Chapter Four

“WERE DOOMED!” she shouted as I could see the twitching was getting worse.

I rolled my eyes at Twilight as I pulled out a light blue crystal on a silver chain that I had hidden underneath my scarf this whole entire time. As the guards were coming in closer I smiled at them.

“This area is well protected but not by your price or princess!” I dropped low to my stomach causing the area to light up with a bright pink glow as the door under out hooves swung open dropping me and Twilight into the dark abyss below.

“I know those ponies they work for my brother Shining Armor!” Twilight was too busy panicking to even notice that I had dropped us into a dark cold area. I rolled my eyes as I got to my hooves holding Twilight still as my horn flared up with a large bright white orb and as I released it, the orb separated into small little orbs which exploded into the air casting their lights off the crystals that were growing on the wall which reflected their light letting Twilight see the area below which had a large cherry blossom tree with a dark brown almost black trunk and small little pink crystals singing as they land on the ground below. Underneath the tree was a roped off area and outside that area was small stones with names written on them. The town was left in ruins with only foundations and small amounts of walls left standing giving a pony and idea of how the town was laid out. I walked down the frozen stairways from the metal door which I sealed back up before the guards could follow us.

“Don’t eat the green crystals their poison if not grown to be ripe or prepared correctly.”  I planted my hooves on the ground as I looked back up at Twilight who was still gawking at the scenery.

“TWILIGHT!!!” I shouted at her causing the crystals to ring out making her to snap out of her daze to look out at me. “Are you coming?”

“Yes yes I am” she walked down the stairs as I went on a head and walked over towards the tree as I placed my ear up against the bark closing my eyes for a bit as I could feel the magic that was entering into it and it wall sounded pretty good to me. I opened my eyes as I walked over to a small circle placing my bags on the ground. I noticed Twilight was sketching a few buildings out on parchment as she was trying to retrace the symbols on the bricks.

I looked around to see if my boxes were in place before I turned my attention. Since she was around and I wasn’t in the mood for translating what I said I took a deep breath “Those who have fallen from their time who guard this tree in spirit I Silver Lily the member of the clan of Lily descendant of the skies, and remaining Clan member of magic I ask for thee to grant us permission to take the blossoms of this tree and the fruit that grown from underneath.” I bowed to the tree creating a gust of wind that shocked Twilight a bit as the leaves fell from the tree landing into a couple of boxes as the rest fell into the ground. I used my magic to pick up the stray leaves along the ground as I picked a few crystals growing on vines along the walls of the forgotten buildings in the back of the town. I had let Twilight walked off wondering by herself as I finished doing what I was doing. I got the crystals packed in the boxes as I placed the same spell on the boxes that I did on most of the stuff I had back at Twilight’s place in Ponyvile. I gathered my bags as I wondered though the small area that is my town as I noticed a set of hoof prints heading towards the outer rim of the town towards the one house that was mostly standing. I followed the foot prints towards the house as I saw Twilight standing their looking at a picture in the wall of a large blue Alicorn with a blurred out cutie mark.

“Who is this?” she pointed towards the picture that was drawn on the wall which seemed to survive the fire.

“My grandfather”

“But he looks”

“I know he looks like an Alicorn I don’t want to speak about it” I walked out of the house as I turned my back on the picture and the house itself as Twilight followed behind.

“Why not?” her ears were against her head as I turned to look at her as I kicked the dirt, which was underneath my hooves.

“Because it was a long time ago Twilight I keep my real name hidden from the world for a reason I don’t want others to know and I hardly remember my past okay” I walked towards a dark section of the wall as Twilight moved up against me I cast another light spell which the crystals soaked up causing them to look like small lanterns that were already built into the walls. We were very quiet until we reached an opening in the cavern.

“We should be by the train tracks” I started kicking the dirt as my necklace hanged down low as it was still glowing a soft blue as Twilight was burning holes in my head. “Ask”

“How  ... never mind now please I’m sorry if I brought something troubling up.” She had her ears flat against her head.

