The Beginningby Newman2007ChaptersPrologueChapter 1 - The Regal SistersChapter 2 - The Return of the PastChapter 3 - The MemoryChapter 4 - EncountersPrologue"Bring her to me," yelled Skyfall tapping his left hoof on the desk. "She needs to hear this." He sat in his worn leather chair that had once belonged to a pony of the past. In fact, everything in Skyfall's office was from the past. Though it had been over four centuries, the artifacts remained intact due to Skyfall's restoration spell. The desk, although should have been rotted and diminished, showed only minor scratches and chipping. On the walls were some older photographs of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It seemed like the office of any ordinary pony from four hundred years ago, but a different aura hung in the air, an aura that was terrifying to each guest who entered. "Yes of course, sir," answered one of the guards retreating from the room. Skyfall sat back in his chair and examined the photograph on his desk. It was a picture from Princess Twilight's coronation, back when the Regal Sisters ruled Equestria. He remembered that day like it had happened the day before. She had been so excited to become a princess after Princess Celestia had transformed her into an alicorn. He had helped Celestia with the preparations for the coronation and made sure everything went exactly as planned. Those were the good times, he thought to himself. Now, the kingdom could barely function, mostly because Queen Twilight had not been seen in several weeks. Skyfall lifted his surprisingly strong body out of the chair and paced in the office. Of the many things circling inside of his head, he could not shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to Twilight. If Celestia were still alive, then she would know what to do and the kingdom would not be in despair. If only he could bring her back. Of course, he had sent search parties out to search for the queen, but every group came back empty handed. She was no where to be found. "Right this way, Your Highness," the guard said, interrupting Skyfall's mind. Princess Aure was the most beautiful pony throughout Equestria. Her light lavender coat was well maintained, her hooves were exquisite, and her mane and tail, the purest white, hung loosely in perfect ringlet curls. Her eyes were the color of the calmest of seas. The strangest thing, however, was that this princess did not have a cutie mark yet. Most ponies her age would have already had their cutie marks for years now. But how could she have gotten it? All her mother did was keep her safe in the castle and away from the potential dangers of the world. He sent the guards away and sat down in his chair. The guard bowed before the princess, left the room and closed the door behind him. "Ah, Princess Aure, do sit down," He said cheerfully. "How has you day been so far?" Skyfall tried to be as kind as he could be, though it was not easy since Aure was the shyest of creatures. The princess shrugged with her head down, looking at her well trimmed hooves as she sat in one of his suede chairs. He was used to these types of responses. "I know that your mother's disappearance has been very hard for you, but we need a leader to run this kingdom. You are the heir to the throne and it is your responsibility as the princess to take over as the ruler until the Queen returns. Do I make myself clear?" He spoke to her firmly, but softly for he knew that if he had been harsh, she would have immediately turned down his plead. Aure lifted her head from its original position and looked at Skyfall. She eyes were stained with tears and sorrow. Aure also appeared to be completely exhausted. Maybe he had been too harsh. No, he thought to himself, she needs to do this for the sake of Celesita's kingdom. She looked him straight in the eye, wanting to tell him that she wanted to take control and fix the despair of the kingdom, but she could not find the words and lowered her head to its original position. Softly, she spoke. "I..I am s..s..so s-sorry," she said choking back the invading tears. She recollected herself after sobbing silently. "I h..have failed everypony, w..why should I come to p..power?" The beautiful princess brought her hooves up to her face and shielded herself from being seen crying. Skyfall gave her a few minutes to recollect herself before continuing. "Princess, crying is not going to save this kingdom." His words stung, offering no comfort. "I realize that this is something that you do not want to do, but it is something that needs to be done." He got out of his chair and walked over to one of the picture hanging on the wall. It was Celestia. She was sitting on her throne, her rightful position as the leader of Equestria. Those days seemed so far away. "Princess, have you heard the tale of the two Regal sisters?" Aure looked over at Skyfall and shook her head with a confused expression. It was like she had never heard of them before. "Well then, you're in for a treat." Chapter 1 - The Regal Sisters"Once upon a time, there were two alicorn sisters who ruled Equestria. One would raise the sun everyday and lower it to make way for her younger sister's beautiful night. For many centuries, this harmony was kept and everything was peaceful. "One day, the younger sister became jealous of her older sister. The ponies would relish and play in her sister's day, but slept through her brilliant night. A strange feeling came to the young princess. She decided not to lower the moon to make way for yet another beautiful day. The younger sister vowed to shroud the land with eternal night forever. "The older sister tried to reason with her younger sister, but it was no use. The young princess' mind was tormented with jealousy and hatred. She was transformed into a being of complete hatred and jealousy. The creature she became was called Nightmare Moon." "Nightmare Moon?" Aure asked in a small voice. "I think mother told me stories about her when I was a filly, but I can't seem to remember any details." "Anyway, the older sister created the Elements of Harmony to help imprison her sister in the moon. The younger sister was sent there for a thousand years. In her younger sister's absence, the older sister raised the sun during the day and lowered it for the moon at night everyday alone. A thousand years later, the day of the summer solstice no more than four hundred years ago, the stars in the sky helped Nightmare Moon escape from imprisonment. The younger sister was still the same evil pony that she had been when she was imprisoned. She invaded the Summer Solstice celebration and announced that she was to shroud the land of Equestria in eternal night and no pony could stop her from achieving that goal. Everyone in the room was completely flabbergasted. The only pony in the room that was not confused, was your mother. She knew exactly what was happening, which lead to some speculation among her new friends. Twilight rushed home to find out a way to stop Nightmare Moon only to find that her friends had followed her home to question her. Twilight explained to them that she had read about the prophecy about Nightmare Moon's return and tried to warn the princess, but she claimed to have it all under control. The six friends sent off to the Everfree Forest-" "The Everfree forest? But isn't that place really scary? Gosh, mother would never let me near that place, nor do I want to," Aure said. Skyfall waited silently for Aure to finish, only slightly annoyed. "Sorry, continue." Skyfall cleared his throat and continued. "The older sister needed six ponies to fulfill the purpose of the Elements of Harmony. Twilight Sparkle, your mother, was one of these courageous ponies-." "Wait," Aure interrupted, "my mother was one of the Elements of Harmony?" A bit more of annoyance came. He hated being interrupted. "Your mother never told you?" "No, never." Her expression was serious. It was strange that one of the most powerful unicorns of all time and the queen of Equestria had never once mentioned to her only daughter about her past. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Skyfall walked over to his beloved chair and sat down contemplating why Twilight had not told Aure about her past. He shook his head and began again. "Well now you know. She was the smartest, bravest and most courageous pony I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She and her five determined friends used the elements to peal away the hatred and jealousy that had engulfed the younger sister. The elder sister came to the ponies and thanked them for freeing her younger sister from the evil spirit that took over. Later that evening, the sisters returned to the castle and spent time together for the first time in a thousand years. Their conversations were all over the place with unfinished arguments and awkward silences. In the end, they forgave one another and moved on with their lives. Several months later, after her coronation, your mother-" "Sir!" A guard waiting outside the door threw the door open with tremendous force. