras? It's crazy.

So, while every author in the MLP fandom draws a little bit from others' fan works whether they realize it or not, I've been trying to dig a little bit more into the pre-existing fandom culture than most authors might, by way of openly referencing famous pieces of fanfic. The infamous Cupcakes—in the RFE world, as you may have surmised, a piece of literature that's existed for a few decades and has recently been adapted to film. Obviously, this version of the work doesn't star Pinkie Pie, but ponies are going to notice the resemblance. Now, I haven't actually read Cupcakes, not for lack of trying, but because I can't seem to find it anywhere. Either it's been deleted from wherever it is that it used to be located… or, on a subconscious level, I'm not looking hard enough because I don't really want to find it. Don't blame the subconscious.

The perennial work in the "DJ P0n-3 and Octavia" genre is, of course, The Vinyl Scratch Tapes. Everything we know about those two comes from that one story. I deliberately never read it until I was absolutely sure of the path that the musical duo would take in my story, so as not to have any of the old tropes influence my decision-making. I'd say it worked out, considering I depicted the two as lifelong best friends who get along perfectly; to my surprise, in the original work they're new acquaintances who can't stand each other… my way doesn't really make a whole lot of sense in comparison, but at least it's different. The other key to being original was to throw in some touches which are small, but defining… namely, DJ P0n-3 being Cockney (which I intend to make more noticeable in future chapters…), and Octavia being Inkie Pie (which wasn't my idea, it's a fan theory from early in the show's run which, for some reason, never sees much use… which is a shame, 'cause it's a really good idea).

And then of course, there's the one fan work to rule them all, Snowdrop by Silly Filly Studios. If you haven't seen it, find it on YouTube… Watch it. Cry. Then watch it again, and cry again. As far as I'm concerned, all of that really happened. Thus, this chapter and the subplot it introduces…

Chapter Forty-One

Twilight had just closed the library and was preparing to go to bed early. As she brushed her teeth, her mind started to wander, and in a matter of seconds she was completely zoned out.

She jumped in surprise when she distinctly heard the window shutters bang open with a powerful gust of wind, then close just as quickly. Twilight stood still and silent for a moment, feeling fairly certain it was just the wind, when she heard heavy hoofsteps.

Twilight burst out into the lobby threateningly, her foamy toothbrush still dangling from her mouth. Her intruder's sparkling, deep teal eyes blinked at her with mild amusement.

"Princess Luna," Twilight said through her toothbrush. "Um… excuse me a moment." She ducked back into the bathroom to rinse and spit, then emerged, wiping her mouth with a white cloth. "Sorry about that, Your Highness. What brings you by?"

"I am doing a touch of research," the princess said softly. "I could have looked in the Canterlot archives, I suppose, but I felt 'twould get faster results to consult thee."

Twilight shrugged. "Well, I'll help you if I can, Princess. What's the subject of your research?"

Luna bowed her head in gratitude. "I seek as many printed works as possible detailing the life of Snowdrop. Perhaps thou knowest of her?"

"Snowdrop," Twilight said thoughtfully. "The, um… the blind pegasus who invented the snowflake? Yes, I'm familiar with…"

Twilight stopped abruptly when Luna let out a sobbing gasp. The princess' eyes clenched shut as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"Princess!" Twilight exclaimed, running to her. "What's wrong?"

"She was…" Luna choked out, before clearing her throat and continuing. "She was my friend, not some blurb for little schoolponies to memorize just to pass tests and then forget when the whim doth strike them. Must thou speakest of her with so little emotion?"

"Oh…" Twilight hung her head. "I'm deeply sorry, Princess Luna. I meant no disrespect…"

"No, of course not," Luna said, shaking her head roughly. "Thou wouldst never intentionally be insensitive, of that I am sure. But 'tis a touchy subject at the present time, Twilight Sparkle. You see, the final remaining snowflake crafted by Snowdrop herself… well, it fell today."

"Truly?" Twilight breathed. "Oh my goodness. So that means… no more wishing snow?"

