A New Era

by FluttersIsAwesome

Rating: teen
Tags: Dark, Romance, Adventure
Length: 27373

The time of the royal sisters' ascension is drawing near. With everything in the greater plan now coming together, it's time for a new sun to rise in Equestria.

Equestria's history is shrouded in mystery. Even Princess Celestia has only ever mentioned things that happened one thousand years ago or later. Now, before the sisters' very eyes, Equestria's darkest secret has surfaced after six thousand years, and while this may seem like a horrible tragedy, his return is only the start of a new age. Heroes will rise, villains will fall, and when Equestria's loose ends are tied, a new era of prosperity will begin for the land and all who dwell in it.

Story 7 of the Virtue series.

This story is the finale of a seven part series. However, you don't necessarily have to read stories 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. The important and relevant events from each story are recounted in this fic, so I would only suggest reading them all if you actually want to.

Credit goes to Conicer for touching up the cover art.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-13 18:28:38 UTC

Chapter 1: History

A New Era

Story 7

Chapter 1: History

By: SleeplessScribe

It didn’t take me long at all to reach the castle, and it would’ve taken me even less time had I just gone in a straight line. The guards opened the way for me without question, giving me a full view of the long hallway leading up to the throne. I had been in the castle before for the one Grand Galloping Gala I went to, and I hold fast to my claim that I will never go to another for the rest of my days.

The dim light provided by the moon and the stars made the interior feel like it wasn’t even the same place, considering the lights were on all night for the Gala. It was also a surprise to see Princess Luna waiting for me at the end of the long corridor, but not her sister.

“Good evening, Nova Dash. I trust your trip here was relatively peaceful?” News of her return was everywhere when it happened, and still continued to be a big attention grabber for at least another week, but photographs did not do the alicorn justice. Not only that, but her voice was a whole lot more… gentle than I expected.

I bowed courteously, giving the princess a nod. “It was, Your Highness.”

Another thing I noticed was that, in every photo I had seen, Princess Luna wasn’t really smiling. This, too, came as quite a surprise when I saw the corners of her mouth turn up. “Rise, dear Nova, and come with me. I have much to discuss with you.”

Anypony that knows me will tell you I was never one to follow orders, but even I knew better than to even hesitate before doing as one of the sisters told me. She led me down the left hallway that was next to the throne the throne, showing me various stained glass windows depicting major events in Equestria’s history.

She cleared her throat before she spoke, and her attention seemed drawn to one certain window as we passed by it. “Before I begin, I must tell you that this information is to stay between you and I, just as my sister instructed me only to relay it to you.”

My mind was all sorts of scrambled right now. I’m pretty sure Twilight’s last words before I came here were what started the scrambling, but all this random stuff was only making it worse. I tried to speak, but the princess made it clear that it wasn’t my turn.

“My sister and I both agree that it is time to begin making decisions. A new era is about to begin for Equestria, but before that era can be ushered in, the last remaining pieces of the old one must be dealt with. Nova Dash, one day Celestia and I will have to relinquish leadership of this land. While we may not be dying, the time is almost upon us to ascend beyond the throne, and assume our positions as guardians of the entire world.”

As terrible a thing as it was to do, I couldn’t help it at this point. With my hooves up, and my wings spread out, I nearly shouted, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Princess Luna, why in the world are you telling me this? What does all this have to do with me?”

Luna turned to me, and I was very relieved to not be met with an angry expression. “All will be made clear in time, but I am permitted to tell you that you will play a vital role in the beginning of this new age. Though I cannot tell you what that role is yet, I believe I will not need to when I am through with you. That being said, I would like to ask that you remain in my company for a week. I have very much to show you, and it must remain between us.”

This was getting way too serious for me. For the past three days, I had been learning about thinking before I acted or spoke, but I needed a joke to lighten things up. I only hoped she would see it as one. “You’re not coming onto me, are you?”

It was my lucky day. The only thing more pleasing to the ears than Luna’s voice was her laugh, and it was echoing through the halls like a Hearth’s Warming carol. “Good heavens, Nova Dash, no! There are many things I must tell you, and many things you must learn. As I have said, all will be revealed in time, but I can tell you now that your tremendous courage will be invaluable in the coming days.”

The joke helped quite a bit, but it was kind of disappointing that she only laughed for a little bit before shifting right back into her seriousness. “Princess Luna, I’m nothing but a racer. Speed and competition-with a little reading and learning on the side-is my passion. I’m not sure I can give that up if this ‘role’ I have to play demands it.”

It now occurred to me that we were simply wandering the castle, as we now passed the main room that hosted the Gala each year. The princess remained calm,and she seemed to have expected such a response. “This I realize. However, I believe that by the end of this week, you will find it in yourself to release the things that hold you down, including your career, should it come to that.”

This was all way too heavy for me, and I even tried biting one of my wings to wake myself up. Unfortunately, the only thing that came out of that was a stinging spot on my wing. Luna noticed this as she set a hoof on my shoulder. “I know this is a bit much for you to take in, and I realize that the lack of information I’m giving you may be frustrating, but would it do your heart good to know that you will not be separated from your new friends? Better still is the fact that you will make more friends, and you won’t be separated from them, either.” The hoof on my shoulder relocated to my lips, preventing me from responding like I wanted to. “Furthermore, your role is intertwined with that of Twilight Sparkle, whom I know you are quite attached to.”

I’m pretty sure that comment right there is the reason why that night still holds the record for the most times I’ve blushed in a day. In the end, I gave up trying to speak until I was positive the princess was finished with her own speech.

“There is still one thing I can reveal to you this night, and after that, I’d like to ask that you take some time in the castle to rest and let this all soak in. I can assure you that your role in the near future will not require any goodbyes that you are unable to say, and I believe that you are more than qualified for this role.”

She was finished, but at this point I didn’t have anything to say. I was led to a room of the castle I didn’t even know existed. It was beyond what I believe was Celestia’s personal chambers, and down that hallway was a door that, for some reason, they had disguised as a dead end. Luna revealed the illusion with her magic, taking me through the door where I stood facing what looked like a big, circular closet.

“There are details of this secret area I am not yet permitted to reveal, though the contents behind the door before you I am.” She slowly slid the two sides open, revealing a statue of a pony with what looked like a crown cast in Luna’s color scheme. It had two spikes on either side of the top, and I began to draw connections when I saw the gem embedded in it that resembled the flame of my cutie mark.

“Princess Luna… is that an Element of Harmony?”