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Skyfall's anger was rising from frustration, while Aure turned towards the guard, shocked by his entrance. "What is it now?" Skyfall rolled his eyes and waited for the guards answer. "The Queen has returned!" Chapter 2 - The Return of the PastSkyfall and Princess Aure were hurried down the castle's corridor towards the throne room. It was on the other side of the castle. Along the way, the guard apologized for entering so rudely, but the news was urgent. "That is quite alright. Has she been harmed?" asked Skyfall, whose face showed little concern. He had other things on his mind, things that did not deal with the returned queen. Neither that guard nor the princess even recognized his expression. "Her Highness seem alright, a few cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious." A sigh of relief came from the princess. They hurried past hundreds of unused rooms and down many flights of stairs before reaching the throne room. In the throne room was Twilight Sparkle. She was turned sideways and was looking up at the murals on the walls. Obviously, the guard had underestimated the queen's wounds. She was in rough shape. Her cuts were those from the end of something sharp making her look like a war hero, but her bruises seemed to suggest otherwise. One cut in particular ran below her throat, like someone or something had tried to end her life. Twilight was lying on a small "bed" made out of medium size cushion. Her left front leg had been bandaged and elevated on a soft deep purple cushion. There were bags underneath her eyes from a lack of sleep and her eyes were droopy. When Aure saw her mother, she ran to her. Twilight felt her daughter's presence and smiled softly. Aure collapsed on the floor next to her mother and held onto her with a loving embrace. She held her mother in her arms like a mother holds a child and sobbed silently. Twilight burst into tears and the two sobbed together. Skyfall cleared the room with the servants. He felt that the two needed their space. Several servants wanted to stay and watch, but Skyfall insisted that the Queen and the Princess were to be given their space and left alone for the night. Just before closing the door, he caught one last glimpse of the mother-daughter embrace and then closed the door. There was a familiar scent that hung in the throne room. Lavender. Then, she remembered a distant memory, one she thought would have left her mind completely. The room ventured into darkness as the memory flooded back into Twilight's mind. Twilight sat at her desk in her bedroom. The scent of lavender filled the air. "Oh how lovely lavender is," said the princess. It had always been her favorite. The delicate flowers were held captive in the glass vase that stood on her desk. As usual, she was reading. She did not remember the title, but it didn't seem to matter. In the opening of the room, the wooden doors opened, signaling the arrival of Princess Celestia. Twilight let out a sigh. She had been troubled by the ways of the princess. Celestia had almost no time for Twilight anymore, it was like she did not care. Still, she understood the responsibilities of the princess and removed the thought from her mind. As Celestia entered the bedroom, Twilight carried herself with dignity and showed her proper respects to the princess. "Was that better?" Twilight asked. She was trying her hardest to be the best princess she could, but it was very difficult. The princess chuckled. "Yes, Twilight." The princess moved closer to Twilight. Her gait was carried with grace, like a princess. "Skyfall speaks very highly of you, Twilight. He says that you are learning very quickly." Twilight grinned, but then it left. She looked up at her former mentor, whom she used to look up to for advice. "Princess?" Twilight said forcing her eyes to look away. She felt ashamed to accuse the princess, but she did say to her that she could tell her anything. "Yes? "Well...I...um....remember when you told me I could tell you anything?" The princess was taken by surprise. Was something troubling the young princess? "What has been troubling you Twilight?" Twilight looked at the ground ashamed to tell the princess. She took a big long breath. "Princess Celestia, do you not like me anymore?" The princess was not shocked at this question. She too had felt a distance had been drawn between them. Celestia moved over the window and watched the sun come down from the sky to make way for the night. It was twilight. "Twilight, you know that I will always love you. I've just been so busy lately and I haven't had much time for anything anymore..." Her train of thought was lost in the sunset. Twilight knew that the princess did not have all the time in the world for her, she had a kingdom to run. But, she wanted to feel the same bond that they used to have. "I understand, princess. I guess that I just wanted to have a stronger relationship with you." Celestia looked at her student. "And we will, but it will have to come in time." Twilight felt frustration flooding her brain. She did not want to wait forever to see her princess again. "I'm sorry Celestia, but I don't want to wait forever to be your friend." Twilight spoke strongly. Celestia pretended not to hear the princess's plea. "Goodnight Twilight." Celestia did not look back at Twilight. She continued out of the wooden doors and they were closed behind her. Tears swelled up in Twilight's eyes. Her princess had abandoned her when she asked for her friendship. Never again would she ask for her advice. Never again would she answer the princess's favors. Never again would she be her friend. Chapter 3 - The Memory"Mother? Are you alright?" Aure was staring at Twilight with a concerned face. Tears hung in the corners of her eyes. Twilight lifted her hoof to rub them away and put on a fake smile. She didn't want to worry Aure, especially not now. She had only just returned and she knew from the expression on her face that she had not been well the past few weeks. Still, Aure looked as beautiful as ever. This made Twilight chuckle. "Yes dear. I'm alright." Twilight attempted to lift her exhausted body off of the cushions, but her legs were to wobbly to support her. She felt like a newborn foal trying to stand for the first time. "Mother! Don't rush yourself!" The princess gasped as Twilight tried again to stand. This time, Aure bent underneath her mother to help her up. After a few minutes, Twilight was standing, but not on her own. Aure was positioned beside her. "Thank you Aure," Twilight said as the two started to the door. They struggled across the room, but they managed. Just before reaching the familiar doors, Twilight was swept back into an intruding memory. She fell onto the marble floor and hit her head. H..help-p m...m..e, Twilight whispered barely audible. Her daughter's voice was drowned out by the sound of silence. Tears flowed quickly down her cheeks. She was the angriest she had ever been. she had many friends, and yet she felt so alone. Celestia did not like her anymore and had abandoned her when she needed her most. She was still sitting on the floor of her bedroom replaying the scene in her head. The thought of Celestia twisted her stomach. Twilight wiped her puffy eyes and looked out the window. The moon was hanging high in the sky. The tree tops below glistened in the moonlight and the river was like a stream of diamonds. She could see as far as Ponyville. The quiet town seemed so far away now. Then there was the forest. Nopony ever dared enter it alone, especially at night. For Twilight, it seemed like the only place she could ever be alone. She lifted her body off of the marble floor and flexed her wings. She was still not used to them, but it didn't seem to bother her. "Goodbye, Celestia" Twilight said with an angry tone. Then, she was gone. The forest below was threatening, but for some reason, it seemed like the ideal place for Twilight. She swooped down underneath the canopy of the trees and landed on a broken dirt path. She swung her head around scanning the trees. Twilight did not want anyone to follow her. She decided to follow the path to see where it would take her. She did not run with fright; she walked with her head held low. The thought of being alone scared her, but at the same time made her feel more secure. She relaxed her wings so they almost touched the ground and allowed herself to cry once more. The forest was darker than night itself. No pony in their right mind would come in the forest, except for Princess Luna. Twilight shuddered. Luna was the reason that Celestia did not like her anymore. Whenever Celestia had a break from her busy life, she always spent it with her younger sister. Twilight stopped. Where was she going? She looked around and saw that she had reached a clearing. A gentle breeze sliced through the air and chills were thrown up Twilight's spine. Why is this place so familiar? Twilight wondered. Then, it hit her. The ruins of Nightmare Moon's castle was on the other side of the clearing. She looked behind her and saw the rope bridge. "No..." Twilight breathed. She had too many memories here. Twilight