It was almost night time when Celestia got the message that would change her life forever.
Celestia looked down at the note sent by Twighlight only to take a double back with a sense of both happiness and shock.
Dear princess Celestia we would like to inform you that Rainbowdash has given birth to a perfectly healthy colt. He arrived at 1:00 o'clock a.m. Ponyville time. The doctor told us that it was a relatively easy procedure that went off with only a minor problem, that problem being Soarin when he passed out seeing his child come out of the womb and they had to rush him to the E.R. I am sorry that I didn't contact you as soon as it happened, I know how much you wanted to see him, but it was so instant that I'm only now just able to write you. Please feel free to stop by when ever your able. Signed Twighlight Sparkle.
P.S. his name is rainbow blitz.
Celestia looked up from the note blinking rapidly, she was both happy and worried . Of course she was happy to here Rainbowdash had given birth without a problem, but she was worried that Rainbowdash wouldn't be able to perform her duties as an element now that she was a mother of a newborn foal. Then it hit Celestia like a rock to the head. She realized that sooner or later that all of the elements will have children and families to take care of almost to a point where they cannot protect Equestria. Luckily Celestia had been prepared for this inevitability.
Celestia got up from her normal place of leisure, where she normally rested, and went over to a large painting, using her magic Celestia moved the painting. Behind the painting was a small vault protected by an enchantment. Celestia almost reluctant to unseal the rune. She reassured herself that it was necessary and that it would finally tie up some loose ends she'd been wanting to deal with. She unsealed the rune and turned the lock to the correct combination, almost stopping on the last number knowing fool well that this would either help Equestria or destroy it in the process.
Inside was an amulet that looked a lot like the alicorn amulet, but instead of it being black with a red gem in the center, it was white with a blue gem in the center.
With a slight sigh princess Celestia casted a spell on the amulet making it glow and begin to grow bigger, until it formed an earth pony esq. figure of a stallion. There was a flash of light and a large stallion appeared in front of Celestia.
He was bigger than Celestia, with a gleaming white coat and a jet black mane. The entirety of his eyes were blue. His flank adorned Celestia's cutie mark on a shield, as his own cutie mark. The stallion fell to his knees with a thud. He opened his eyes widely, he started talking in a weary voice "Where am I"
He was met by a calm yet familiar voice, "It's alright, your okay now." said Celestia
The stallions eyes opened even wider when he realized who he was talking to his voice almost stuttering just trying to talk,"Celestia, you broke the curse, does that mean my-?" he was cut off by Celestia putting her hoof around his neck and pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Calm yourself Auroras. Celestia began in an obviously happy tone. There will be time to explain why I let you out, but first we need to make our way to the throne room there we can get reaquainted, old friend." Celestia said
Celestia led Auroras past her door. Celestia then commanded her personal guard. "Lieutenant, I would like for you to go down to Discord's room and tell him to meet me in the throne room." The guard issued a salute and then he was off.
Celestia and Auroras began to walk down the hall way "So, he started turning to Celestia, you look different." Auroras said trying to stir up a conversation
"Yes I have, but that's what happens after 1000 years." Celestia said
"What do you mean?" Auroras said confused
"Were you not aware you were in the amulet for over a thousand years?" Celestia said surprised
"No I wasn't aware the amulet put me to sleep as soon as I entered, wait how long have I been in there?" Auroras said surprised
"1000 years" Celestia said almost choking
Auroras froze, his eyes widening and almost as if he was in denial he began to laugh saying "Okay Celestia you got me. No but seriously how long has it really been."
"Well it's actually been just longer than 1000 years." Celestia said in an serious tone
Auroras put his head into his hoof. "But how, I thought you said that you and the others would be able to free me in not even a years time and bring an end to my shadow, what happened!?" He said on the verge of yelling
Celestia turned her head away from Auroras trying to hide her shame, she looked back at him on the verge of tears.
"Before we could even think of getting you out, the darkness began putting it's plans into action, you were merely the beginning." Celestia spoke in almost neutral yet saddened tone, "Next it corrupted discord, I ended up having to use yours, mine and discords elements to try and stop him, but with only four of the six element barers using the elements it didn't cure him, as was expected, it only turned him into stone."
Auroras looked at Celestia with intrigue "And the others, what happened to them." Auroras said
"I'll tell you that some other time, but for right now we must first talk with my sister, we will need her." Celestia said, not wanting to continue she began to walk faster to the throne room.