The princess of the night slowly shook her head, removing it from the statue and holding it before me. “It is similar, but not the same. I am not yet permitted to tell you what it is, but given your reaction and its obvious appearance, I believe you are beginning to realize what this role I have been speaking about truly is. A few things must be put in order before you take on that role, but during the coming week, I shall teach you all you will need to know.”

Finally, I managed to find something to say, and I was generally curious when I asked, “Are there five more of these things?”

She gave a small nod. “You have knowledge that I have not been permitted to give you, and even though you have figured this out on your own, I request that you ask no more questions regarding this artifact. My sister has been preparing Twilight Sparkle for her role for months now, but I am afraid I have but a week to prepare you. The fact that you are not a unicorn makes things more difficult, but the necessities you must know do not require you to be. I can sense that you have business that you would like to attend to now, so go. Let there be nothing to hold you back.”

I was surprised that she actually realized that. There was just one thing I had to make sure of, and it required me to head to the Wonderbolt headquarters in Cloudsdale. Spitfire had her own living area in the building, and I knew she wouldn’t mind an interruption from me. Getting in wasn’t hard, either; buildings in Cloudsdale don’t have windows.

My talk with Luna took a lot longer than I thought, as the sun was just beginning to rise. She’d be waking up in about an hour anyway, so I took the liberty of blowing into her ear to make her freak out. Mission accomplished: Spitfire was now wide-eyed and on the floor. “Wakey wakey.”

The Pegasus mare jumped up, her eyes darting from side to side for a moment. “Nova, what in Celestia’s name are you doing here?”

I pressed my hoof to her mouth, letting out a low “sshh”. After a nod from her, I removed the hoof. “Spitfire, you’re going to be left with a lot of questions, and none of them I can answer right now, but please just go along with this. I think, very soon, I’m going to have to quit racing.” My hoof found itself on her lips again, and this time I didn’t bother to take it off. “Again, I can’t tell you why just yet, but when I do, I’m going to ask my sister to take my place. If she accepts, does my being barred from selection apply to her?”

Once she shook her head, I moved my hoof, but not too far to keep me from silencing her again if she started unloading questions at me. Fortunately, she didn’t. “Nova, we’ve known each other for most of our lives. I won’t ask questions, but I will say this: if you really are quitting, I’m going to miss you.”

After a sigh, I set that same hoof under her chin. “I’m glad you brought that up, because I feel like I owe you something that you should’ve gotten long ago.” The possibilities in my future made me restrict the gesture to her cheek, but it still had the same effect. It felt pretty good to make somepony else as flustered as Twilight had made me that night, and now it was time to return to Princess Luna.

* * *

Luna’s teaching went a little over my head, but I did find them interesting. I learned a lot about the history of Equestria, save for a large gap that she told me she could not yet reveal to me. Two days in, Canterlot was attacked by an assailant, but he was brought down with the help of two rather powerful unicorns. Princess Luna both allowed me to help with the reconstruction of the damaged areas as well as informed me that one of the unicorns was another of the six she had chosen.

Then, after the reconstruction was over, it happened. I was asked to stay hidden in the castle away from the actual ceremony, but when everyone was gone, I decided to make my exit. There on the balcony stood Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, the recently wed Princess Cadence and Shining Armor, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, my sister, and one other.

Princess Twilight Sparkle.

I was informed that she had been crowned as an alicorn princess after passing a final test given to her by Princess Celestia, and I had two reactions that battled for release: the temptation to run away now and never return to Canterlot for the rest of my life, and the one I ended up going with. After everything was all said and done, I waited for Twilight and her friends to leave before approaching them and grabbing her from the group.

“Nova? Where have you been? What are you doing here, I thought you went back to Ponyville?”

My hoof was touching a lot of lips lately. “Ssh, I could get in big trouble for this.” She gave me a nod, and I led her to the room where Luna first revealed my “destiny” to me. Twilight stared at the crown with her mouth agape.

“Is that what I think it is?”

I nodded, my attention focused on her rather than the headgear. “Twilight, seeing you now tells me exactly what’s going to happen to me. Princess Luna told me that there are a lot of things she can’t tell me until the time is right, but she has told me that our fates are connected. I have absolutely no idea what makes me so freaking special, but it looks like I don’t have any choice.”

Her eyes widened as she gazed at me, turning from me to the statue and back to me repeatedly. “Wait… does that mean they plan to-“

Well, now I could add Twilight’s to the list of lips that my hoof touched in the last few days. Her face turned redder than Applejack’s older brother, and in all honesty it was pretty cute. “Sorry, I only know as much as you do, and can only assume the same.”

The newly crowned alicorn simply stood there, tapping the floor with a hoof. “I… I don’t know what to say. This is all happening way too fast, Nova. I mean, you apparently saw me get crowned, do you honestly think I’m ready for a bombshell like this? Let’s just… wait until there are no more secrets, okay?”

It wasn’t exactly a response I could argue with, so I simply gave her a nod and let her return to her friends.

* * *

Finally, the last day of Luna’s teachings came and went. I’ll admit, while there was still quite a bit of concern with having to quit racing, I felt a lot more confident about my future than I did the night the Princess first spoke to me. My first few days back in Ponyville were surprisingly quiet, which lead me to believe somepony told all my friends not to ask questions.

As soon as I arrived, I thought about talking to my sister, but after the confusion with Twilight I decided it was best to wait until this all came to a head. In fact, nopony really seemed that eager to go out of their way to say hi. They all simply acted as if the only thing that had happened in recent days was Twilight’s crowning, and I was perfectly fine with that. After talking with the new alicorn, she agreed to let me stay with her in the library as opposed to staying with Rainbow, and the only thing I needed to feel comfortable was a cloud on her balcony. We avoided the subject of our “fates” for a while, but we both knew one of us would crack eventually and say something. I also found out that Gilda made a full recovery, and somehow even managed to apologize to the whole town for what she had done, which was another thing my sis forgot to mention to me.

The peace was broken when Applejack returned from a trip to Manehattan accompanied by a big, grey stallion. They revealed that there was this jerkbag in Manehattan making everyone’s lives a complete pain, and they presented evidence of illegal actions this guy had taken to Twilight, who gave them permission to take him out. Rainbow and I served as their means to get back to Manehattan quickly, and I even helped the vigilante group the stallion was leading take their enemy down. That day I learned that cool guys didn’t look at explosions.

After that ordeal, I discovered that the stallion AJ had brought home was not only her new coltfriend named Jet Rush, but he was also the third piece of Luna’s puzzle. In addition, he and I became instant friends thanks to our love of goofy shenanigans, and the fact that, despite being an earth pony, this guy could climb stuff and run along buildings. He even managed to keep up with me in the air by jumping along trees!

