On the season finale (spoilers ahead)

[magicalrealist]

So...i-it's really official now, isn't it? All I could've wanted was for my friends to go back to the ponies I know and love them as, but this...I don't know what to say. I just...want to thank all of my friends for being there. None of this would be possible if I didn't meet them when I came to Ponyville.

(She rolls her eyes.)

...And yes, you can add this to your list of titles for me. How many are on the list now? Princess, Touhou Girl, Jedi Knight...

...The One Free Mare? You're going to have to explain that one; I only know the term half-life for its literal definition.

Comments

[meng_huan_myuu]

It means you do what has to be done by you and help your brother to defeat the enemys.

[Berri, no. No, don't bring that into this.]

Don't forget we can add 'unwitting Pokégod' into that list.

[magicalrealist]

The ridiculous part is that quote applies to me after a little thought.

...I'm not too sure about "Pokegod," but that's where the unwitting part sets in, isn't it?

[meng_huan_myuu]

Pretty much. On both counts.

Unlike that ponce, though, you'll never leave your wepon at home.

[magicalrealist]

Nope! I always come prepared. Even with my normal people close.

Still, it...feels pretty surreal. Is there a proper way to react to this sort of thing?

[meng_huan_myuu]

To having godlike powers dropped in your lap without an instruction manual? Not really.

The typical reaction is to gradually lose your grip on reality until you're a genocidal maniac or sociopathic troll, however.

[magicalrealist]

...I'd like to try avoiding both. I have my freakouts, but I'd rather not let them get that bad. It's kind of hard to focus on what's in front of you when you can't even focus on yourself and all.

And with everything I need to tend to, I can't risk that. Not for either of our sakes.

[meng_huan_myuu]

...Eh. It's only the first day. Come back in a decade and tell me you need to focus in order to do your job.

[magicalrealist]

...You're right. It's the intimidation factor of the first day. It's not as if this will change everything, right? I'm still the same pony and my friends will always be my friends. It's all just...magnified. I think.

[meng_huan_myuu]

And, you know.

The potential immortality granted upon you that none of your friends possess.

[magicalrealist]

...Right. That part. That's going to be the hardest part.

There's no way to cope with it other than to push through it, is there?

[meng_huan_myuu]

Nope. By the time it becomes an issue, you'll be mature enough to handle it, but it makes it hard to form lasting friendships again. Especially if you want to avoid that encroaching insanity I mentioned.

And as an aside: No, spending a couple decades as a drugged up test subject doesn't help make it hurt less.

[magicalrealist]

I can't imagine it making anything hurt less. Still, it's not as if I can give up on friendship forever because of this; even if I outlive all of them, it's still better to have had friends than not to have them.

Plus it's nice to know a few other immortals who may have the same problems.

[meng_huan_myuu]

Hey, if nothing else, you have Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. Assuming it comes with the territory of wings-plus-horn.

...And it probably won't be too long before Cadence does some weird immortality mojo to her manwho--er, your brother, too.

[magicalrealist]

...Must you refer to all of the males I know that way?

[meng_huan_myuu]

Of course.

Come on. You know you're gonna have nieces and nephews eventually.

[magicalrealist]

That much is given. And in Shining's case, I can accept that. Somewhat.

But not every stallion I know is like that!

[meng_huan_myuu]

Twilight.

You know four stallions. Count them, sometime.

[Pardon a moment, doing the math in our head...]

Six if you've met Dash and Rarity's fathers.

[magicalrealist]

That doesn't make my statement any less valid! Just...noticeably less credible due to the small range of variables.

And no, I haven't met either of their fathers. Just my brother, Big Macintosh, Fancy Pants and my own father.

[meng_huan_myuu]

Exactly. And let me be honest, you've got a pretty nonstandard variable base there. Just about the only thing they have in common IS their gender.

[magicalrealist]

Depending on how you look at it, Fancy Pants and Shining Armor may have a few similarities between them. And Shining and Big Mac are both older brothers. That has to count for something!

(Twilight stop you're just reaching at this point.)

[meng_huan_myuu]

You're now envisioning your brother dating Cheerilee.

[Sometimes you don't need to be psychic to plant images in peoples' heads.

But it helps.]

[magicalrealist]

(Oh, Twilight is very familiar with this form of mental manipulation. She's studied it, of course.

But she imagines it anyway, as much as she doesn't want to. Because it's effective.

Curse you, little pink cat.)



...Why are you doing this?

[meng_huan_myuu]

Boredom. And the urge to screw with your head.

One of these days, when you actually prank Celestia instead of the other way around, you'll thank me for keeping you on your hooves.

[magicalrealist]

...Okay, I'll give you that. Both of them, really.

But does being immortal really mean you learn to prank others?

[meng_huan_myuu]

It's a source of entertainment. When you've learned all you can from books, you start to learn what you can from the reactions of others.

And while you do that, you learn to play with them.

I suspect that's a good chunk of how your teacher stayed sane over a millennium.