needed to leave. Before she could even lift her hoof, a strange magical dark cloud flew into her, knocking her to the ground. Twilight screamed. She could not see nor could she move. The cloud engulfed her completely. The shrill laughter of absolute terror arose from deep within the cloud. It was the laughter of Nightmare Moon. Twilight screamed, but it was not out loud. The cloud had taken over her body. It slowly ate away Twilight's features, changing her into another being. The pony laid on the ground for a while resting herself from exhaustion. It slowly pushed itself off of the ground. The creature created stood taller than anypony. Twilight was held captive in the pony's mind, never to be seen again. After a while, the creature regained its balance and hobbled over to a small pool of water that rested aside of the ruins. Looking down at it's reflection, the creature saw that it had dark lavender coat, with a deep purple mane, that flowed swiftly in the gentle breeze. Its eyes were green that glowed in the darkness. It's soul was made of pure evil and jealousy. The creature was stronger and more powerful than Nightmare Moon would ever have become. It laughed and admired its new body. "Oh it feels great to be back in the world!" The creature sneered and rejoiced in her new body. "Oh and what do we have here?" It looked at its flank. There was a cutie mark. It was a pink star with tiny white one circling around it. "It seems that I have taken over the most powerful pony of all, Twilight Sparkle! MUAHAHAHAHA!" The creature recollected herself but could not stop smiling. This time her plan would work. "Watch out, Celestia. Your worst nightmare is back! But this time, I am in the form of your most precious student! Nothing can stop me now!" Her mane flared up and reached the sky, illuminating it. Nothing in Equestria was more powerful than her and the creature knew that. Nothing would be able to hold her back this time, especially since she held the element of magic captive. The clouds overhead circled in the sky. They were dark and threatening. The magic pulsed through them and sent flashes of light all throughout Equestria. Hundreds of miles away, Celestia was awoken by the bright lights. She lifted her head off of her pillow and stared out of the window. Barely awake, she realized that was happening because a similar thing happened to her sister a thousand years ago. But this time, it was more powerful. "Twilight..." "Queen Twilight? Your Majesty?!" She slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on her bed and was under her lilac sheets and elegant comforter. It was the most comfort she had felt in ages. Everypony who worked in the castle was huddled around her bed staring at her. Many had concerned faces, others were relieved to see her awake. It was an awkward silence for a while until the wooden doors were opened. Skyfall walked in with the royal doctor. They seemed to be discussing something very important because they did not yet notice that the queen had awoken. Aure followed the pair and immediately looked at her mother lying in the bed. A thin smile appeared and she broke away from Skyfall and the doctor. She practically galloped and flew onto the bed. The staff had noticed the princess and quickly backed away from the bed. They stood on either side and allowed the princess to get through. Skyfall looked over at the bed and shooed the staff away, telling them to basically go back to work. After they had all left, Skyfall walked over the bed. His dark grey coat shone in the evening sun and his short black mane and tail were scruffier than usual. He looked very tired and stressed. Twilight watched him approach, especially his eyes, which flickered away from her when they made eye contact. Does he still remember? Twilight thought. Her attention snapped back to her daughter. She was sitting on the end of the bed. Her smile had vanished and silent sobs were all that remained. Aure wiped the tears away and looked up at her mother. The room was silent, but it did not last very long. "Mother?" Aure asked in a quiet calm voice with her back to Twilight. "Where were you?" Her coat was ruffled and needed a good comb through, but her mane was still elegant as ever. The question was difficult to answer. Twilight wasn't sure where to start. It was silent for a while before she answered. It is strange that he hasn't told her. He knows perfectly well where I was. Twilight could feel Skyfall's presence behind her, waiting to hear the story that he already knew. The doctor did not seem to notice the tension in the room and continued his work. So she told a different story, the story that started everything. "In order for me to tell you that, I will need to start at the very beginning. It all started with my coronation,.." Author's Note Sorry for the wait! Finals are this week, but then I'm on vacation and should be able the write for a while. Let me know if you guys like where this story is going so far. I am also open to suggestions! Thanks! :) Chapter 4 - Encounters"That day was one of the best days of my life. Not a cloud in the sky, thanks to my friend Rainbow Dash..." That name stung like a knife to the heart. For the first time in a long time, she remembered her friends. Tears flowed from her eyes. It was too long ago and too painful to remember. "Mother...." Twilight realized that her daughter was sitting on the bed beside her now. She doesn't even know... Twilight thought. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I-I'm s-sorry....I-I...I.." Her daughter wrapped her mother in her hooves and comforted her. All of the pain that she had felt for the last four hundred years came out all at once. The room was quiet for a long time, with the exception of the queen. Skyfall looked down upon the queen and the young princess. He knew what had happened to Twilight and what she had done to the true princesses of Equestria. He walked over the doctor and kindly asked him to leave. The doctor did as he was told and removed himself from the room. This time, however, Skyfall did not leave. Instead he gathered the tea tray from the bedside table. It was the same silver set that Celestia used. Aure looked over at her mother's advisor. How little she knew of him. Her mother held her in a close embrace and clutched her tiny body tighter and tighter. Skyfall's sudden cough broken the silence in the room. Twilight looked up in a panic. Her eyes were bloodshot from tears that stained her lavender cheeks. She was choking back more tears and sorrow. Skyfall cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, Your Highness. There are duties-" "Which will have to wait, Skyfall," interrupted the young princess. "My mother has been gone sometime and is wounded. Do you have any pity?" Skyfall was unmoved. He did not care for the queen nor did he care of her condition. Yet, she was the queen and Celestia was banished in the sun for eternity. "I apologize princess, but something must be done for the kingdom." Twilight, who had been in the middle of this argument silenced both of them by lifting her right hoof. She lifted her sore body from the bed and touched the floor. Aure and Skyfall watched the queen in silence. "It is true. I have been gone for far too long. I have seen many of my loved ones leave this Earth." Twilight stood on all four hooves and wrap her shawl around her. The sun was setting in the distance and it was nearing twilight. Skyfall rested the tray on the bed side table and picked up the kettle using his magic. It was made of brass and had a mind of its own, but Skyfall had much practice handling it. "I was the Element of Magic, a title I have too soon forgotten and paid little attention to for several ages. My...friends," Twilight began, stifling back another round of tears, "were the other Elements of Harmony. The five of them were the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I will never forget them." Twilight turned her head to the purple sky that signaled the night. "Its funny, for centuries I have tried to move on with my life, tried to find that same happiness that I felt in their presence." Twilight paused and pulled her blanket closely around her, "I just wish that they were still here..." Memories of her friends flooded her tormented mind. "What happened to your friends mother?" Twilight snapped back to reality. That question caught her off guard. Skyfall stopped pouring the tea. He wanted to hear the queen confess to her daughter. This ought to be good, Skyfall thought. Looking down at the tray, a thin smile appeared on his face and quickly disappeared. His magic still held the delicate pot floating above the fine china cups. Twilight looked away from her daughter and a tear raced down her cheek. The moon was full and low in the horizon. The face of a mare appeared in the moon. Has it really been four hundred years? The rest of the sun's light vanished from view. Darkness covered the land and the stream that ran through the castle glistened in the new light from the moon. "Four hundred years ago, I was coronated a princess of Equestria. It was an exciting day