Chapters Suprise at Sweet Apple Acres
Weight of a Crown
Chapter 1
A surprise at Sweet Apple Acres
Blurs of color fill my vision. Unknown voices surround me. Wait... no I do recognize them... The blue one was from NightMare Night. The pink one... It takes a while but I begin to have an idea. I think it was that wedding. Yes! I think it was the bride. The white one is holding me. I think she’s singing. I feel kinda sleepy. I’ll close my eyes. Just for a second though. Yeah... just a... second.
The sound of the alarm wakes me from the dream. My name is Apple Bloom. I’m Ponyville’s carpenter. Last week I got my Cutie Mark. That’s when the dreams started. It’s always the same one. A month ago, Princess Celestia died, followed by the disappearance of her sister Luna. The ponies holding Equestria together are Mi Amore Cadenza and Twilight Sparkle. Since then, bumps have appeared on my forehead and back bringing sores with them. Same for Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle.
Getting out of bed, I pull a hoof to rub my especially sore back. My eyes shoot open. With a huge intake of breath, I screamed a scream to beat all screams.
Hooves beat the ground as ponies race up to find out what was going on. What they saw could have broken the floor and their jaws. Panic fills me as I gallop to the mirror. I am a head too tall for it now. Tilting it up, I see it. And my reaction is much larger. My snout is long and slender, my eyes are like a dragon’s, without the cat pupils. My mane flows with orange, yellow, and pink mixed in the red. A horn sticks out of my mane. Two wings emerge out of my back.
In the Crystal Empire, a little yellow filly with a red mane and green bow trots around town. A faint scream can be heard. She stands there for a moment, before shrugging it off.
One month ago...
Twilight ran through the hospital. Ponies, moved for her for four reasons. One; She was yelling for them to ‘get out of her bucking way’. Two; She was a princess. Three; She was well known by Canterlot BEFORE she became princess of magic, and four; She was going through one of her ‘rage shifts’. Have I mentioned the time Celestia got angry at a noble, when fire surrounded her and the sun turned red? No? Okay. Well, angry princesses are scary. Back to the point.
Twilight had managed to destroy half of Canterlot, injured thirty eight ponies, and got away with it. Ponies were less worried about her potentially murdering somepony, than they were about WHY she had a potential to murder somepony. Twilight HAD to get to the hospital. Then she had to go see her brother. Too many dangers, not enough Twilights. Twilight burst into the hospital and screamed at the stallion at the desk, whose name was Gregory Hoof. He used to work in Ponyville before he was promoted to Canterlot’s head hospital.
“WHERE THE BUCK IS SHE! YOU HAVE THREE SECOND’S TO TELL ME BEFORE YOU GO ON VACATION TO THE SUN!” Twilight yelled. Gregory whimpered something, getting a face full of hoof in response. She stole the paperwork and raced to where it said Celestia was.
Finally, she reached room 310. Royal guards lined up on each side of the hallway. Their spears, which were crossed together with the guard in front of them, parted to let her through. Finally, when she reached the door, where her brother and his second in command stood parallel to each other.
As she went up to the guards, whom had let her past, she opened the door. Just before entering, Shining Armor, who was to Twilight’s right, mouthed ‘good luck’. The latter had not noticed this gesture, and was already halfway inside the room when he finished.
The room was small and simple. They had clearly gotten her the biggest room with the two biggest beds. They had scoured every inch of the hospital for their best furniture and curtains. The walls were a pastel pink, and the floors a marble white. Her curtains were orange lace, with a hint of red. A small cushioned chair was seated by the bed. The bed itself was large, but needed the other bed to fit the princess. That still was too small, but it was the best they could do. The window had a clear view of the setting sun. The sun was currently being moved by the sun princess’ niece, and the magic princess’ foal sitter.
Princess Celestia looked, everywhere and nowhere all at the same time. Her eyes were glazed over, as she stared into the distance. The lavender princess looked at her mentor. Tears pricked her eyes.
"Princess?" Every bit of cheerfulness in her voice had been drained, and replaced by worry. The white Alicorn didn't respond. Instead, she looked out the window, a tear falling down the sun goddess' cheek. After a moment, she turned her head to her student. Slowly, almost slower than Tank, Rainbow Dash's pet tortoise, she smiled.
"Twilight... Thank you... for... coming..." Her voice was drained of life. Instead of the golden grace, she was like Twilight's grandfather Dusk Shine. When Granny Sparky died, Grandpa had taken to drinking and heavy smoking. Princess Celestia's voice was almost identical to his. Rough, scratchy, and weak.
"Oh Princess... I'm so, so sorry... If only I could have done something for you. Maybe... *sniffle*... maybe you could be in your thrown, seeing the faces of all your subjects... Maybe..." The princess put a hoof to her student's mouth.
"Please Twilight... please don't worry... I... I have something to... to tell you... you must, you... you must listen..." The tear stained face nodded. As Celestia slowly moved her hoof away from her student's mouth, going to wipe the tears away, she began to speak.