“It’s just that my grandfather is an Alicorn and he never came to help us when we called! I mean he always came when we called! He was their early in the morning but we never saw him that night” I had tears in my eyes as Twilight wrapped a hoof around me a scroll popped into existence between us as she unrolled it.

“It’s from the princess she wants us on the next train to Canterlot” I then took the scroll and a quill as I wrote:

Send the Caption of Luna’s guard Little Skull to the train station

I handed the scroll back towards Twilight as I went back to looking for a large wooden platform as Twilight stood there a bit puzzled.

“Just send it, at least it be some pony that I know then some random guard.” I stumbled on to the platform my face lighting up like a tree as I kicked the dirt off Twilight sent the scroll. “Found it” I flared up my horn with a light grey magic as Twilight stepped up on the platform I used my magic to pull it up to the surface. We got to the surface and I noticed that Twilight had a couple of books that were sticking out of her bags, I had brought one an old speech book I slipped it into her bags as we exited the cave stepping up on to the train platform paying for our tickets. We found another train car we could settle in again and I popped open a create as I pulled out an apple shaped crystal placing one in front of her and one in front of me, after that I placed the create back as I took a bite out of the apple keeping quiet and to my thoughts.

“Hey what’s this?” Twilight pulled out the speech book I had placed in her bag as I moved my glasses up looking at the book.

“It’s a speech book something I found while looking for you I got others you can keep but he speech book might come in handy deciphering some of the symbols and books that I have. “ I went back to eating my apple as I closed my eyes as I drifted back to an old memory where I had walked into a store in Baltimare ordering a few crystals thinking they were the same, broke a couple of teeth. Sweet meadow gave me hell for breaking a couple of teeth. Necro though it was the oddest thing about me but he soon like it as it gave a nice touch around the house, and Fairy had used her magic to see if I was alright when I showed her one.

“This is edible!” Twilight had dropped her book as I gave her a nod.

“There the same stuff of what I have in the small glass jars it’s just that this is what they look like.” I had pulled out a scroll and quill I had taken from Twilight’s bag as I wrote a simple letter out to her son or grandson as he thought.

Dear Little Skull,

I'm coming into Canterlot for a few days with a friend Twilight, I do not know if her friends are coming so will you check the Train station every now and then for them please. Make sure they get to the castle but when we arrive I need to head to the house first if that is possible. And I hear congrats are in order for making Captain of Luna's guard, please do not let Captain Armor fill your head with stuff, by the gods I know what runs through his head.

Love Lily,

I used an old spell where I wrote the address to the pony on the outside of the scroll then wrapped it around the quill and set it unfire with my magic. I laid my head on the pillow as my mind drifted off to my family. It has been years since I saw any of them. I do remember teaching the current foals and fillies how to walk on the clouds that hung low around the property. Last I saw Twilight was still reading as Luna’s moon was moving up into the night sky. I was thinking about grabbing a nice cup of coffee from the passing food cart but then I drifted back to the time Necro had bucking buried me. All this time with Twilight has me thinking of her as Necro and a small tear formed in my eye. He was the one stallion the one pony that was able to capture my heart in love but how he treated me when he found out about my past and everything. It always feels like he took my heart with him to the grave. As I spent more and more time in my own memories the night had zoomed by as the train pulled into Canterlot train station.  I was brought out of my memories pushing them into the back of my skull as Twilight was shaking me violently.

“What is wrong?” I rubbed my eyes as I pulled my bags on to my back as the train came to a stop.

“Luna’s guard it out! During the Day and is here!” she was almost whispering as I laughed a bit.

“Dose this guard looks like a dark black Pegasus with a blue mane and coat along with a skull and a shield for a cutie mark?” I stared at her before I pulled back the car door waiting for the line of ponies to move.

“How?” she was looking at me in complete shock again as I got in line behind the line of ponies as I noticed Little was standing along the gates of the train station as I came walking up poking him in his side.

“Twilight meet Little Skull Captain of Luna’s guard” he gave a salute to Twilight as he turned to me giving me a hug.

“Hello grandmother” he gave me a light squeeze as I look him over.