full of joy and happiness. There was a fantastic party that was held in my honor by Pinkie Pie, the element of laughter. Rainbow Dash made the sky clearer than it had ever been and Rarity designed my beautiful dress. Applejack helped the kitchen staff prepare a celebratory meal and Fluttershy made the birds sing during the ceremony. Meanwhile, I was whisked away from one part of the castle to the next; it was all very exciting. "After the exhausting day, I retired to my chambers, where I proceeded to sleep in one of the most comfortable beds of all time. Life in the castle was perfect and I only had a few royal duties to accomplish each day." Twilight sighed and her face turned depressed. "About a month into my new life, Celestia came to my bedroom to check up on me. When the princess walked through my front wooden doors, I was overwhelmed with excitement to see her, but at the same time I was furious with her. We rarely saw each other during the day for she had thousands of tasks. At night, she would spend time with her sister and then retire to her chambers. They would laugh at inside jokes that I was not a part of and unintentionally excluded me from royal events. I tried to tell myself that Celestia was just so busy and didn't have much time for anything. Although the anger inside was almost to a boil, I conducted myself in a proper manner. Celestia was so graceful as she entered my chambers. She held herself with the strongest confidence. I always looked up to her; she was my idol. I respected her and she the same to me, and I always felt that I could tell her anything. Anything except how I was feeling that night. She stood before me, towering as a god-like figure. This was the princess that I looked up to and that I loved so dearly." As she spoke, the memory of that night played back over and over again in her head. She continued to stare out into the beautiful night. Skyfall placed the tea pot on the tray after filling both cups with tea. The thin smile reappeared. "Spot of tea madam?" Skyfall asked suddenly. Twilight slowly turned to him, clearing the tears from her eyes. Aure sat in silence. "I must apologize Skyfall. I had forgotten you were standing there. Do you mind if my daughter and I were to be alone for a while?" Her voice was shaky and unsteady. "Of course, Lady Sparkle." He could not refuse the princess, not yet. He followed her orders and left the room. The doors were then sealed and the silence returned. Twilight moved from her spot by the window to the tea cups. Hibiscus, mmmm my favorite. She used her magic and levitated a cup off of the tray and to her lips. Twilight drank a few sips before commanding the cup to levitate slightly below her chest. "He was her royal advisor," Twilight said, breaking the silence between the two. "Really?" Her eyes bugged out of her head. "Yes really." Twilight chuckled. "And he had the biggest crush on me." "WHAT?!" Aure was no on all four hooves. "Tell me more mom!" She was jumping with excitement. Twilight laughed. "He was still new to the castle, barely knew his way around. I don't think that he was much older than you. Well, I was learning about magic as Celestia's most talented student and I...um..guess that I kinda liked him too..." Her mind drifted from the conversation and she remembered their first encounter. "Oh gosh! I am going to be late!" Twilight yelled running down the empty hallways of the castle. Celestia had told the staff to enjoy the rest of their afternoon off that day because it was the hottest Equestria had been in a thousand years. Although it was the sun princess who controlled the heat daily, every once and a while, the sun would disobey and conduct the day as it pleased. Instead of completing royal duties for the rest of the afternoon, Celestia asked Twilight to visit her in the library. She said that she had something important to tell her and Twilight knew that she could not be late, so, she scurried down the corridors as quickly as she could. Fortunately, Twilight knew her way around the castle which was helpful in situations where she was running a bit behind schedule. Besides, she was almost always in the library, however, today she had been on the opposite side of the castle. If I cut through the court yard, I'll be there even quicker! Twilight thought to herself making her grin and she dashed down to the courtyard below. It is one of the most beautiful places inside the castle. Much like the Canterlot Gardens, it is lined with birch trees with shimmering leaves that never fall. The grass is the purest of greens and little yellow marigolds imitate a sea of gold. In the center of the courtyard is a little pond in the shape of a crescent. Lily pads float on the surface of the clear pool and tiny toads jump from lily pad to lily pad. Various marsh plans line the outside of the pond. Nested near the pond is a gazebo with intricate detail of the creation of Equestria. Made completely out of wood, It stands about eight feet tall (made to the specifications of the sun princess). On a normal day, Twilight would grab five or six books from the library and take them to the gazebo to read on the cushioned bench that rested inside. This place was twilight's favorite hiding spot. She could spend hours absorbing its beauty while accomplishing her favorite hobby. Once finished with her reading, she would lay on the bench and nap until dinner. Nopony was ever in the courtyard, making it the ideal place to get some peace and quiet. As she galloped to the opening of her oasis, she felt some strange aura in the atmosphere. Something foreign in the courtyard made her cringe. Still, she stepped through the gates and wandered it. She never ran through the yard, in fear of arising the foreign organism within. She knew that she should just leave and go straight to the library to be with the princess, but her curiosity took over. She heard something in the gazebo and slowly stepped closer. When she was close enough, she saw the figure of a young stallion. He was seated on the bench reading a book. She couldn't make out the title, but he seemed completely absorbed in whatever it was. It was until Twilight had put her hoof on the first step that he realized he was no longer alone. He froze and looked up from his reading, scared out of his mind. "Oh! Your Majesty! I do apologize, but I thought I was alone in here," the young stallion said. He had a dark grey coat and a black scruffy mane and tail, both being short. He was about the same age as Twilight but stood almost a foot taller. He was also a unicorn, a very handsome unicorn. "Wow, you're more beautiful in person....I..um......sorry..uh..." Twilight giggled. "Not to worry this place is one of my favorites. I can spend hours in here, you've picked a good spot." She paused. "How rude of me to not ask for your name.." "It's Skyfall," he interrupted. "Your Highness." He bowed before her. "Mine's Twilight, but I guess you already knew that," Twilight said. Everypony knew who she was now. "So what are you doing in the courtyard?" Skyfall was taken by surprise. "I..um...was just on my way to the library actually to see the Princess, but I stumbled across this place and I guess I have just lost track of time." "I'm on my way there too, Celestia requested for me to see her this afternoon.." Twilight suddenly remembered the rush that she was in. "Come quickly! I think that we are running late!" She grabbed his hoof and the two dashed across the golden sea of marigold and through the opposite gate leading to the library. Twilight shook her head. No, it wasn't like that anymore. Now he could barely look at her. She saw the hatred in his eyes that nopony else seemed to see. She knew the source of his hatred. "Anyways, I should return to my original story..." Twilight said. "I decided to tell my idol that I felt that she did not appreciate me, that she didn't like me anymore." A tear jolted down her face. She felt like she was going to relive that moment all over again. She wiped it away before continuing. "She seemed to feel the same, but insisted that she was much too busy to worry about that sort of thing at the moment. She wanted to wait to be my friend. The anger boiled inside of me causing my frustration to breach." As she spoke, the anger rose in her voice, Then turned to slow running tears staining her face. Every emotion she felt that night was being recreated. "She didn't say anything else, so she just left. She said nothing to me." Twilight hung her head down and closed her eyes. More tears came and her shoulders began to shake. "I was so hurt. She abandoned me like I was nothing to her. I..I-I thought she was better than that, like she could never hurt...anypony. But that day I realized that she was not this perfect princess that I had always thought she was." Twilight slowly lifted her head and looked at her daughter. Aure was shocked by her mother's emotions. She could feel the hurt in her mother's eyes and she felt like she was reliving that scene all over again. It was saddest she had ever seen her Twilight. "Mom..." "Y-yes..Aure?" "What happened after that night?" Twilight sniffled a small sigh. "That night the most powerful form of evil was born, Dark Shadow."