"Twilight... I... It was a few years after *cough* after... after you became my student... I, I don't know what I was... what I was thinking that night... I... I was drunk. All I remember was... was waking up to... to a test... It was... it was positive.”
“When I gave birth to her... I was, I was afraid... So I sent her to... to the first place that... that came to mind... By now she's... she's... 13... *cough* Cadance... Cadance has a sister... But, my brother... my brother killed his wife and... and took the foal away when, when she was born... I don't know... I don't... know where she is... *choking* Night Mare Moon... used her... magic to make... a Pegasus filly... to rule beside her... when she came... when she... when she came back... and sent her to... sent her to Equestria... Find them..." So often, the princess had to use every last bit of willpower to continue. Twilight had to use all her willpower from stopping Celestia and making her take a break. Celestia's coat was now tear stained. Twilight had fought back the tears, but was slowly losing the battle.
"Twilight... twilight I'm so... so proud of you.......
You've come such a long... long way
And I've watched you from that... that very first day
To see how you might grow...
To see what you might...what you might... do
To see what you've been through
And all the ways you've made me ... I'm proud of you, Twilight...
It's time now for a new change to... to come
You've grown up and your ... your... your new... new... new life has begun
To go where you will... go
To... to see what... what you will see
To find what you will ... what you will... will be
For it's time for you to fulfill... to fulfill... I'm... so... so... very... proud of... you... Twilight..."
"Princess? Celestia? Are you okay?" The Alicorn was motionless. A lavender hoof reached out to touch the body. It was cold and limp, like a doll. Her usual flowing mane was a fading pink. It was limp, and looked like it hadn't been touched since world war one. The glowing coat was dull and pale.
"Princess? Please! Wake up! Please, Celestia! Wake up! Please wake up Celestia! This isn't funny! Princess! Why won't wake up? Please princess, wake up! WAKE UP!" Tears freely flowed down the face of Twilight Sparkle.
"H... hush now... quiet... now it, it's time... it's time to... it... it's time to lay your, s... sleepy head. H, h, hush n, now quiet now p, pre... prepare for the p, path ahead..." The ex-unicorn reached a tear soaked hoof out. Her hoof met the open eyes of her mentor. Every memory of Celestia flashed before her eyes. Reading late into the night about the stars together. Her hoof touched the eyelids. Being tucked in, having her sing lullabies. Her hoof dragged down to her cheek. Being scolded for reading about dark magic. Sleeping curled up under her wing. Eating daisy sandwiches and hay fries in her royal chamber's. Slowly she lifted her hoof from the now closed eyes. And every friendship report...
"Drift drift... up above... the angels *sniffle* are... the angels are... are... are... beside you now... d, drift... d, d, drift up a, above, one day we'll meet again... I love you.... mommy".
Twilight swore, she would find Celestia's daughter...
Even if it meant giving up her life.
Surprise at Carousel Boutiqe
***Chapter 2
Surprise at Carousel Boutique***
A white form is carrying me. I’m at a familiar house. The door opens. A marshmallow white violet blur gasps. It picks me up. I’m in a crib. I hear a voice. My name.
Buzz~
“You’re on next, Belle. Break a leg.” I pull on my hat and gown. It smells like my sister. I walk onto the stage. The lights momentarily blind me. A large crowd cheers, shouting my name. Among them is a white unicorn with a violet mane. I clear my throat and inhale the air. It smells of salad, spaghetti, and fine wines. A sweet melody begins. My stomach does flip flops. Praying I won’t mess up, I begin.
“ White clouds of the sky
Won’t you take me up high.
Star’s of the night
Illuminating my fright
Wish wish, upon the stars
Flying with the clouds
Soaring with you.
All we need
is the bird’s melodies
And together we will be.
You and me.
The Skies are clear.
The Night is here.
The sun always shine,
when we are alive.
When we are together.
When we are.
You and me.
You and Me.
You and Me...”
Hooves clap together, as the sound of acceptance fills my ears. Flowers fall at my feet, and cheers roar loudly. In the middle of it all, is a crying unicorn.
“Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle! Sweetie Belle!”
“That was amazing Sweetie!” The white unicorn make’s a left turn.
“Oh BUCK!.... Sorry, not quite used to cars... I remember when we used our hooves and carts,.” the white mare joked with her sister. The mare, up close, had stray grays. Her coat was dull and wrinkled, her eyes fading into an icy gray blue.
“Yes, I was there to...” A younger, white unicorn looked at the older mare. She had curly pink and purple hair, and green eyes. Her voice cracked from overuse. The two were in Manehattan, on there way to a small town called Ponyville.
“I know, I keep forgetting... Oh don’t look at me! I look absolutely horrid! Just look at these wrinkles! There so... old.” The word rolled in her mouth bitterly. She dreaded the word, but now she was living it.