“Last time I saw you, was long time ago” I smiled at him. He looked so much like his father it was almost killing me.

“We should leave now I mean I’m late for brunch with the family.” He was looking at an old pocket watch that had out families crest engraved on the front of it. We followed him through the streets of Canterlot as we came up to the noble district where most of them were out getting ready for a day. We came up to the oldest part of the noble district as many of the houses were grand and made from the best of the best wood that’s no longer grown in Equestria. We came up to a large grey house with dark wooden accents. It had a few smaller trees like the large one we saw in town up north as but the leaves were green instead of pink.

“Lily why are the leaves here green and not pink?” she looked over at me as I smiled at her as Little turned his head at the both of us as we were still standing at the main entrance with the family crest which is a skull with crystals in the background.

“They were just picked yesterday Ms. Sparkle they just fell to the ground as the moon was high into the sky.” He had walked over to the tree rubbing his hoof along the base.

“So when we picked the main tree the smaller ones also get picked or lose their leaves?” she was making a bit of sense already. “But you never told me you were a noble” she poked me with a hoof.

“Yes well after me and Necro left from Hollow Shades we came up here to the development of Canterlot and the castle and set up our home here. We didn’t become nobles until I paid for some stuff for the guards and the castle.” I swear every time I say something about the past she freezes up like I had just killed another pony. Well wait until she hears about my past as the noble maiden that would really cause her to freeze up.

“Well are you two coming mother has brunch waiting!” Little called from the front door as making us run up to the door as we entered a room where Midnight queens and some purple tulips were mixed with some bright white moon lilies were sitting in vases. The door was a solid oak along with some of the molding that adorns the walls. Many of my books were sitting behind glass as many of the furniture and artwork was pre-nightmare moon which made Twilight’s jaw dropped.

“Wow”

Three small fillies came running down the stairs, one was a unicorn with a light golden mane and a tail which matched her orange coat, the second was a Pegasus with a dark blue coat and light green mane and tail, and the third was another unicorn with a black coat and a yellow mane and tail. They ran past us first but stopped when they caught glance at me.

“Grandma I would like you to meet Orange Lily, Ocean Meadows, and Grave skull” he had his chest out when I glanced over at him.

“Dad is this really grandma?” Ocean Meadows came up to Little tugging on his armor.

“Yes dear now the three of you go get ready for brunch” he pushes her along as I looked over at him.

“When did you get married?” he was really making me feel like a grandmother now.

“Oh not too long ago, I’ll tell you all about it later but right now I need to check on Snow since she making brunch.” He walked away leaving me and Twilight standing at the door with my eye twitching.

“I BROUGHT REAL!” I shouted causing a couple of dishes falling to the floor in the back as a white coated earth pony mare with a dull grey mane and tail came walking out of the kitchen.

“It was one time!” she stopped as her dark blue eyes went into small little pin pricks as I walked past her leaving my bags in front of her.

“LITTLE WHY DIDN”T YOU TELL ME THAT GRANDMA WAS COMING!” she turned and shouted towards the dining room as I covered my ears.

“It was out of the blue Snow” I rubbed my ears as she placed her hoof on my shoulder.

“And you it was one time! One bloody time that I gave you food poison” she walked off steaming carrying my bags in her mouth. I noticed she was wearing the dress I saw Rarity making a couple of days to go as I rolled my eyes.

“Oh I bet her food has gotten a bit better Lily” Twilight had placed her bags at the door as I turned to look at her.

“A bit is not a lot Twilight” I walked into the dining room before turning to look at her “Care to join us?”

“Sure” she walked in with me as I turned my attention back towards the stallion which was an earth pony sitting across the table with a light blue mane and a dark purple coat who was making out with a unicorn mare with a bright yellow mane and tail with an orange coat. I cleared out my throat causing them to break up as I smiled as they were blushing.

“Twilight I would like you to meet Grim Meadows and” I had my hoof out at the stallion

“This is Golden Flower my wife mother” he was glaring at me as I laughed at him taking my place at the end of the table as Twilight sat next to me.