Prologue"Bring her to me," yelled Skyfall tapping his left hoof on the desk. "She needs to hear this." He sat in his worn leather chair that had once belonged to a pony of the past. In fact, everything in Skyfall's office was from the past. Though it had been over four centuries, the artifacts remained intact due to Skyfall's restoration spell. The desk, although should have been rotted and diminished, showed only minor scratches and chipping. On the walls were some older photographs of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It seemed like the office of any ordinary pony from four hundred years ago, but a different aura hung in the air, an aura that was terrifying to each guest who entered. "Yes of course, sir," answered one of the guards retreating from the room. Skyfall sat back in his chair and examined the photograph on his desk. It was a picture from Princess Twilight's coronation, back when the Regal Sisters ruled Equestria. He remembered that day like it had happened the day before. She had been so excited to become a princess after Princess Celestia had transformed her into an alicorn. He had helped Celestia with the preparations for the coronation and made sure everything went exactly as planned. Those were the good times, he thought to himself. Now, the kingdom could barely function, mostly because Queen Twilight had not been seen in several weeks. Skyfall lifted his surprisingly strong body out of the chair and paced in the office. Of the many things circling inside of his head, he could not shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to Twilight. If Celestia were still alive, then she would know what to do and the kingdom would not be in despair. If only he could bring her back. Of course, he had sent search parties out to search for the queen, but every group came back empty handed. She was no where to be found. "Right this way, Your Highness," the guard said, interrupting Skyfall's mind. Princess Aure was the most beautiful pony throughout Equestria. Her light lavender coat was well maintained, her hooves were exquisite, and her mane and tail, the purest white, hung loosely in perfect ringlet curls. Her eyes were the color of the calmest of seas. The strangest thing, however, was that this princess did not have a cutie mark yet. Most ponies her age would have already had their cutie marks for years now. But how could she have gotten it? All her mother did was keep her safe in the castle and away from the potential dangers of the world. He sent the guards away and sat down in his chair. The guard bowed before the princess, left the room and closed the door behind him. "Ah, Princess Aure, do sit down," He said cheerfully. "How has you day been so far?" Skyfall tried to be as kind as he could be, though it was not easy since Aure was the shyest of creatures. The princess shrugged with her head down, looking at her well trimmed hooves as she sat in one of his suede chairs. He was used to these types of responses. "I know that your mother's disappearance has been very hard for you, but we need a leader to run this kingdom. You are the heir to the throne and it is your responsibility as the princess to take over as the ruler until the Queen returns. Do I make myself clear?" He spoke to her firmly, but softly for he knew that if he had been harsh, she would have immediately turned down his plead. Aure lifted her head from its original position and looked at Skyfall. She eyes were stained with tears and sorrow. Aure also appeared to be completely exhausted. Maybe he had been too harsh. No, he thought to himself, she needs to do this for the sake of Celesita's kingdom. She looked him straight in the eye, wanting to tell him that she wanted to take control and fix the despair of the kingdom, but she could not find the words and lowered her head to its original position. Softly, she spoke. "I..I am s..s..so s-sorry," she said choking back the invading tears. She recollected herself after sobbing silently. "I h..have failed everypony, w..why should I come to p..power?" The beautiful princess brought her hooves up to her face and shielded herself from being seen crying. Skyfall gave her a few minutes to recollect herself before continuing. "Princess, crying is not going to save this kingdom." His words stung, offering no comfort. "I realize that this is something that you do not want to do, but it is something that needs to be done." He got out of his chair and walked over to one of the picture hanging on the wall. It was Celestia. She was sitting on her throne, her rightful position as the leader of Equestria. Those days seemed so far away. "Princess, have you heard the tale of the two Regal sisters?" Aure looked over at Skyfall and shook her head with a confused expression. It was like she had never heard of them before. "Well then, you're in for a treat."
Chapter 1 - The Regal Sisters"Once upon a time, there were two alicorn sisters who ruled Equestria. One would raise the sun everyday and lower it to make way for her younger sister's beautiful night. For many centuries, this harmony was kept and everything was peaceful. "One day, the younger sister became jealous of her older sister. The ponies would relish and play in her sister's day, but slept through her brilliant night. A strange feeling came to the young princess. She decided not to lower the moon to make way for yet another beautiful day. The younger sister vowed to shroud the land with eternal night forever. "The older sister tried to reason with her younger sister, but it was no use. The young princess' mind was tormented with jealousy and hatred. She was transformed into a being of complete hatred and jealousy. The creature she became was called Nightmare Moon." "Nightmare Moon?" Aure asked in a small voice. "I think mother told me stories about her when I was a filly, but I can't seem to remember any details." "Anyway, the older sister created the Elements of Harmony to help imprison her sister in the moon. The younger sister was sent there for a thousand years. In her younger sister's absence, the older sister raised the sun during the day and lowered it for the moon at night everyday alone. A thousand years later, the day of the summer solstice no more than four hundred years ago, the stars in the sky helped Nightmare Moon escape from imprisonment. The younger sister was still the same evil pony that she had been when she was imprisoned. She invaded the Summer Solstice celebration and announced that she was to shroud the land of Equestria in eternal night and no pony could stop her from achieving that goal. Everyone in the room was completely flabbergasted. The only pony in the room that was not confused, was your mother. She knew exactly what was happening, which lead to some speculation among her new friends. Twilight rushed home to find out a way to stop Nightmare Moon only to find that her friends had followed her home to question her. Twilight explained to them that she had read about the prophecy about Nightmare Moon's return and tried to warn the princess, but she claimed to have it all under control. The six friends sent off to the Everfree Forest-" "The Everfree forest? But isn't that place really scary? Gosh, mother would never let me near that place, nor do I want to," Aure said. Skyfall waited silently for Aure to finish, only slightly annoyed. "Sorry, continue." Skyfall cleared his throat and continued. "The older sister needed six ponies to fulfill the purpose of the Elements of Harmony. Twilight Sparkle, your mother, was one of these courageous ponies-." "Wait," Aure interrupted, "my mother was one of the Elements of Harmony?" A bit more of annoyance came. He hated being interrupted. "Your mother never told you?" "No, never." Her expression was serious. It was strange that one of the most powerful unicorns of all time and the queen of Equestria had never once mentioned to her only daughter about her past. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Skyfall walked over to his beloved chair and sat down contemplating why Twilight had not told Aure about her past. He shook his head and began again. "Well now you know. She was the smartest, bravest and most courageous pony I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. She and her five determined friends used the elements to peal away the hatred and jealousy that had engulfed the younger sister. The elder sister came to the ponies and thanked them for freeing her younger sister from the evil spirit that took over. Later that evening, the sisters returned to the castle and spent time together for the first time in a thousand years. Their conversations were all over the place with unfinished arguments and awkward silences. In the end, they forgave one another and moved on with their lives. Several months later, after her coronation, your mother-" "Sir!" A guard waiting outside the door threw the door open with tremendous force. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Skyfall's anger was rising from frustration, while Aure turned towards the guard, shocked by his entrance. "What is it now?" Skyfall rolled his eyes and waited for the guards answer. "The Queen has returned!"