Some time after that, Luna told me a story about a city between the Crystal Empire and the northernmost mountain range in Equestria. Apparently that’s where Gilda was now calling home. Apparently the city had been the victim of numerous murders, and eventually this lead to an all out attack. I wasn’t given any details aside from that the captain of that city’s guard was meant to be the fourth piece. I made a mental note to ask him what happened if we met.

That next week, I was informed that the fourth piece was now in its place, though I didn’t know exactly who it was, and the next day, music sensation Beat Tempo came to Ponyville. I won’t talk about what happened those following days to protect his privacy, but man, did he have to do a lot to get Vinyl back. He even gave up his fame and fortune for her, and as a result ended up being the fifth piece.

Finally, Luna herself informed me that she believed she had located the final fragment. I hadn’t noticed the new mechanic that moved to Ponyville until she mentioned something, and from what I understand, he had been here for a few days already. It took a while, but he was finally given his pendant by quite the unlikely source: Ditzy Doo, everyone’s favorite klutz! Judging from what I had been told, the ponies began to date not too long after he moved in, and about a month after the start of Autumn the two decided to marry, and I found that Luna had given the Pegasus the last shard of her plan for her to give to her new husband as a gift.

This was probably the worst of the five, seeing as how the first four came up relatively close to each other, and this one came up much later. However, that did give me a chance to spend more time with Twilight, and we both enjoyed every single day together.

With that, everything was now in place. It took about a day for Twilight and I to receive a summons to the castle, but when we had, we both made haste. Poor Twi still didn’t have the hang of flying despite my attempts at teaching her, so I pretty much held her the entire way.

Just as I had predicted, the subject inevitably came up. “Nova, can you slow down a bit? I’d like to talk to you.”

I did as asked, looking down at her. “About our destinies?”

She let out a sigh, looking down at the land we called home. “I’m sure the princesses will enlighten me in regards to the deep, supernatural meaning of their words, but something has been nagging me for a while. It’s strange, but I really like you, Nova. We’ve spent more time together than I ever thought we would, and I can definitely say I would’ve never imagined I’d feel this way about the colt that knocked me over the first time we met.”

The nervous chuckle I let out was impossible to hold back. “I’m still sorry about that.”

“Oh, stop, that was months ago.” Even with my decreased speed, we were already in the courtyard before either of us realized it. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, especially after the ordeal with Sunset Shimmer. Meeting Flash Sentry made me realize that I have feelings for a few stallions that I’ve met, but there’s something about you in particular that draws me close.”

I couldn’t help myself as I raised both my brows, giving her a slick grin. “Ladies can’t resist the eyes.”

Twilight giggled, nudging my shoulder. “I think it’s that I can’t resist. You’re just a lot of fun without being over the top like Pinkie or limited in your interests like your sister. You’re also really sweet… when you want to be. Nova, if all of this is really happening and this isn’t just some dream I’m about to wake up from, I hope we’re able to stay in this together. Initially I was afraid of having to rule my own kingdom, but knowing I won’t be alone makes things just a little easier.”

All I really could manage was a smile and a few words. “Thanks, Twilight. You’re right, you’re not alone. You’ve been a good friend in the months we’ve known each other, and that means a lot to me. I can promise you that no matter what, we’re in this together.”

Her hoof met mine before I even had my foreleg out all the way, and she had the sweetest smile on her face. I wanted to say something, but decided that a silent walk into the castle would’ve been better. Both princesses met us about halfway into the entrance foyer, and Princess Luna wasted no time. I’m sure Celestia wanted to speak, but I guess I was Luna’s domain. “Are you prepared, Nova Dash?”

After a long sigh, I looked up at her, still unsure if I actually was. “Not like I have a choice, so I suppose I have to be.”

She gave a nod. “Indeed you do.”

The elder princess approached my friend, turning her attention to her sister and I. “Twilight’s friends shall be here momentarily. I’d like to have a few words with them myself before your chosen arrive. In the meantime, tell Nova all there is that relates to him, and him alone.”

Once again she nodded before turning to face me. “Come, Nova Dash. This is a matter of great importance.”

Call me crazy, but as Princess Luna led me out to the garden behind the castle, I could’ve sworn I heard… music. I probably didn’t hear anything actually, and my mind just made it up because for some odd reason Luna began singing. Hey, I couldn’t complain, though. As odd as it was, she had a beautiful voice.

“I know this is all so sudden

But just stay still and listen

I’ll help you through.”

Holy mother of all pegasi, was this a movie? Like, it was both incredibly awkward, but at the same time oddly fitting for her to sing her message to me. In all honesty, that made it a little easier to take in. Don’t ask me how that works.

“The life you live, the life you know

It has allowed you to grow

But it’s not you.

It is time for you to rise

And answer Equestria’s cries

I’ll show you who you truly are.

Friends will stand by your side

You’ll bring hope and you’ll bring pride

You are more than you know

You are—.”

As wonderful as she sounded, I had to cut her off. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! What’cha talkin’ bout, Luna?”

She let out a long, drawn out sigh before addressing my question. “Nova Dash… you are not who you think you are. I’m sensing you’d rather me be straightforward, so I will be. The family that cared for you, Rainbowshine and Thunder Dash, are not your real parents.”

Well this was an eye opener, and a brow raiser, and a whole lot of other things. “Excuse me?”

After another long sigh, she took me back into the castle and revealed to me a map of Equestria. However, something was very, very different about this map. It had much more down south, and beyond the San Palomino Desert was a large castle labeled El Dorbronco.

“Nova Dash, this land here is where you were born. It’s a desert kingdom known for producing fiery ponies like you. At the very least, you have to agree that this would explain your difference in appearance from the rest of your family.”

Luna did have a point there. Apparently she read my mind, as she set a hoof on my mouth to keep me from speaking. “I know you have many questions, so allow me to tackle them one at a time. First off, I’m sure you’ve noticed that modern iterations of our maps do not include this kingdom. That is because it was attacked by the very same threat my sister and I believe is starting to truly awaken. Nova Dash, this force is so powerful, it caused a fissure so large that it broke the El Dorbronco off of Equestria, sinking it down into the ocean. The only reason you still live is because my sister and I managed to save you. We also helped a few others, but your parents were long gone before we could get to them.”

Again I tried to open my mouth and was met with the same results. “That being said… your parents, child, were the king and queen of that kingdom.”