As they entered the throne room Auroras began to look around the room, he noticed the guards and how they looked bored. They only seemed to have just stiffened up when he and Celestia had entered the room.Luna appeared to be in some sort of trance. Not wanting to waste any more time Celestia woke Luna from her trance.
Before Luna woke from her trance, Auroras leaned over to Celestia, "1000 years go by and this place still looks and feels the same." Auroras said still looking around the room.
"Hello dearest sister, what brings you to the night court and the interruption of my dream jumping?" Luna said in an almost annoyed tone.
"Luna I am here to discuss the mater of finding the new elements of harmony."
Luna looked at Celestia with a confused face. She was so busy watching Celestia to even notice Auroras.
"What makes you believe we even need a new generation of elements, I mean what is the reason for it?" Luna said even more confused
"As you may already know Rainbowdash has recently given birth. My theory is that soon all of the elements will have families of their own one day and the responsibilities that come with them. Look the point I'm trying to get across is that the needs of their families will soon out way their duties as elements." Celestia said
Luna began to nod her head in understanding.
"And how do you propose we do that?" came a voice from a pillar.
Celestia, Luna and Auroras turned to look at the pillar.
"Discord please come out" said Celestia sounding annoyed.
Discord emerged from out of the pole, "Oh come now Celestia, you did call me down here, I'm just wondering why you did. And now I know, oh and before you ask I was hiding because if I was actually present then you wouldn't tell me anything."
But before anything else could be said Auroras walked out of the shadow he was standing in and spoke, " Your also here because of me."
Every pony even the guards turned to look at him.
Auroras spoke again, "And from what I can tell Celestia wants me to track down the new element bearers."
"Auroras?" Both Luna and Discord stared at him both shocked and confused.
"Tia would you care to fill us in on why you have freed our friend Auroras? You do know that his shadow now runs free because of this?" Luna said surprised
"Yes I know, but we need Auroras's help if we are to forge a new generation elements. Besides he's been stuck in an amulet for over a thousand years. I thought it only appropriate."Celestia said
"Wait I thought you told me Discord had been corrupted by the darkness and turned to stone." Auroras looked at Celestia with a confused look on his face
"He was taught to be good again a few years ago by the current elements of harmony. Did Tia not tell you." Luna said
"No, we didn't have much time to talk on our way here and even then she was a little vague." Auroras said,
"Ooooo I love to tell stories, allow me to fill you in on everything you've missed." Discord said in a cheerful tone
Before anything else could be said Discord snapped his fingers and then both Discord and Auroras were sitting in chairs suspended in time. Auroras being used to Discords tricks and abilities was not at all surprised by any of it.
"Can I get you anything? How about some of Celestia's own personal bottle of imported scotch." Discord said with a smile
"No I'm fine, thanks anyways." Auroras said
Discord looked at him in disbelief, "That's odd, you've never turned down a drink in your life."
"You know I should be more surprised by the fact that Celestia drinks, but then I realize it's been over a thousand years." Auroras said completely unfazed
"Yeah I know what you mean, only I was aware when she first started drinking, and it was funny when she went on her drunken sprees." Discord said trying not to laugh
"So what do you want to know?" Discord started
"I'm almost reluctant to ask, but what exactly happened to Sombra, Chrysalis, and Luna because something really seems off about Luna as if she's actually happy."
Discord snapped his fingers and a large screen appeared in front of the both of them. As soon as discord started talking there was a slide show.
"Well I wasn't there, but Sombra was corrupted by the darkness and for a time was the enslaver/king of the entire crystal empire, then encased in ice for 1000 years by Luna and Celestia along with the entirety of the crystal empire, when the he and empire returned long story short he was killed by the crystal heart and the current elements of harmony. Chrysalis returned home after I was corrupted, fearing her home land was in danger from the darkness, she ended up becoming their queen, again only a few years back she attacked Canterlot and was defeated by the power of love. Luna was the last to be corrupted, she was turned into quote "night-mare-moon" where she ended up starting a rebellion against the solar empire, turning her loyal subjects into what we now know as thestrals or bat ponies as some like to call them, attempted to plunge the world into eternal darkness, she ended up being defeated by Celestia who used the elements of harmony to defeat nightmare moon, causing her mane to become multi colored, anyway Luna ended up trapped on the moon for a thousand years, which ended with her returning and being defeated by the current elements of harmony. Did you get all that?" Discord said without missing a beat.