Chapter 2 - The Return of the PastSkyfall and Princess Aure were hurried down the castle's corridor towards the throne room. It was on the other side of the castle. Along the way, the guard apologized for entering so rudely, but the news was urgent. "That is quite alright. Has she been harmed?" asked Skyfall, whose face showed little concern. He had other things on his mind, things that did not deal with the returned queen. Neither that guard nor the princess even recognized his expression. "Her Highness seem alright, a few cuts and bruises, but nothing too serious." A sigh of relief came from the princess. They hurried past hundreds of unused rooms and down many flights of stairs before reaching the throne room. In the throne room was Twilight Sparkle. She was turned sideways and was looking up at the murals on the walls. Obviously, the guard had underestimated the queen's wounds. She was in rough shape. Her cuts were those from the end of something sharp making her look like a war hero, but her bruises seemed to suggest otherwise. One cut in particular ran below her throat, like someone or something had tried to end her life. Twilight was lying on a small "bed" made out of medium size cushion. Her left front leg had been bandaged and elevated on a soft deep purple cushion. There were bags underneath her eyes from a lack of sleep and her eyes were droopy. When Aure saw her mother, she ran to her. Twilight felt her daughter's presence and smiled softly. Aure collapsed on the floor next to her mother and held onto her with a loving embrace. She held her mother in her arms like a mother holds a child and sobbed silently. Twilight burst into tears and the two sobbed together. Skyfall cleared the room with the servants. He felt that the two needed their space. Several servants wanted to stay and watch, but Skyfall insisted that the Queen and the Princess were to be given their space and left alone for the night. Just before closing the door, he caught one last glimpse of the mother-daughter embrace and then closed the door. There was a familiar scent that hung in the throne room. Lavender. Then, she remembered a distant memory, one she thought would have left her mind completely. The room ventured into darkness as the memory flooded back into Twilight's mind. Twilight sat at her desk in her bedroom. The scent of lavender filled the air. "Oh how lovely lavender is," said the princess. It had always been her favorite. The delicate flowers were held captive in the glass vase that stood on her desk. As usual, she was reading. She did not remember the title, but it didn't seem to matter. In the opening of the room, the wooden doors opened, signaling the arrival of Princess Celestia. Twilight let out a sigh. She had been troubled by the ways of the princess. Celestia had almost no time for Twilight anymore, it was like she did not care. Still, she understood the responsibilities of the princess and removed the thought from her mind. As Celestia entered the bedroom, Twilight carried herself with dignity and showed her proper respects to the princess. "Was that better?" Twilight asked. She was trying her hardest to be the best princess she could, but it was very difficult. The princess chuckled. "Yes, Twilight." The princess moved closer to Twilight. Her gait was carried with grace, like a princess. "Skyfall speaks very highly of you, Twilight. He says that you are learning very quickly." Twilight grinned, but then it left. She looked up at her former mentor, whom she used to look up to for advice. "Princess?" Twilight said forcing her eyes to look away. She felt ashamed to accuse the princess, but she did say to her that she could tell her anything. "Yes? "Well...I...um....remember when you told me I could tell you anything?" The princess was taken by surprise. Was something troubling the young princess? "What has been troubling you Twilight?" Twilight looked at the ground ashamed to tell the princess. She took a big long breath. "Princess Celestia, do you not like me anymore?" The princess was not shocked at this question. She too had felt a distance had been drawn between them. Celestia moved over the window and watched the sun come down from the sky to make way for the night. It was twilight. "Twilight, you know that I will always love you. I've just been so busy lately and I haven't had much time for anything anymore..." Her train of thought was lost in the sunset. Twilight knew that the princess did not have all the time in the world for her, she had a kingdom to run. But, she wanted to feel the same bond that they used to have. "I understand, princess. I guess that I just wanted to have a stronger relationship with you." Celestia looked at her student. "And we will, but it will have to come in time." Twilight felt frustration flooding her brain. She did not want to wait forever to see her princess again. "I'm sorry Celestia, but I don't want to wait forever to be your friend." Twilight spoke strongly. Celestia pretended not to hear the princess's plea. "Goodnight Twilight." Celestia did not look back at Twilight. She continued out of the wooden doors and they were closed behind her. Tears swelled up in Twilight's eyes. Her princess had abandoned her when she asked for her friendship. Never again would she ask for her advice. Never again would she answer the princess's favors. Never again would she be her friend.
Chapter 3 - The Memory"Mother? Are you alright?" Aure was staring at Twilight with a concerned face. Tears hung in the corners of her eyes. Twilight lifted her hoof to rub them away and put on a fake smile. She didn't want to worry Aure, especially not now. She had only just returned and she knew from the expression on her face that she had not been well the past few weeks. Still, Aure looked as beautiful as ever. This made Twilight chuckle. "Yes dear. I'm alright." Twilight attempted to lift her exhausted body off of the cushions, but her legs were to wobbly to support her. She felt like a newborn foal trying to stand for the first time. "Mother! Don't rush yourself!" The princess gasped as Twilight tried again to stand. This time, Aure bent underneath her mother to help her up. After a few minutes, Twilight was standing, but not on her own. Aure was positioned beside her. "Thank you Aure," Twilight said as the two started to the door. They struggled across the room, but they managed. Just before reaching the familiar doors, Twilight was swept back into an intruding memory. She fell onto the marble floor and hit her head. H..help-p m...m..e, Twilight whispered barely audible. Her daughter's voice was drowned out by the sound of silence. Tears flowed quickly down her cheeks. She was the angriest she had ever been. she had many friends, and yet she felt so alone. Celestia did not like her anymore and had abandoned her when she needed her most. She was still sitting on the floor of her bedroom replaying the scene in her head. The thought of Celestia twisted her stomach. Twilight wiped her puffy eyes and looked out the window. The moon was hanging high in the sky. The tree tops below glistened in the moonlight and the river was like a stream of diamonds. She could see as far as Ponyville. The quiet town seemed so far away now. Then there was the forest. Nopony ever dared enter it alone, especially at night. For Twilight, it seemed like the only place she could ever be alone. She lifted her body off of the marble floor and flexed her wings. She was still not used to them, but it didn't seem to bother her. "Goodbye, Celestia" Twilight said with an angry tone. Then, she was gone. The forest below was threatening, but for some reason, it seemed like the ideal place for Twilight. She swooped down underneath the canopy of the trees and landed on a broken dirt path. She swung her head around scanning the trees. Twilight did not want anyone to follow her. She decided to follow the path to see where it would take her. She did not run with fright; she walked with her head held low. The thought of being alone scared her, but at the same time made her feel more secure. She relaxed her wings so they almost touched the ground and allowed herself to cry once more. The forest was darker than night itself. No pony in their right mind would come in the forest, except for Princess Luna. Twilight shuddered. Luna was the reason that Celestia did not like her anymore. Whenever Celestia had a break from her busy life, she always spent it with her younger sister. Twilight stopped. Where was she going? She looked around and saw that she had reached a clearing. A gentle breeze sliced through the air and chills were thrown up Twilight's spine. Why is this place so familiar? Twilight wondered. Then, it hit her. The ruins of Nightmare Moon's castle was on the other side of the clearing. She looked behind her and saw the rope bridge. "No..." Twilight breathed. She had too many memories here. Twilight needed to leave. Before she could even lift her hoof, a strange magical dark