If I had been taking a drink of something, I definitely would have spit it out. “Homenahomenahomena say what?”

The princess nodded slowly. “Celestia and I thought that the evil that destroyed your home might try to find you, so we hid you away. You were only three months old when we brought you to Cloudsdale in search of a family that would take you in. It had to be Cloudsdale, as your entire family consisted of pegasi, so we could easily form a fake story behind your drastically different appearance from your surrogate family. The both of us tried desperately to find a couple that looked somewhat similar to you, but had no luck. In fact, most that we asked were a little too frightened to take you, until we met the mare and stallion you now call your parents.”

She set a hoof on my shoulder when she saw the look on my face. “Your true name is Solar Flare. That is what the king named you when you were first born. Child, you may not realize this, but your leadership skills, your confidence, your courage, it’s all just natural. That all comes from who and what you are: a born leader.”

As disrespectful as it was, I moved her hoof off of me. To be honest, I was surprised at myself for not flying off the deep end and shouting some kind of obscenity yet. “Are you done?”

“For now I am. You seem rather… calm, given what I just told you.”

I just rolled my eyes. “You know, Princess, I believe you. You’ve no reason to lie to me, but you may not realize you’re only telling a half truth. I may have been born to the king and queen of some lost kingdom, but to be honest, I don’t care."

I half-stomped half-tapped my hoof on the floor, attempting to show the princess that I was dead set on finishing my thoughts. "Rainbowshine and Thunder Dash raised me, and renamed me. Rainbow Dash was, is, and always will be, the best sister I could have ever asked for. Racing will never get out of my system, either. I know now what I have to do, but I must say this: you say who I think I am isn’t truly who I am, but you’re wrong. I’m not some Solar Flare guy, Princess, I am Nova Dash.”

Luna’s eyes widened a bit as she listened to me. “As cool as the name Solar Flare sounds to me, or maybe Blaze, or something, Nova Dash is who I am and will continue to be. Regardless of what changes I go through and what I become, Rainbow Dash is still my sister, and Thunder Dash and Rainbowshine are my parents. There’s a difference between what a pony is and who a pony is, Princess. According to you, what I am is the last surviving member of the royalty of a lost kingdom. However, who I am is Nova Dash, EAAR racer sporting the number 3 uniform and sponsored by, at the moment, Engage Repairs. Son of Thunder Dash, the Wonderbolt, and Rainbowshine, head manager of the rainbow production facilities. Brother of Rainbow Dash, who was there in the hospital looking at his mom hold the newborn foal. You told me that to take on the role I’m truly meant to play, I have to give up my old life, but the only thing I'm really being forced to give up is my career.”

Once I was done, I took a huge gasp of air when I realized how much I had actually said at once. Of course, giving that up was a task in itself. Racing is just as much a part of who I am as my fear of water or my love for my sister.

The night princess was doing a lot of nodding today. “I suppose I understand. Of course, I would like to wait until all necessary parties are present, but I assume you know what will be done. I’d like you to come here a moment.”

As I did what I was told, Luna lowered her head and brought me into a gentle embrace with her neck around mine somewhat. “It will not be easy, but you are not in this alone. Now then, shall we return to the castle and await the others?”

It’s not like I had much choice, but I was feeling a little better knowing Luna actually wanted to help me deal with this. “By all means, Princess Luna, lead the way. However, I expect a much more detailed explanation at some point. Preferably without the singing, despite your nice voice.”

“Of course.”

As we made our way back to the castle, the gravity of this situation truly began to tighten its grip around me. My sister and I were the only ones who truly knew what had to be done, and what was at stake if we failed. Not only that, but the fear of bringing back memories that I had pressed into the farthest, darkest corners of my mind began to add to the tightness in my chest caused by my knowledge.

My elder sibling already had both her own chosen and mine with her when we entered. The expressions of worry and fear I was met with did nothing to ease my own tension, though they also told me that Celestia had charged them not to speak. Had that not been the case, I’d have expected Pinkie Pie, if not a few of the colts as well, to be speaking. Once Nova had joined them and I was at my sister’s side, we began the short trek towards one of the very few areas here that we had deemed off limits to all.

Save for what happened earlier, I rarely every spoke before my sister, and this was no exception. Though it was a little unnerving to see Celestia’s cheery smile replaced by a rather forlorn frown. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I have asked you to come here. I realize some of you are strangers to one another, but please allow us to explain. You are the first ponies in over six thousand years to ever set hoof in the place we are about to enter."

Her voice was low and held back, as if she was forcing herself to speak. For the longest time, I had always thought of my older sister as an invincible, almost saintly mare incapable of falling prey to petty emotions. Over the years, however, I learned that she was just as prone to feeling as I was, and it became clear to me that she was just as fearful of this situation as me, if not more so.

We led them up to what appeared to be a simple wall. However, one small spark of magic from the both of us caused the wall to fade away and reveal a massive door. Upon the door was an image that brought back memories both fond and painful: the sun stood high in the sky on the left door, my bright, shimmering moon slightly lower on the right door, and in between them stood a massive, mighty tree. The doors slowly opened, revealing a long hallway with stained glass windows depicting images of both my sister, myself, and an alicorn stallion.

My sister must have noticed the looks some windows were getting as we passed by ones telling the story of a time I would have loved to forget. “What you are seeing now is the story of how the Elements came to be. Long ago, mere centuries after the three tribes of ponies first settled in Equestria, there were not two, but three alicorns that ruled the land.”

I stepped up to match my sister’s pace. Her pause led me to assume she wanted me to continue. “My sister is the oldest of us. As you know, she is responsible for bringing the sun out every day. I am the middle sibling, and have been tasked with raising the moon every night. However, what none know anymore is that we had a younger brother. His name was Terrario, and it was his job to keep the earth fertile and capable of producing life. He gave rise to towering forests, gorgeous meadows, and bountiful harvests.”

As we passed by the windows showing our struggle, my sister began speaking again. “Equestria was in perfect, balanced harmony. That is, until the day our brother began to grow angry. Over the years, the ponies of our land had begun to take him for granted. They used to thank him and honor him every harvest season, they used to respect his flowery meadows and even create their own gardens in his honor, but as he continued to provide, they continued to credit themselves.”

She paused when we came to the door I had taken Nova to, but did not open it. Instead, she turned and faced all our small ones, even going so far as to press her hoof on Twilight Sparkle’s lips to keep her silent.