“Wait I thought they called you grandma?” I could tell she was only half listening.

“Some do some don’t he only calls me mother when he mad at me” I was still grinning ear to ear.

“Wait she is your mother!” Golden gave a shriek as he turned his head to her and gave a simple nod.

“She the one I talked about Hun.” He had placed his hoof around her shoulder as I pushed my glasses up on my muzzle.

“Welcome” was the only thing I could say.

“I didn’t think you were real I mean all the photos and the books “she had her hooves on her stomach as I could tell she was pregnant and I felt my life getting shorter and shorter with all these grandkids around me.

“Not many ponies think I am real since I have been hiding in the Everfree away from the nobles for most of my life now.” Twilight was sipping on some water as Sweet Skull came walking in as she was a unicorn with a black coat and a white and green mane with a tea leaf for a cutie mark. She kind of froze as she was wearing a thin golden necklace around her neck with her cutie mark on it showing her as the royal tea maker. She entered the library as I looked up from my glass.

“Sweet Snow has the cherry blossoms I brought from up north and some crystal food.” She nodded and she looked over towards Twilight.

“Ms. Sparkle I didn’t know you knew my grandmother or was coming” her voice was shaking as I could tell she was becoming like Twilight when something went wrong.

“We only meet a couple of times when I came into town dear.” I took my glasses off as I looked at her.

“What changed?”

“Discord that bloody Animal nebun (Crazed Animal) found me in town and well I shouted at him in the old language” I wanted to duck under the table as Sweet looked at me oddly “In front of the princess” that made Sweet fall to the floor laughing “Oh will you go make the tea Sweet!” I snapped as I placed my head against the table.  Golden gave me a look of shock as I bet she never heard what I just spoke.

“Get used to it” Grim whispered it into her ear as Sweet Night came walking into the door with a large stack of books on his back as Little walked into the room with his wife a lovely blue coated unicorn with a lime green mane and tail . Sweet Night was a unicorn who looked like Luna but was smaller with a light blue mane and a book with a ribbon for a cutie mark instead of a moon.

“Grandma this is Ocean Blossoms” Little was blushing as I cast my gaze on her.

“She a changeling” I spoke up as Twilight jumped up with her mane starting to fray out.

“Yes but we been married long before the attack I mean the princess even knew about her” he had put Twilight’s fear to rest and as Sweet Skull came in with Sweet Night who walked in with a book in front of his muzzle. Skull had placed the tray of cherry blossom tree with a couple of crystal fruit in front of every pony as Night sat down beside Twilight closing his book as he reached for an apple.  I just stared at him until Snow walked in carrying a large dinner plate on her back with an earth pony that had a yellow coat and mane which was pretty rare up in these parts of Canterlot.  His name was Sunflower Lily changed it when he got married to Snow a couple of years back.

“I made some old family soup and salad” Snow placed the dishes around and I picked up my spoon and took a sip of the soup and smiled.

“Alright I got to admit this is good Snow” I made Night drop his spoon as he looked over towards my direction along with Twilight “If you kept you nose out of the books when you were around your family you would of saw me first.” He kept quiet. Everypony sat around the table trading stories and spells and how their days were going. I looked towards my cup and thought about how much I have missed this old place. It has gotten large over the years to house the family members, as my mind drifted I glanced over at the clock.

“Um.. Twilight I think we should be heading towards the castle now.” It was late in the evening and Little jumped up cursing that he was going to be late as well.

“Why don’t we all come?” Grim asked as he looked towards his wife “I mean we all haven’t been together for a long while it be nice for an afternoon stroll” I looked back at Twilight who was getting her bags back on as the rest were getting ready I decided to slip out of the house for a bit as I placed my glasses back on my head as the front door opened making my whipped around like an Owl’s. I noticed that Twilight was the first to walk out with her bags ready she was holding mine in her magic.

“I thought you might want these” she placed them on my back as I secured them around my waist and I gave a slight nod. The rest of the family came out in one big mob with Little leading the way from the house and down the streets to the castle. I felt like I was getting ready for war again heading to the castle so I had started whistling an old song from the day before a loud voice broke the tune.