cloud flew into her, knocking her to the ground. Twilight screamed. She could not see nor could she move. The cloud engulfed her completely. The shrill laughter of absolute terror arose from deep within the cloud. It was the laughter of Nightmare Moon. Twilight screamed, but it was not out loud. The cloud had taken over her body. It slowly ate away Twilight's features, changing her into another being. The pony laid on the ground for a while resting herself from exhaustion. It slowly pushed itself off of the ground. The creature created stood taller than anypony. Twilight was held captive in the pony's mind, never to be seen again. After a while, the creature regained its balance and hobbled over to a small pool of water that rested aside of the ruins. Looking down at it's reflection, the creature saw that it had dark lavender coat, with a deep purple mane, that flowed swiftly in the gentle breeze. Its eyes were green that glowed in the darkness. It's soul was made of pure evil and jealousy. The creature was stronger and more powerful than Nightmare Moon would ever have become. It laughed and admired its new body. "Oh it feels great to be back in the world!" The creature sneered and rejoiced in her new body. "Oh and what do we have here?" It looked at its flank. There was a cutie mark. It was a pink star with tiny white one circling around it. "It seems that I have taken over the most powerful pony of all, Twilight Sparkle! MUAHAHAHAHA!" The creature recollected herself but could not stop smiling. This time her plan would work. "Watch out, Celestia. Your worst nightmare is back! But this time, I am in the form of your most precious student! Nothing can stop me now!" Her mane flared up and reached the sky, illuminating it. Nothing in Equestria was more powerful than her and the creature knew that. Nothing would be able to hold her back this time, especially since she held the element of magic captive. The clouds overhead circled in the sky. They were dark and threatening. The magic pulsed through them and sent flashes of light all throughout Equestria. Hundreds of miles away, Celestia was awoken by the bright lights. She lifted her head off of her pillow and stared out of the window. Barely awake, she realized that was happening because a similar thing happened to her sister a thousand years ago. But this time, it was more powerful. "Twilight..." "Queen Twilight? Your Majesty?!" She slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on her bed and was under her lilac sheets and elegant comforter. It was the most comfort she had felt in ages. Everypony who worked in the castle was huddled around her bed staring at her. Many had concerned faces, others were relieved to see her awake. It was an awkward silence for a while until the wooden doors were opened. Skyfall walked in with the royal doctor. They seemed to be discussing something very important because they did not yet notice that the queen had awoken. Aure followed the pair and immediately looked at her mother lying in the bed. A thin smile appeared and she broke away from Skyfall and the doctor. She practically galloped and flew onto the bed. The staff had noticed the princess and quickly backed away from the bed. They stood on either side and allowed the princess to get through. Skyfall looked over at the bed and shooed the staff away, telling them to basically go back to work. After they had all left, Skyfall walked over the bed. His dark grey coat shone in the evening sun and his short black mane and tail were scruffier than usual. He looked very tired and stressed. Twilight watched him approach, especially his eyes, which flickered away from her when they made eye contact. Does he still remember? Twilight thought. Her attention snapped back to her daughter. She was sitting on the end of the bed. Her smile had vanished and silent sobs were all that remained. Aure wiped the tears away and looked up at her mother. The room was silent, but it did not last very long. "Mother?" Aure asked in a quiet calm voice with her back to Twilight. "Where were you?" Her coat was ruffled and needed a good comb through, but her mane was still elegant as ever. The question was difficult to answer. Twilight wasn't sure where to start. It was silent for a while before she answered. It is strange that he hasn't told her. He knows perfectly well where I was. Twilight could feel Skyfall's presence behind her, waiting to hear the story that he already knew. The doctor did not seem to notice the tension in the room and continued his work. So she told a different story, the story that started everything. "In order for me to tell you that, I will need to start at the very beginning. It all started with my coronation,.." Author's Note Sorry for the wait! Finals are this week, but then I'm on vacation and should be able the write for a while. Let me know if you guys like where this story is going so far. I am also open to suggestions! Thanks! :)
Chapter 4 - Encounters"That day was one of the best days of my life. Not a cloud in the sky, thanks to my friend Rainbow Dash..." That name stung like a knife to the heart. For the first time in a long time, she remembered her friends. Tears flowed from her eyes. It was too long ago and too painful to remember. "Mother...." Twilight realized that her daughter was sitting on the bed beside her now. She doesn't even know... Twilight thought. She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I-I'm s-sorry....I-I...I.." Her daughter wrapped her mother in her hooves and comforted her. All of the pain that she had felt for the last four hundred years came out all at once. The room was quiet for a long time, with the exception of the queen. Skyfall looked down upon the queen and the young princess. He knew what had happened to Twilight and what she had done to the true princesses of Equestria. He walked over the doctor and kindly asked him to leave. The doctor did as he was told and removed himself from the room. This time, however, Skyfall did not leave. Instead he gathered the tea tray from the bedside table. It was the same silver set that Celestia used. Aure looked over at her mother's advisor. How little she knew of him. Her mother held her in a close embrace and clutched her tiny body tighter and tighter. Skyfall's sudden cough broken the silence in the room. Twilight looked up in a panic. Her eyes were bloodshot from tears that stained her lavender cheeks. She was choking back more tears and sorrow. Skyfall cleared his throat. "Sorry to interrupt, Your Highness. There are duties-" "Which will have to wait, Skyfall," interrupted the young princess. "My mother has been gone sometime and is wounded. Do you have any pity?" Skyfall was unmoved. He did not care for the queen nor did he care of her condition. Yet, she was the queen and Celestia was banished in the sun for eternity. "I apologize princess, but something must be done for the kingdom." Twilight, who had been in the middle of this argument silenced both of them by lifting her right hoof. She lifted her sore body from the bed and touched the floor. Aure and Skyfall watched the queen in silence. "It is true. I have been gone for far too long. I have seen many of my loved ones leave this Earth." Twilight stood on all four hooves and wrap her shawl around her. The sun was setting in the distance and it was nearing twilight. Skyfall rested the tray on the bed side table and picked up the kettle using his magic. It was made of brass and had a mind of its own, but Skyfall had much practice handling it. "I was the Element of Magic, a title I have too soon forgotten and paid little attention to for several ages. My...friends," Twilight began, stifling back another round of tears, "were the other Elements of Harmony. The five of them were the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I will never forget them." Twilight turned her head to the purple sky that signaled the night. "Its funny, for centuries I have tried to move on with my life, tried to find that same happiness that I felt in their presence." Twilight paused and pulled her blanket closely around her, "I just wish that they were still here..." Memories of her friends flooded her tormented mind. "What happened to your friends mother?" Twilight snapped back to reality. That question caught her off guard. Skyfall stopped pouring the tea. He wanted to hear the queen confess to her daughter. This ought to be good, Skyfall thought. Looking down at the tray, a thin smile appeared on his face and quickly disappeared. His magic still held the delicate pot floating above the fine china cups. Twilight looked away from her daughter and a tear raced down her cheek. The moon was full and low in the horizon. The face of a mare appeared in the moon. Has it really been four hundred years? The rest of the sun's light vanished from view. Darkness covered the land and the stream that ran through the castle glistened in the new light from the moon. "Four hundred years ago, I was coronated a princess of Equestria. It was an exciting day full of joy and happiness. There was a fantastic party that was held in my honor by Pinkie