“In time, he began to resent our subjects, believing that they no longer even cared about him. It’s a story not unlike the tale of Nightmare Moon, though I fear the ending is much more… unfortunate. His anger eventually took hold of him, and the darkness in his heart changed him, just as it did my sister. The image of vibrant life his body once displayed was replaced by a feeling of decay and death. Trees began to die, flowers began to wilt, and harvests became thinner and thinner until we were forced to take action.”

As she spoke, my mind was taken back to those fateful years. It was a flashback I truly didn’t want to relive, but in the current situation, there was no way for me to avoid it.

Chapter 2: Memories

A New Era

Story 7

Chapter 2: Memories

By: SleeplessScribe

Terrario had made a habit of going to the castle balcony each morning to observe the results of his new goal. Ponies of all races were shouting at him in anger, cursing him for what he was doing. To be quite honest, I felt the entire ordeal could have been avoided had our subjects pleaded with him and asked for him to return the land to its former state. Our brother was angry, and it wasn’t that far out of reason for him to be, but curses and shouts definitely would not help the situation.

Finally, Celestia and I decided to approach him directly. My sister was always more outspoken than I, so it was no surprise that she headed the confrontation. “Brother, why do you continue to curse our subjects? Haven’t you seen what’s become of your actions?”

He didn’t even turn to us when he spoke. “They brought this on themselves.”

“Terrario, please. At least tell us why you’re so angry.”

This time he decided to face us. “Why? Why? I worked for years to bring them a beautiful land to enjoy. I continue to work hard to maintain that beauty, not to mention the fact that I was the one bringing them great harvests so they wouldn’t starve! What do I get for it? They mistreat my land, they take for granted the gifts I’ve given them, and they scorn me for the few and far between small harvests I give so I can give the land time to rest! They are ungrateful, and I’m going to show them where they are without me!”

Just hearing this was too much to bear. I reached out to him, hoping that he wasn’t too far gone for our words to have some effect. “Brother, please, I know there’s a better way! Surely if you just return the land to its normal state, we can come up with a way to make your troubles known together.”

“I will be fine once I receive just a small thank you or sign of appreciation! You two are always met with warm smiles and friendly greetings, while I am only remembered as the one who failed to provide last year, or the prince that’s just tagging along!”

He slammed his hoof into the floor, and the ground began to shake. At least he had enough sense not to cause a massive earthquake, but it was still frightening. “These ponies know not how to treat nature. You can’t just cut down trees and pave over flowers! And these farmers, they call themselves experts, but they know nothing about how the land works. If I were to produce massive harvest after massive harvest, the soil would deplete itself so that not even I could bring life to it again!”

“Then why don’t you tell them that?”

This time, he swung and narrowly missed the hoof I was still holding out. “That’s the worst part! I have told them, and they got angrier still! We are not gods, but they expect me to be perfect! You know what… that’s exactly why you two are so beloved. Everypony expects the sun to rise in the morning and the moon to rise at night, and they get that! You meet their expectations, and they love you for it! Give a farmer one poor harvest, and you’re reduced to the social standing of trash!”

Celestia pressed my foreleg down, forcing me to bring my hoof back on the floor. “Brother, you know that’s not true. If you would only try to—”

“No!” Once again, he turned his back on us, looking down at the furious ponies that were still shouting beneath the balcony. “As far as I’m concerned, they will not see reason. I’m through being kind, and my patience is all but gone.”

“Terrario, we—”

“There is no Terrario.” As he spoke, we watched dark clouds form at his hooves and circle around him. “There is no beauty. There are no crops.” This darkness rose up, slowly engulfing him. Both my sister and I tried to cast spells on it, but it proved all for naught. “There is only death. There is only anger.” Finally, the darkness completely enveloped him. It did not take long to dissipate, but we were met with a horrid image.

The once vivid mane that so resembled flowing blades of grass had become an ugly image of brown and greys. His dark brown coat that had always reminded me of the fertile lands he had created turned dull and lifeless, and even the mighty tree that was once stamped on his flank was dead and leafless. He then turned around, and we saw the full extent of it. His teeth had become like razors, and his eyes were completely black, save for the bright red irises that glowed in them.

“There is only room for one ruler here. There is only… Decay.”

My sister drew back, lowering into a more aggressive stance that I was comfortable with. “Just what are you saying, Terrario?”

His eyes made his glare even more menacing. “I am Decay. Your brother is gone. He was never wanted, and I think I made myself clear. There is only room for one ruler in this kingdom, and that ruler shall be me.”

Watching him lash out at my sister with a blast of magic was one of the most horrifying things I’d ever been forced to witness. While she had managed to avoid it, she’d created quite a gap between herself and our brother, which prompted him to turn his attention to me.

“I’ll not fight you. I don’t care what’s happened, you are still my brother, and I refuse to raise my horn against you.”

“That’s too bad,” the more I watched, the more I began to question if this truly was my brother anymore, as he had no qualms about shooting at me as well, “because I’ll gladly raise mine!”

He jumped back and spread his wings, landing in the crowd and sending them all screaming. Celestia followed him, but it took me a few moments before I finally decided to do the same. We both learned just how poor of a choice that was. The minute I landed, the ground crumbled beneath us as stones were pelted our way. Even the aura of Terrario’s magic had become dull and grey.

It was clear we could no longer reason with him when he tried to literally bury us alive. We managed to fly out of the pit he had created, but not before we were both pelted with another magical blast.

“Luna… we have no choice. We have to stop him.”

I let out a small sigh, looking at the monster my brother had become. “…If we must.”

The amount of force we had to use went very well beyond what I would have been comfortable with. Then again, I would have preferred if we had never needed to fight at all, but at that point, it was unavoidable. Not only that, but the destruction that resulted merited an evacuation from Canterlot. Well, even then, the Everfree Forest used to be called Canterlot, and we renamed it after we relocated to the Canterlot our subjects knew today. Terrario fought us tooth and nail, and reducing him to the state we had pained me. It still pains me.

After what felt like hours of magic blasts, flames, and five or six earthquakes, our brother was finally felled. Or… so we thought. As we stood before his defeated form, his body began to glow. All around us, grass was dying, what few flowers there still were wilted rapidly, and even the nearby trees began to die incredibly quickly.

“I’ll not be defeated. This is my land… and I’ll not see it desecrated anymore!”

Before either of us could react, we were sent spiraling backwards by a massive bramble. The thorns added additional pain as well. However, the worst pain was the heartbreak. I’m sure my sister felt it just as much as I. Here was our brother, his anger taking him over to the point of changing his body, and attacking us with no remorse. It was a wonder he was able to move with so many gashes and burns, as well. Just looking at him made me sick.