"I did, but I'm sort of having a hard time accepting it, but are you going to do." Auroras said nonchalantly
"Is that all or do you have any more questions?" Discord said
"Do you think that Celestia freed me just to track down the new bearers" Auroras said
"I'm not Celestia but I think it's because she trusts you to get it done and I have to agree with her you have been gone for a thousand years, I guess its just your time to destroy some parts of Equestria." Discord said
"Really, well I can't turn her down now can I." Auroras said, "Oh wait one last thing why did you tell me all this."
"Because the writer is too lazy and really wanted to continue the story." Discord said nonchalantly
Auroras decided just to ignore that last part knowing it was just Discord being Discord.
Discord snapped his fingers and they were returned to reality.
"So how do we find these new berers?" Auroras said completely out of no where to princess Celestia and Luna
"What" Luna said not knowing what Auroras meant by it
"Let me rephrase I said I'm going to help you find the new bearers, just tell me what I have to do." Auroras said
Then Celestia began to smile. Knowing full well that Discord had something to do with it.
"So how do we find them." Auroras said
"I have already prepared a spell that will allow us to find the future element bearers. I've used this spell only once and with all my power only managed to find one bearer. Her name is Twilight sparkle, the current element of magic, if you were wondering." Celestia said
Celestia used her magic to cast a summoning circle on the ground. Then she uttered something in secret to one of the guards. The guard's initial reaction to what Celestia had said was clear on the guards facial expressions, with his ears splayed back and his eyes widening. When Celestia was done talking to him the guard issued a salute and ran off, opting the help of another guard. They were back only a couple minutes after they left, with a large chest. Celestia opened the chest to reveal a silver necklace with a large red gem attached to it, a compass and a large up to date map of the world. Auroras, Luna and Discord looked at the items with expressions of both confusion and intrigue.
"What exactly are we going to do with these items?" Auroras said looking at Celestia still confused
"All four of us will focus our combined power into the necklace, cause the images of each element to be displayed on the map giving us an generalization of where each element bearer will be." Celestia said
"How do you know it will find the new bearers and not just Twilight and her friends." Luna said looking at Celestia
"This method, I assure you, only finds new the bearers and not the current wielders." Celestia said
"And what purpose does the compass serve." Luna said
"The compass will serve as a means of detecting the bearer closest to it." Celestia said
"Wait, you said all four of us." Auroras said confused
"Yes, as in you, me, Luna and Discord." Celestia said
"But I don't have a horn to power it? Auroras said
"Easy we're going to put the necklace on you and force our magic through you and into the gem, allowing us to power it." Discord said
Auroras while walking backwards said "Do I have to do it? Will it hurt me?"
Before anything else could be said Celestia spoke up "We'd rather not say. Discord if you would be so kind."
Discord snapped his fingers and Auroras was in the circle. His hooves were stuck to the floor, with the necklace around his neck and the compass by his hooves. Auroras struggled, trying to get out. Then all at once Celestia, Luna and Discord pored their power through Auroras into the stone, making it glow. Auroras looked to see the power coursing through him. "Oh this isn't so bad it kind of tingles. Auroras began,No wait, oh sweet Faust it burns!" Auroras screamed
Symbols representing each element were then displayed onto the map. Each element traveled around the map at random. Until the first one magic stopped on Canterlot, then the second laughter on some place near the frontier called Full moon sanctuary, then the third loyalty on Appaloosa, then the fourth generosity at the center of the badlands, then the fifth kindness on the capitol of the Griffon kingdom and finally honesty on a coastal city in the zebra home lands called Decca. All at the same time Auroras was shouting in pain.
"Guards, Celestia spoke in a strained voice, mark the map, quickly."
The guards quickly marked the map. When they were done Celestia, Discord and Luna made a collective exhale and the flow of magic stopped. They collectively looked at the map, where the spots had been marked. Then they looked at Auroras who had been nocked unconscious.
Celestia walked over to Auroras, concerned about what had happened to him. Fearing for his life, Celestia quikly removed the necklace, only to reveal a large 2nd degree burn, left by the necklace. Then if out of no where the mark glowed a vibrant golden color making the heal. Causing Auroras to wake up in shock. Luna and Discord rushed over to help.
"The mark it's gone." Celestia said confused
"I'm---fine. Auroras choked up, Just get me off this thing."