"Oh, nay, nay, don't be foolish," Luna muttered. "Snowflakes are still produced every day in Cloudsdale. But… none will ever reach the perfection of Snowdrop's work. And her original craftsmanship is now gone forever. She… she, herself, is gone forever." Luna sighed and averted her gaze, trying to preempt her coming tears. "I know she hath been dead for nearly a millennium now, but to me the loss doth remain a fresh sting. I would give much for a final goodbye… at least to tell her that I am alive, and happy, and plagued by Nightmare Moon no longer… but I cannot."

Twilight touched Luna's hoof with her own. "I'm so sorry, Princess," she said. "I can only imagine what it must be like for you."

Luna sniffled, then smiled. "Oh, fear not for me, Twilight Sparkle. I've a plan. Not only shall I gain my closure with Snowdrop, but my plan will assure that even with the loss of all her craft, she will not be forgotten."

Twilight winced nervously. "I'm almost afraid to ask what the plan might be…"

"I'm going to make a motion picture about her," Luna said proudly.

Twilight blinked. "Oh… oh, I didn't expect that. That's… nice."

"Yes," Luna said eagerly. "A feature film about her life, from start to finish. A… 'bi-opic', I believe 'tis called?"

"I think it's pronounced 'bio-pic', actually," Twilight said with a light chuckle.

"Yes, precisely that!" Luna said gleefully. "To show the folk of Equestria that Snowdrop was more than words in a textbook—I will show them all who she was, what her life was like, everything she represented!"

"And what was that?" Twilight said curiously.

Luna blinked. "Erm… sorry?"

"Who she was, what her life was like, what she represented—what was that?"

Luna sat down on the floor, tucking all four legs underneath herself. "Well, that's just the thing, is't not? I don't know. I was banished to the moon for much of her life. 'Tis the reason I'm here, Twilight Sparkle. I need to learn about her. Anything thou canst supply from thy library would be most helpful."

"Right!" Twilight said, running to the library's directory. "Let me take a look."

She flipped through the folders with astonishing speed. "S… S-L, S-M, S-N… S-N-O, Snowdrop. Here we are."

Unerringly, Twilight turned to a faraway bookshelf, and a lone book, a thick red volume, popped off the shelf and floated toward Luna.

"Her autobiography," Twilight announced. "According to the directory, it was first published a mere three years before her peaceful death… and all future editions came with an epilogue by her son, explaining what she was doing during those final years."

Luna gasped and stared with reverence at the cover, a mosaic of a young filly, a white-maned pegasus with a very pale turquoise coat and matching eyes covered in a milky film. "Oh, heavenly powers preserve me," she whispered, touching it with a hoof and gently taking it from Twilight's magic with her own. "I thank thee, Twilight Sparkle. This single tome will serve all my needs."

Twilight bowed silently.

"Ah, Snowdrop, mine old friend," Luna said to the book, "thou didst write quite the door-stopper about thine own life, I see. I shall not put thy memoirs to waste. When I've made my film, all of Equestria shall suffer the loss and heartbreak that I suffer now!" She grinned wickedly, her eyes glowed white, and a flash of lightning crackled outside.

"Um…" Twilight muttered.

"I do it all out of love, naturally," Luna said quickly. "'Twill be a journey to enlighten and enrich all ponies who watch, teach them something about themselves."

"Naturally," Twilight said. "So, do you know the first thing about filmmaking?"

"I do not, but I shall learn," Luna said earnestly. "I will learn every portion of the filmmaking process if I must. When first the idea came to me to bring Snowdrop's life to cinema, I could not get it out of my head. It shall be, if I must do it all by myself!"

Twilight smiled. "You won't have to do it by yourself, Princess. All the major studios will be clamoring to get into your good graces."

Luna chuckled briefly, then looked downcast. "I certainly hope so, Twilight Sparkle. I want the film to be great, one of the best ever made, if I can manage such a thing. Otherwise, what e'en is the point in making it?"

Twilight had no answer.

"But I'm keeping thee from thine evening rituals," Luna said with a bow. "Too often have I made an overly hasty retreat while offering thee my best wishes in a perhaps too casual manner, but once more cannot hurt. Fare thee well, Twilight, and thank thee once again."

"Best of luck, Princess," Twilight said.

Luna drifted out the door on the winds, and soon vanished into the night sky.