That wasn’t the end of it, either. The bramble he had attacked us with split into many, holding us down as he stood before the castle. “Now you see the true power of nature. When I take back what I’ve given to the land, I gain more power than you could ever imagine. This land… is now in the grasp of Decay.”

He turned to us, but I saw a glimmer in his eye. For a fleeting moment, I saw just a little bit of emotion in those horrid eyes. “This castle is mine now. Don’t squander the chance I give to you.”

Our brother slammed the castles gates closed. Once he did, the brambles sank back into the ground, but we were prevented from returning to the castle by the massive stone golems that has risen up on all sides of it. We heard Decay’s voice echo through the sky, and I was brought to tears by it.

“You are not welcome here! If I see you again, it will be the end of you!”

Probably the thing that hurt the most wasn’t my cuts, or even his proclamation. It was the blood trail that led to the castle. A reminder that we had drawn the blood of our beloved brother, and that he had done the same to us. Trying to destroy his golems was a risky enough gamble, but my sister and I knew for sure we wouldn’t be getting back in once we saw the force field he had surrounded the castle with and the thorny vines he had wrapped it in.

I turned to Celestia, my sight blurred by the sea of tears that was fighting for release. “Sister… what do we do? Are we really just going to give up?”

My sister just sat there, looking up at the balcony he was standing on earlier. “We… we don’t have a choice. We can’t pull energy from the sun and moon, there’s no telling what would happen if the sky went dark and the air began to freeze everything…. We have to take Equestria back.”

“How? Terrario no longer has any regard for our subjects, so there are no lengths he will not go to in order to keep us out.”

She slowly shook her head, looking up at the still bright sky. “I believe there is a solution, but it’s rooted deep in ancient legend. We’ll have to pay an old friend a visit if we want to confirm whether or not this is a viable option.”

Apparently our goal was the headquarters for the Guild of Arcane Arts. I should have known he’d be the last to leave the city if he even chose to leave at all. As we approached the entrance to the massive building, the door swung open and revealed the pony I assumed my sister wished to speak with.

“I saw the whole thing from my window. The prince has gone off the deep end, he has.”

Celestia narrowed her gaze at the old Sirish stallion. There was no doubt in my mind she was just as much a blur of emotions as I, but her anger was showing more than it needed to. “Starswirl, we need your help.”

He began to scratch his greying chin. I don’t think even he could have foreseen his ginger fuzz growing into a grey jungle that could be considered a second mane. “Of course, but let’s go to my home. It’s fairly out of the way, and you’re a lot less likely to be spotted and killed.”

Why Sirish apparently enjoyed living in the woods so much, I’ll never know, but at least Starswirl’s fifteen million acre, five hundred story house was a decent ways away from Canterlot. Of course, that is a hyperbole. Why would anyone need that much space?

Starswirl closed the door behind us and opened every window in the place with one quick spell. “Before we talk about anything, you two need to rest. And no, you don’t have any options. I have powerful healing magic, but I’m still working on a spell that can rid ponies of fatigue.”

“We don’t have time for that, Starswirl!”

You know I had to commend the stallion’s ability to stay calm despite my sister raising her voice at him. “Well, you could, at the absolute least, sit down while we talk.”

“Fine.”

We were taken upstairs and into Starswirl’s enormous library. I would have bet money that he owned every single book ever written somewhere in here. He brought us two large cushions for us to sit on, though I had to lie down.

“Are you alright, Princess?”

All I could do was shake my head. “How would you feel if you got attacked and exiled from your home by your own brother?”

The stallion just shrugged and rubbed his chin again. “Eh, he’d let me back in the next morning. Probably just him throwing a drunken fit.”

Smart ass. “Put yourself in my position and then answer my question again.”

He raises his brows and nodded. “Oh, yeah, I’d feel like shit.”

“Um… Princess?”

I was suddenly jerked back into the real world upon hearing Nova’s voice. My sister stayed silent for a moment and just stared at him before actually replying. “Yes, Nova?”

“I understand that this is a pretty big story and all… but do we really need to know what happened at that point? I mean, now we know that your brother we never knew about was the first case of Nightmare Moon Syndrome, but why don’t we skip to the part that’s relevant? The reason everyone’s here?”

My sister opened her mouth, but I set my hoof against her. “If I may, sister? I… I want a chance to truly speak of this as well.”

After a nod from her, I addressed the young ones, recalling the “relevant” events again. However, a quick word from my sister cut me off.

“Luna, wait. I believe we’ve been standing around for far too long. I ask that you all be silent once again. I apologize if that’s a little disgruntling, but I swear on my honor as a princess that all questions will be answered when we reach a certain destination. Sister, if you would be so kind as to take them, I will retrieve our other necessities.”

Now I nodded, and my sister was off. I knew exactly what she meant, though I had to wonder how this venture would turn out. “Follow me, then. I’ll recount the important part along the way.”

With my mind as clear as I could get it, I formed the images in my head and translated them to words.

Now that the power was in our grasp, it was time to confront our brother once again. The king was gracious—and stubborn—enough to make us stay for a meal. He knew the gravity of the situation, but also knew the danger of traversing the desert without rest and refreshment. Once we had eaten, he supplied us with fresh water for the journey back to Equestria, as well as cloaks from his court wizard to keep us warm through the chilling night winds so we wouldn’t have to waste our own energy.

For a land dominated by pegasi, it was surprisingly hard to fly at night. In fact, I couldn’t imagine why anyone would want to live anywhere in the San Palomino desert. I mean, sure, the city was gorgeous, but the winds… if they didn’t sear the skin during the day, they chilled to the bone at night. I guess the ponies here were just used to it. Granted, they did have barriers in place to keep the wind out of the city, but how in the world could they stand in when they had to travel?

Regardless, both my sister and I were rendered flightless by the wind, but at least it wasn’t all that strong. I never realized how cold deserts actually got at night, and a small part of me felt a little guilty. After all, I was sovereign over the night.

The journey back to the castle took much longer than either of us would have liked. Just getting out of the desert took at least a day. Luckily the wind dies down once we crossed the border from the San Palomino and back into Equestria proper, and the modern day Everfree Forest was not that far away now that we could fly.

I guess our brother was counting on us returning. We could see those stone golems he had risen below us, but now we were also having wooden spikes hurled at us from the dead trees around the castle like turrets. I also noticed that there was a large tree behind the castle that still had leaves, and I soon learned why; it rose up and we were faced with a massive Treant when my sister and I touched down.