"Interesting." came a voice from behind Auroras
Auroras froze up when he heard a voice much like his own coming from behind him. He turned around to find his shadow (basically just a clone of Auroras only with a black coat and red eyes and his cutie mark was a shield with the cutie mark of Nightmare moon), He was wearing a black cloak tied around his neck, with the hood up. He then realized that his shadow had stopped time when he had noticed Celestia and the others staring at him, not moving at all.
"So after all these years we meet again Shadow." Auroras said
"Calm yourself, I didn't come here to fight you, and my name isn't shadow it's Shadowmere." Shadowmere said
"Why should I trust you last time we fought you-" Auroras was cut off by Shadowmere
"Last time we fought I was under the influence of the darkness! Shadowmere said almost losing his temper
"Then why are you here and how are we frozen in time?" Auroras said confused
"Look I'm here to tell you about your abilities and the stopping time thing is one of them." Shadowmere said
"My abilities? Wait where did you even learn how to do this?" Auroras said
"A small, yet humble planet known as Earth, but only the world has little to almost no magic. Which makes me wonder how long have you been a sleep for?" Shadowmere said
"Just over a thousand years, why?" Auroras said
"Oh nothing special, just that I proved Einstein wrong, not that it means anything on this planet." Shadowmere said
"How did you even get to that planet?" Auroras said
"A little birdy known as the devil saw my potential, and for about 500 years I was his bounty hunter. Then I was set free from my contract and I was free to do what ever I wanted, but that's not important right now. What is important is that you find the new elements and cure me of my madness, before I become the monster I once was."
"Why don't you just ask the current bearers to cure you?" Auroras said
"I already tried that but, I only felt their connection to their elements fading, and a shot from them would kill both of us." Shadowmere said
"Both of us?" Auroras said confused
"Yes, because I am your shadow, anything that happens to me on the outside will happen to the you. And that is the reason your even alive. We also share a sort of mental connection." Shadowmere said
"So essentially I... we are immortal?" Auroras said
"Yes immortal, but not invincible. I have to go, I've already spent enough time talking to you and I must go. Tell no one of this conversation." Shadowmere said
Shadowmere began to leave but he was cut off by Auroras. "Wait where are you going?"
"Some place where I won't do much harm. Oh and take this I bought it when I got here and thought of you. Consider it a gift." Shadowmere said
Shadowmere tossed a small glass bottle to Auroras. Auroras grabbed the bottle looking down at the words Apple-Jack-Daniels. Auroras looked up from the bottle with a small smile on his face. Only to see Shadowmere was gone and time started again.
"Auroras didn't you here me I said... where did you get that bottle?" Celestia said
"No time, I have to go!" Auroras said
"Right now?" Luna said
"Yes." Auroras said
"Then before you go take this." Celestia said
Celestia used her magic to make a cloak, a saddle bag, a large sum of bits, a map marked with the elements locations and a small sword appear. Auroras put on the robe, and holstered his sword, all the while sneaking the bottle of alcohol into his saddle bag.
"Good luck and stay safe."
Auroras put on his hood, nodded his head and ran off.
Auroras walked through the crowded city streets of Canterlot. The moon was high in the sky. The crowd itself was made up of the working class, heading home from a long days work serving the nobles and an array of bat winged ponies, that looked like they were just now waking up. Auroras looked down at his compass which was now pointing towards the south eastern part of the city. Auroras trotted fast enough to just hurry to his target, but slow enough to take in the sights of this new and strange night time city.
Following the compass Auroras eventually made his way to the doorstep of a relatively new looking orphanage. Knocking on the door to the orphanage Auroras was greeted by a(n) cheerful yet frail looking mare that appeared to be no older than 30. Her coat and mane was a dull yellowish color and she had greyish blue eyes.
"How can I help you?" she said in a cheerful yet tired tone of voice
"I'm here to find a child, miss...?"
"Yes you may, and my name is miss Granger. Please come in it must be cold out." She said while opening the door wider and ushering him to go inside. The inside of the building was a large room with two spiral stair cases on both sides of the room, both leading up to multiple balconies, each balcony was filled with doors.
"Children, miss Granger began, there is some pony here looking to adopt!"
Then if all at once the doors on every floor opened revealing several foals coming out of each room. Many of them were either tired, excited, nervous or all three. All of them marched down the flights of stairs, each one with emotional yet blank faces. All of them stood before him in a semi-circle. Auroras looked down at his compass it wasn't pointing at any of them. Auroras turned to look at where the compass was pointing. It was pointing at a solid metal door. He turned to look back at miss Granger.