“LUTTLE YOUR LATE!” I had looked up to see a large white stallion with a dark blue mane and tail wearing a dark royal purple armor as he came walking down the street  up to Little.

“Sorry Captain Armor I was invited to my grandmother’s for brunch” he rube his head as Captain armor gave him a look of un trust.

“Likely story!” he was poking Little causing me to back up reaching for a small knife I kept in the straps of my bags.

“Sorry BBBFF” Twilight had stepped up between Captain Armor and Little causing me to back off from my straps as she pointed a hoof towards me “This is Lily and yes Captain Little is right we were invited for brunch” she had defused a ticking time bomb but it became ticking again when he saw me.

“You! You’re the one the guards told me about in the frozen north!” he shouted causing Little to get in front of me as I placed a hoof on his wing.

“Little I can take care of myself” I walked past him looking at Captain Armor as I pushed my glasses up on my muzzle “Oh I would love to hear what they had to say about me but I am needed somewhere” I walked past him with Little following me and the rest leaving Twilight standing with him.

“Sweet skull go ahead of us and brew some tea I brought with me I’m going to need it” we were at the steps of the castle as Little got us past the other guards I turned to look at the red of my family as the small fillies jumping on to my back. “You all don’t need to come with me” I looked at Snow who shook her head as she wrapped a leg around my shoulder.

“Were not letting you go through this alone especially since you don’t have your armor” she let my head go as we all pooled into the throne room looking at the stain glass windows as Twilight came walking in along with a few other guards. Twilight had said a couple of things to the guards causing them to bow but I had slipped off down a long hallway that was always hidden from sight due to the throne was large enough to hide it from view. The hallway was one where they hung pictures and portraits of the ponies that helped build the castle. This was the one wing where I had my picture hung up. I walked past many pictures until I came to one where there was a painting in a silver frame of a couple one a dark black unicorn with a white mane pushed back and me with my mane tied up with flowers in the back as I wore a silver necklace with a crystal attached to it. Behind the painting were his ashes even though he had a headstone in the royal graveyard, I always could visit that but it has been many years since I visited his true resting place. A guard came to the end of the hallways calling me to the large meeting room where both Princesses were sitting at one end of the table along with Twilight and her friends; my family was sitting outside of the room except for Little who was a guard.

“This meeting is for our ears only” Celestia spoke up as I looked to the floor.

“Snow bring them in” I pushed the doors open allowing my family to enter “If I’m staying so are they.” I had looked at the Princess who had placed her cup down who gave a nod. Princess Luna was still half asleep when Sweet came in carrying a large tray of tea and the crystal fruit. Discord was hanging from the ceiling as I sat on the end of the table digging through my bags pulling out a large vase I had taken from the hallway.

“Lily is that and urn?” Twilight spoke up causing Luna to snap out of her stupor as I grabbed a crystal apple taking a bite from it while I gathered a few thoughts.

“So the book you have is in there?” Celestia spoke up and I shook my head.

“There is no book but in this urn lie ashes from Necro and my past.” I placed the book down as everypony got a shock as they tried the tea well except for my family. Twilight helped the princesses and her friends to doctor up their tea as I pulled out two large crystals from the urn before placing the urn on a shelf on the wall.

“Are these edible?” Captain Armor had poked a few grapes causing me to pick up a couple and stuffed them in his mouth as I was gathering the stuff from my bags and what I hid around the castle over the years.

“Okay now listen up because I do not know how long this crystal or the magic that flows through it will last.” I brought out a white crystal along with a family photo of me when I was little along with Sweet and Necro and fairy. Pinkie was staring at the picture of me and Sweet as Rarity was looking at the picture of me and Necro. With my magic I activated the crystal that was lying on the table causing all to be transported into another realm where the wind was warm even though we were far north. The blossoms were in full bloom and I was no taller than the Cutie Mark Crusaders are now. My brother was flying high into the air watching the earth ponies’ work on the crystals that were growing on vines that wrapped around sticks sticking from the ground.