Celestia turned to me, I guess to make sure I still had what we needed. “Remember, Luna, this is no longer Terrario we’re fighting! We can’t let our emotions get in the way of taking back Equestria!”

All I could do was nod. I knew what we had to do, but that didn’t mean I wanted to, or that I was even ready, to do it. The huge tree monster’s lack of speed was easy to take advantage of, and eventually we tricked it into ripping the heads off the golems in an attempt to hit us. However, we weren’t done with it. With enough flying around, we had managed to make the Treant cut up most of the thorny vines that had been closing off our castle. However, just as the vines fell, the giant fell apart, his parts flying out in all directions. I managed to make it out unscathed, but I nearly screamed when I saw my sister fall to the ground with a sharpened branch sticking out between her left wing and shoulder blade.

“Celestia!” I rushed forward, but was cut off from my sister by a large stone barrier that rose out of the ground like a dolphin breaking the surface of the sea.

“It’s useless, sister.” There was no telling if he was just trying to mess with my head, or if he really was weak now, but Decay had not bothered to rid himself of his wounds. He did seem to have healed them, but the scars and burns from my sister and I’s spells still remained, as did the tatters in his feathers and the cracks in his royal attire.

The stallion approached me slowly, a menacing, bladed grin plastered across his muzzle. “Your defeat here was foreseen by the ancients. What was it they wrote? ‘The weak shall perish.’ It’s time for me to make that prophecy a reality.”

It was a wonder I hadn’t fallen to my knees yet. I knew my dearest brother was in there somewhere, and I just… I just couldn’t bring myself to act. My desire was to have my beloved brother back… and I tried everything I could to make that happen.

As I backed away from him, I tried in vain to reason with him again. “Brother, please… don’t do this anymore! You’ve made your point, so why can’t we all just be together again? Besides, you can’t do everything yourself!”

Decay snarled at me, lowering himself and quickening his pace. “What? Do you think I’m not powerful enough to manage night, day, and earth? All will know my power, and destroying you and Celestia will be the perfect example!”

Finally I lowered my head, unable to look at him. “So you truly want us dead, then?”

He stopped and raised his head back up. “Now you’re getting it. I said there was only room for one ruler, and I meant it. Now just stand there and accept your—” A loud scream interrupted him as he fell to the ground. Smoke rose from his back, as it did from my sister’s horn as well. She was still on the ground, and bleeding profusely, but she somehow managed to raise her voice at me.

“Luna, do not hesitate any longer! You have to use those Elements now!”

With a heavy heart, I slowly nodded and turned to the broken form before me. I opened my saddle bag and brought the six gems out of it. “I’m sorry it’s come to this, brother.”

The king told us that these artifacts had minds of their own, and I saw what he meant when they began to spin around me. A surge of power him me like a tidal wave, and I focused all this power onto my brother as he tried to get back on his hooves.

As soon as it hit him, the magic turned to sand and engulfed him in a flash of light. Black smoke spread out in five different directions from where his body had been, and again I used the Elements to make sure that they could never return to wherever Decay’s body now was.

Almost immediately, the trees around us began to sprout leaves again, and the grass was green once again. Even the spear that pierced my sister was reduced to splinters, but she still needed me to heal her. In time, Equestria returned to its normal, peaceful state. My sister and I maintained the earth quietly, allowing our subjects to believe that they were doing everything themselves, and all was as it was.

Of course, there was one less occupied room in our old castle from that day on. Even as we raised the new castle in the center of Equestria, I made sure a third bedroom was made, just in the hopes that I’d have my brother back one day.

Chapter 3: Naming

A New Era

Story 7

Chapter 3: Naming

By: SleeplessScribe

I will be honest, it was a little embarrassing when Cobalt handed me a rag to wipe my eyes with, but to this day, those events tear at my heart. It also surprised me that I had managed to take the young ones all the way through the Everfree Forest to our destination while telling my story.

The colts stood in awe at the glowing, white tree, but Twilight Sparkle and her friends all seemed very confused, shooting me the strangest of looks. “Princess Luna… why exactly have you brought us to the Tree of Harmony?”

I opened my mouth, but my sister’s voice answered the young alicorn. “It may be a risk to remove the Elements again, but I believe the Elements of Harmony may be the key to returning our brother to us just as they had changed Nightmare Moon.”

Celestia was carrying two rather large boxes with her, and despite knowing what was inside them, I found myself hoping she’d only open one until everything else was explained. Indeed she did, setting Twilight’s empty crown atop her head and the mares’ pendants around their necks.

“With Discord’s plunder seeds taken care of, there is much less danger in removing the Elements from the tree once again.”

All stood back as my sister and I used our magic to bring the Elements back to the keepers’ adornments. It only took a few moments, but the flash of light was still blinding. The good part was that there was no visible damage to the tree.

“Hold on a moment.” I looked to the Sirish stallion standing amongst the group. He honestly looked kind of out of place, being about as tall as Cadence due to his age, and hearing his foreign accent reminded me quite a bit of Starswirl. He even bore a very slight resemblance to the legendary unicorn.

“I’ve done my share of reading on the Elements of Harmony. So, if you think they are the key to changing Decay, why do we need to be here?”

Again, I readied myself to speak only to be stopped by my sister. “I did say that our time of ascension is almost upon us, did I not? I feel confident leaving Equestria under Twilight’s care, but this is a situation that requires two. You six stallions are just as relevant as Twilight and her friends are.”

Astro rubbing his chin for a moment before looking back. “How? I don’t even recognize any of these guys aside from Nova here, and that’s only because he’s a well-known name in Canterlot.”

The spikey-haired colt formed a proud grin across his face. A part of me truly felt bad for the decision he had to make; it couldn’t have been easy to give up a life he was so passionate about. Finally, I got a chance to speak without Celestia taking over.

“In time, you all will get to know each other. Sister… I think it’s time we open the second box.”

She nodded, lifting the box and opening it. Inside were dark blue pendants similar to the golden ones the mares were wearing, and a crown bearing a resemblance to the king’s that had given these Elements to us long ago. Each one was similar in shape to a key part of each colt’s cutie mark: a crescent moon, a horseshoe, a shield, a microphone, and a wrench. I found Beat Tempo and Torque’s to be odd looking just because of how vertical the shapes were, but hey, these weren’t for looks. To top it all off, the crown held a gem similar to a fire in its center, and as soon as Nova saw it, he let out a small sigh.