Pie, the element of laughter. Rainbow Dash made the sky clearer than it had ever been and Rarity designed my beautiful dress. Applejack helped the kitchen staff prepare a celebratory meal and Fluttershy made the birds sing during the ceremony. Meanwhile, I was whisked away from one part of the castle to the next; it was all very exciting. "After the exhausting day, I retired to my chambers, where I proceeded to sleep in one of the most comfortable beds of all time. Life in the castle was perfect and I only had a few royal duties to accomplish each day." Twilight sighed and her face turned depressed. "About a month into my new life, Celestia came to my bedroom to check up on me. When the princess walked through my front wooden doors, I was overwhelmed with excitement to see her, but at the same time I was furious with her. We rarely saw each other during the day for she had thousands of tasks. At night, she would spend time with her sister and then retire to her chambers. They would laugh at inside jokes that I was not a part of and unintentionally excluded me from royal events. I tried to tell myself that Celestia was just so busy and didn't have much time for anything. Although the anger inside was almost to a boil, I conducted myself in a proper manner. Celestia was so graceful as she entered my chambers. She held herself with the strongest confidence. I always looked up to her; she was my idol. I respected her and she the same to me, and I always felt that I could tell her anything. Anything except how I was feeling that night. She stood before me, towering as a god-like figure. This was the princess that I looked up to and that I loved so dearly." As she spoke, the memory of that night played back over and over again in her head. She continued to stare out into the beautiful night. Skyfall placed the tea pot on the tray after filling both cups with tea. The thin smile reappeared. "Spot of tea madam?" Skyfall asked suddenly. Twilight slowly turned to him, clearing the tears from her eyes. Aure sat in silence. "I must apologize Skyfall. I had forgotten you were standing there. Do you mind if my daughter and I were to be alone for a while?" Her voice was shaky and unsteady. "Of course, Lady Sparkle." He could not refuse the princess, not yet. He followed her orders and left the room. The doors were then sealed and the silence returned. Twilight moved from her spot by the window to the tea cups. Hibiscus, mmmm my favorite. She used her magic and levitated a cup off of the tray and to her lips. Twilight drank a few sips before commanding the cup to levitate slightly below her chest. "He was her royal advisor," Twilight said, breaking the silence between the two. "Really?" Her eyes bugged out of her head. "Yes really." Twilight chuckled. "And he had the biggest crush on me." "WHAT?!" Aure was no on all four hooves. "Tell me more mom!" She was jumping with excitement. Twilight laughed. "He was still new to the castle, barely knew his way around. I don't think that he was much older than you. Well, I was learning about magic as Celestia's most talented student and I...um..guess that I kinda liked him too..." Her mind drifted from the conversation and she remembered their first encounter. "Oh gosh! I am going to be late!" Twilight yelled running down the empty hallways of the castle. Celestia had told the staff to enjoy the rest of their afternoon off that day because it was the hottest Equestria had been in a thousand years. Although it was the sun princess who controlled the heat daily, every once and a while, the sun would disobey and conduct the day as it pleased. Instead of completing royal duties for the rest of the afternoon, Celestia asked Twilight to visit her in the library. She said that she had something important to tell her and Twilight knew that she could not be late, so, she scurried down the corridors as quickly as she could. Fortunately, Twilight knew her way around the castle which was helpful in situations where she was running a bit behind schedule. Besides, she was almost always in the library, however, today she had been on the opposite side of the castle. If I cut through the court yard, I'll be there even quicker! Twilight thought to herself making her grin and she dashed down to the courtyard below. It is one of the most beautiful places inside the castle. Much like the Canterlot Gardens, it is lined with birch trees with shimmering leaves that never fall. The grass is the purest of greens and little yellow marigolds imitate a sea of gold. In the center of the courtyard is a little pond in the shape of a crescent. Lily pads float on the surface of the clear pool and tiny toads jump from lily pad to lily pad. Various marsh plans line the outside of the pond. Nested near the pond is a gazebo with intricate detail of the creation of Equestria. Made completely out of wood, It stands about eight feet tall (made to the specifications of the sun princess). On a normal day, Twilight would grab five or six books from the library and take them to the gazebo to read on the cushioned bench that rested inside. This place was twilight's favorite hiding spot. She could spend hours absorbing its beauty while accomplishing her favorite hobby. Once finished with her reading, she would lay on the bench and nap until dinner. Nopony was ever in the courtyard, making it the ideal place to get some peace and quiet. As she galloped to the opening of her oasis, she felt some strange aura in the atmosphere. Something foreign in the courtyard made her cringe. Still, she stepped through the gates and wandered it. She never ran through the yard, in fear of arising the foreign organism within. She knew that she should just leave and go straight to the library to be with the princess, but her curiosity took over. She heard something in the gazebo and slowly stepped closer. When she was close enough, she saw the figure of a young stallion. He was seated on the bench reading a book. She couldn't make out the title, but he seemed completely absorbed in whatever it was. It was until Twilight had put her hoof on the first step that he realized he was no longer alone. He froze and looked up from his reading, scared out of his mind. "Oh! Your Majesty! I do apologize, but I thought I was alone in here," the young stallion said. He had a dark grey coat and a black scruffy mane and tail, both being short. He was about the same age as Twilight but stood almost a foot taller. He was also a unicorn, a very handsome unicorn. "Wow, you're more beautiful in person....I..um......sorry..uh..." Twilight giggled. "Not to worry this place is one of my favorites. I can spend hours in here, you've picked a good spot." She paused. "How rude of me to not ask for your name.." "It's Skyfall," he interrupted. "Your Highness." He bowed before her. "Mine's Twilight, but I guess you already knew that," Twilight said. Everypony knew who she was now. "So what are you doing in the courtyard?" Skyfall was taken by surprise. "I..um...was just on my way to the library actually to see the Princess, but I stumbled across this place and I guess I have just lost track of time." "I'm on my way there too, Celestia requested for me to see her this afternoon.." Twilight suddenly remembered the rush that she was in. "Come quickly! I think that we are running late!" She grabbed his hoof and the two dashed across the golden sea of marigold and through the opposite gate leading to the library. Twilight shook her head. No, it wasn't like that anymore. Now he could barely look at her. She saw the hatred in his eyes that nopony else seemed to see. She knew the source of his hatred. "Anyways, I should return to my original story..." Twilight said. "I decided to tell my idol that I felt that she did not appreciate me, that she didn't like me anymore." A tear jolted down her face. She felt like she was going to relive that moment all over again. She wiped it away before continuing. "She seemed to feel the same, but insisted that she was much too busy to worry about that sort of thing at the moment. She wanted to wait to be my friend. The anger boiled inside of me causing my frustration to breach." As she spoke, the anger rose in her voice, Then turned to slow running tears staining her face. Every emotion she felt that night was being recreated. "She didn't say anything else, so she just left. She said nothing to me." Twilight hung her head down and closed her eyes. More tears came and her shoulders began to shake. "I was so hurt. She abandoned me like I was nothing to her. I..I-I thought she was better than that, like she could never hurt...anypony. But that day I realized that she was not this perfect princess that I had always thought she was." Twilight slowly lifted her head and looked at her daughter. Aure was shocked by her mother's emotions. She could feel the hurt in her mother's eyes and she felt like she was reliving that scene all over again. It was saddest she had ever seen her Twilight. "Mom..." "Y-yes..Aure?" "What happened after that night?" Twilight sniffled a small sigh. "That night the most powerful form of evil was born, Dark Shadow."