“ROYAL!” my dad’s voice boomed out like an ocean causing him to jump from the cloud that caused him to laugh.

“Father!” my brother cried out as he landed on the ground. “Sorry I missed out on the day but I was seeing it the farm ponies needed water” he pointed to the farms below.

“That’s my boy but you need to go help your sister before the moon reaches the sky tonight” he rubbed my brother’s mane.

“But is it true grandfather is coming?” royal looked at his dad.

“Maybe now go!” he nudge Royal off into the sky. I was sitting on the ground round a couple of flowers as my magic revved up making them look good as new as Royal landed on the ground next to me.

“So what have you been working on?” My brother made me jump up causing the flower pedals to go everywhere, and as they land on the ground Royal could see I was gone. He looked up on a cloud saw me hanging from it.

“You’re lucky that Grandfather said you could walk on clouds!” Royal laughed as I let the cloud go before a dark shadow over head blocked out the sun “Now answer my question!” he shouted as the shadow had disappeared.

“I was working on a spell that would keep things alive for years to come and it keeps them young but it only last for about four to three years and it’s a onetime deal” I had made myself cozy on the cloud as Royal flew up landing next to me.

“So can it work on earth ponies and pegasi like me or even grandfather?” Royal looked down at me as I looked up at him.

“Why would grandfather need it I mean he’s already older than we are?” I was messing with my blue mane which was a solid color at the time.

“Well you think he miss us then?” he looked down at me as I looked towards the sky.

“Well I bet he will miss us, but let’s not worry about it” I pointed towards a large blue Alicorn who was flying around the sky with a long light blue mane that was braided along with a free flowing tail.

“He is early” Royal stood up and I jumped off the cloud we were laying on to another one below.

“Race ya!” I went running from cloud to cloud with my brother following me until I jumped from one cloud and landed on the back of my grandfather. His wings were a little bit extended from the shock as I noticed his cutie mark was that of an ocean with the wind wrapping around it.

“Why did you land on me Silver?” he turned his head to look at me as I smiled.

“You know excited they get when you come to visit dad.” My father placed me on the ground “Now Silver go practice your magic you need all the practice you can get tonight.” He nudged me off as I rolled my eyes. The crystal soon runs out of magic as the picture starts to fade.

“Sorry I have been looking at this one a lot when I can.” I pull the crystal placing it back into the urn “Now I can show you stuff from my memories but I don’t think someone will like it “I look up at discord who flew down hugging Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. He said nothing to stop me.

I flared my own horn up drawing on my memories and nightmares. I was sitting in the field practicing my spell as time flew on the sky was getting dark as my grandfather flew overhead out of the town. The moon wasn't up yet so I flared my horn one last time casting the spell on the flowers as my horn started to crack a bit causing sparks out of my horn sending me to the ground. I held my head in my hooves as I started to smell smoke and hearing screams. I turned to look at the town noticing flames flicking in the background as a laugh echoed while my brother ran towards me pushing me out of town.

“We need to go now!” he grabbed my tail pulling me behind him.

“Why!” we had just hit the barrier that kept the snow at bay.

“I don’t know what it was just something out of a fantasy book Silver now let’s go” I could hear the laughter as my brother pulled me along. We found a cave not too far from the town that was pretty well hidden from the snow. We made a small fire that would keep us warm for the night, we both feel asleep around it but I had only woke up the next morning. I poked and poked my brother but he never woke up. I pulled my brother as much as I could no longer than I buried him and placed a small stone their which I would swap out later. I show a memory of me being trapped by Sweet Meadow in the invisible cotton candy at our sweet shop along with the rainbow colored one. I showed an old memory of me and Necro working on the house along with me threating Blueblood. I had even showed them fairy as she was checking my mind out when I showed her the crystal food.

“My full name is Silver sky Lily member of the clan of Lil decedent of the skies and remaining clan of magic, and the noble maiden from the house of Skull Crystal. That is my name and Titles I have gained over the years of walking this earth.” Both Luna and Celestia had their jaws open along with everypony else.