“Compared to you, I look like I could be Granny Smith back from the grave!” Sweetie Belle knew what was coming next. She missed being a filly. Searching for her special talent. She missed the feeling she got that day. Like she was on top of the world. She was the first of her friends to get their Cutie Mark. Slowly, she began to drift apart from them. Several days before the disappearance of Princess Luna, Scootaloo had earned hers. Last week, when Apple Bloom earned hers, they broke the bond. She hadn’t heard from them since. She missed the days they were friends. She wanted her friends...
“But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” There it was. What she had heard so many times. How could Rarity, say that. This is RARITY! Rarity, who spent years trying to hide evidence of her age. Rarity, who hid from the world after giving up. Rarity, who cried days on end about how she looked.
The car parked, and Sweetie Belle exited.
“Goodnight.”
“Nig-” The door slammed shut as Rarity finished. A knowing smile spread across her face. Shaking her head she backed up. As Sweetie Belle entered her house, she heard a loud crash. Turning her head, she saw the car backing up from the fallen mailbox.
“Oh Rarity...” she chuckled as she entered Carousel Boutique. Ever since Rarity moved into the Library, Sweetie Belle was responsible for the Boutique during after hours. Levitating her hat and dress down to the basement, she hummed a little tune. Swiftly, she trotted up the stairs. Passing by the mirror halfway up, she had to back up.
“BUCK!”
Canterlot, two week’s ago.
I will find her. A lavender alicorn burst into her brother’s office. The white unicorn was sitting in a chair reading document’s, searching for a clue on why Celestia died. The sudden entrance of the youngest, newest princess startled him, breaking his concentration.
“How long have you known? Did she ever say she had a daughter? Why did she die? Who’s the father?” The typhoon of questions continued to shoot at him, rolling from her vocal cords.
“Twilly, please calm down, I don’t know anything...”
“Did you do anything about Nightmare Moon’s child? She could be a threat! Did you know Luna would disappear?”
“I wasn’t even part of the Royal Guard yet, I didn’t know about it even once I was in the guard, much less Captian. Now could you please calm down Twilight?”
“Did you know your wife had a sister? Or do you not care about why she never got a chance with her parents?”
“TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” The lavender alicorn jumped at the volume of his voice. It was the first time he had used such a volume, and she didn’t like it.
“What in Equestria are you TALKING about?” His voice matched his questioning face. Tears streamed down her face. Her vision blurred, and her throat burned. The gravity of the situation pulled her into a deep abyss.
“I’m sorry... I’m so, so sorry... I miss her so much...” Her brother stood up and went over to her. Standing on his hind hooves, her wrapped the front two around his sister. He stroked her mane with one hoof, and kept his balance with the other.
“Shhh... It’s alright. You’re just really stressed out. I shouldn’t have yelled at you... It’s okay, everything’s gonna be alright...” Truthfully, he didn’t think it would be alright. The princess of the moon had disappeared not long after the announcement of Celestia’s sickness. Everything went wrong from there.
“No. Everything’s NOT going to be alright... Celestia’s dead, Luna’s gone and Celestia gave me a mission. I don’t think I can handle it... I’ve failed her...” The two stood there, one comforting the other, while the other cried. It was hour’s before the flow of tears stopped.
“Want me to help you on this mission?” Shining Armor looked questioningly at his sister. The latter, nodded. The went over to his desk and set to work.
“Here’s a list of 13 year olds...”
“That’s perfect.”
Surprise at the Orphanage.
***Chapter 3
Surprise in PonyVille Orphanage!***
here
here
I’m surrounded by gray. A black form is holding me. A dark, soothing voice fills my ear’s.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveller in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
'Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark.
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
How I wonder what you are.
How I wonder what you are.
“SCOOTALOO! ” A gurgling noise comes from the depth’s of my throat. My ear’s twitch, as I pull the blankets farther above my head.
“BREAKFAST IN FIVE! CHOP CHOP! ” I roll my eye’s at the orphanage tyrant. What were they thinking of putting an old drill sergeant who hates kids more than anything at the head of an orphanage? They were probably high on their plots. I pull down the blanket, falling out of the bed. Standing up, trotting to the bathroom. I bumped my head on the unusually low doorway. Crouching low I duck under the door, finding an amazed Rumble.
“Oh, mornin’ Rumble. are… are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost.” I look at the younger Pegasus. His grey coat going with his deep grey eye’s and sleek black mane. He nod’s.
“Uh, Scoot’s, have you check in a mirror this morning. You should really look at your uh, mane and forehead.” Confused, I begin to trot to my first destination once more. What did he mean by look at my mane and forehead? I knock on the door, not looking forward to another Pluto incident. Hearing no answer, I open the door and go straight to the mirror. I drop to the floor.
“This. Is. AWSOME!”
In Canterlot…
“Are you sure this is right? Have we checked everything? Are these really the three fillies that are the rightful rulers now that Celestia is dead and Luna is missing? It can’t be…” Twilight looked at the paper. “No, there is one more thing we must do. Shining Armour, get a chariot ready, we’re going back to PonyVille. I have to talk to the girls.