"Is this all of them?" Auroras said
"Y...yes?" miss Granger said her cheerful tone slowly fading
Seeing that she was lying Auroras moved through the crowd and began his way up the stairs, with miss Granger in pursuit. The children's faces immediately became expressions of fear.
"Please, miss Granger began trying to plead with him, you don't know what's up there."
"Then tell me." Auroras said not stopping
"I...I can't." miss Granger said
"And why not?" Auroras said while looking at miss Granger, his eyebrow raised
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." miss Granger said as they came to a solid metal door with a single lever locking system and two sliding ports, one for food the other for looking inside. Miss Granger opened the sliding port. Inside the room there was a small bed and an earth pony colt sitting in a corner. The child was white with a dark brown mane, his cutie mark was a strange half circle made up of lines forming an odd shape. Auroras looked at the child with a confused look on his face, then he looked down at his compass to see the compass pointing at the child.
Breaking the silence miss Granger began to talk to the child, "Solace, miss Ganger began trying not to stutter ,... there's some pony here to see you."
Solace turned his head towards them his face and voice showing no emotion. In an almost metallic voice he said "Go away, I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"I'm afraid I can't just go away. I need you to come with me." Auroras said in a calm tone of voice
"No I'm here because I want to be here, so please go away for your own good...it's better this way." Solace said looking back towards the corner
"What's he in there for?" Auroras said
"I don't really know, he won't tell me and the guard that brought him here only told me to keep him isolated." Miss Granger said
"Open the door. Maybe I can talk to him" Auroras said
"You can't be serious." miss Granger said in disbelief
"I am." Auroras said while looking towards miss Granger
Miss Granger looked at Auroras in disbelief, then slowly nodded her head and pulled the lever that opened the door.
"Shut the door behind me, I don't want him to feel threatened by my presence." Auroras said
When the door closed behind Auroras, he walked towards Solace and sat down beside him.
"Why did you come in here?" Solace said
"I wanted to know if you'll come with me, and maybe why your in here?" Auroras said trying to make conversation
"I won't." Solace said
"And why not?" Auroras said raising his eye brow
"Because I'm a monster! Solace said screaming
Just as he said that his eyes, a mark on his left hoof and his cutie mark began to glow a vibrant blue. The room began to spin, until it stopped on an magical image of a house just on the edge of Canterlot. It was night time.
Solace started talking as though he was in the denial "I didn't mean to hurt them. I was only trying to protect them. But I lost control."
Then the image showed two ponies dressed in black clothing breaking through the door. Then if at all at once a fiery explosion bursted out of the door with the two robbers engulfed in fire. Then there was a second explosion and two other ponies, a mare and a stallion were thrown through a window engulfed in fire. Auroras looked in shock as he saw a younger Solace come out of the house crying. The foal stood in front of the second pair of burnt corpses just crying. Then the image ceased.
Solace started to cry "I'm a monster! I'm a monster!" his body parts beginning to stop glowing
Auroras walked over to Solace and hugged him, Auroras spoke in a hushed tone "Monsters don't cry."
Solace stopped crying and spoke "I want to go with you."
"What?" Auroras said looking at Solace
"I want to go with you. And live a new life." Solace said in a monotone yet happy voice
"Then come on. Lets get out of here." Auroras said
Auroras got up and trotted over towards the door with Solace behind him. Auroras knocked on the door and looked through the slit. Miss Granger opened the slit, her eyes widened when she saw Auroras. the slit closed and the door opened.
"You were in there for an hour! I thought you were dead! Miss Granger spoke in a surprised yet tired tone. How did it go."
"It was good." said Solace
Miss Granger looked at Solace with her eyes widened, her mouth open and her ears splaying back. Auroras turned to miss Granger and spoke. "We were never here."
Auroras and Solace walked past miss Granger who was still shocked. And down the flights of stairs. Before they could exit Solace looked behind him to see multiple children looking at him from behind a-jarred doors. The two then walked out of the orphanage.
"What do we do now." Solace said
"Now we go find the other elements of harmony." Auroras said
Solace looked at Auroras in confusion "What?"
Stopping Auroras knelt down next to Solace "You are the element of magic." Auroras said
Solace looked at him in disbelief. "Then why me?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's just you the pony, that is why the element of magic chose you."