My sister handed the box off to me so that I could distribute the pendants inside and explain each one. First came Astro’s, the crescent moon.

“Astro, not only did you manage to aid in the defeat of Checkmate through both your magical prowess and sharp wit, but it was also that same wisdom that has elevated your student, Trixie Lulamoon, to a level of arcane ability rather close to Twilight Sparkles. With these accomplishments comes your naming as the Element of Wisdom.”

Next was Jet Rush. I had to take off his cap before actually putting the pendant on, and Applejack snickered when she saw how long his hair really was. “Jet Rush, throughout your struggle to save your city, you never once wavered when it came to following your own moral code. You managed to keep yourself and those you led above the level of the criminals you were fighting against, earning you the title of Element of Integrity. Also earning you a very sweet lover.”

Applejack blushed a little at my comment, prompting the gruff colt to wink at her. Next was the armor-clad pegasus who stood straight up and puffed out his chest like he was receiving a service ribbon.

“Cobalt Edge. Even with the responsibility of being a guard captain, you stopped at nothing to prove your griffin friend’s innocence, and you let nothing stand in your way of keeping Meadowbrook safe, even when faced against a powerful adversary. With that, I name you Element of Devotion.”

For some reason, it felt just a little fitting to have Rainbow Dash pipe up. Not only were they both long-haired pegasi, but Cobalt and Rainbow’s elements were somewhat similar as well. “Wait! Did you say griffin friend?”

The colt turned to her and smiled after I placed the pendant around his neck. “You must be Rainbow Dash. Gilda talks about you a lot, and you’ll be pleased to know that she’s safe, and more importantly, happy in her new home.”

All of the mares started smiling a little, but Rainbow’s was the biggest. “Oh… good. We’ve all been worried about her.”

He shook his head, his sandy ponytail swaying along with it. “No need to. She’s fine.” His ears twitched as he snapped back to me. “Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

I couldn’t help but laugh some. “It’s quite alright.” I then moved on to the singer. Even as I presented him with his Element, I couldn’t help be question whether this was the right decision or not. However, the Element decided he was good enough, so there wasn’t much I could do.

“Beat Tempo. You were successful, well off, and very well-known. Despite this, you gave up everything to keep the little things that mattered most to you. For this, you’ve earned the title of Element of Sacrifice.” As I put it on, I winked at him as well, lowering my voice. “By the way, congratulations on the foal. I’m sure it will be beautiful.”

“Let’s not forget that he helped my little Sweetie Belle earn her cutie mark as a singer herself!” Rarity’s statement was followed by quite a bit of chatter, and I had to raise my hoof to quiet them all. Finally I addressed the newly married colt.

“Torque, despite the rather negative situations you found yourself in, you managed to keep your head held high and a smile on your face, earning yourself a lovely wife, sweet daughter, and the title Element of Optimism.”

All eyes then fell on the final pegasus. Nova looked up at me and took another deep breath, staying silent as I approached him with the crown. “Nova Dash. You never backed away, even when faced with frightening circumstances. During your time in Ponyville, you also learned very quickly the difference between being brave and being reckless, and I am proud to name you Element of Courage.”

Celestia’s horn was already glowing, and I already had the spell ready as I lowered the crown onto his head. Once the crown touched his head, beams of power shot from the other five elements and came together on him. Of course, I had a few words I wanted to say to him, and I was grateful that time stood still while we walked through the pegasus’ hall of memories.

“Whoa… um, Princess? Where are we?”

“These are all the memories from your life. You’ve come a long way, haven’t you?”

He scratched the back of his head, chuckling a little. “Yeah, I guess so.”

I felt the music wash over me again, but I wanted some insurance before I gave in to it. “Can I expect any interruptions this time?”

With a smile on his face, he shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Go ahead.”

“It's hard to stand

On shifting sand.

It's hard to take

When you feel like it's all fake.

Trust me now.

It's who you're meant to be.

We need you now.

Help set this poor land free.

Be a flame when the light dies down.

Nova, this is your crown.”

That was all I needed. With my little song done, the light faded, and Nova was made visible again by all.

In all honesty, I was expecting to feel… something. I didn’t even realize it was over until I opened my eyes. It wasn’t really a surprise that the reactions were a lot calmer than one would think, but this had already happened once. In fact, I think I heard my sister giggling.

“That looks so weird on you.”

Everyone started mumbling as I stood and reached up to touch it. I felt a little spark when I did, pulling my hoof away quickly. “Thanks for not making a big deal out of this, everyone. Making this decision was already hard enough without everyone messing with me.” The fact that I hadn’t already been introduced to only two ponies out of this whole group helped, but it still felt awkward, especially considering that the guy Luna called Cobalt was the first one to speak.

“We’ll save our congratulations for later. Based on what we’ve just been told, we don’t have a whole lot of time on our hooves right now.”

Celestia nodded and made her way through us. With closed eyes, she removed the elements from the tree and brought them back to their respective ponies. In small flashes, each one returned to the shape that fit inside the pendant, and Twilight’s crown once again looked… normal.

“Now, I’d like you all to return to the castle so that we may discuss what my sister and I believe should be our next course of action.”

I’m not sure if it was my new royal status or what, but I found myself staying behind and raising my voice as everyone began to walk away. “We’re not done.”

All heads turned my way, and I think one or two jaws dropped. Luna raised a brow, but there was no sign of emotion on her face to tell me if she was upset with my defiance or not. “Is that so, child?”

I swallowed back a lump in my throat, taking a deep breath before speaking again. “You said you’d tell us everything when we got here. Well, I still have one question, and your answer earlier wasn’t good enough. Why me? Why make me a prince? Why not Astro, who’s apparently a super powerful unicorn? Why not Cobalt, who you’ve said is a guard captain? Surely he’s more fit to be a leader than I am. Heck, even Jet let his own little vigilante group before he moved to Ponyville. So why, of all ponies, have you chosen me? And say it out loud so everyone can hear. They all deserve to know.”

She sighed and turned around, bringing everyone back with her. When my sister came over, I made sure to keep her close just in case her reaction to what Luna would say was… less than stellar.

“Very well.” Luna closed her eyes for a moment. Isn’t it weird how some people do that right before they say something big? “The Elements of Virtue were given to me by one of the kings of El Dorbronco. One of your ancestors—”

I should have known it’d be Rarity to say something. “Wait, did you say El Dorbronco? As in, El Dorbronco, the city of gold? I thought that was only a myth!”

The princess raised a hoof. “Very few ponies know of the city’s existence. They never did make any attempts at garnering attention. That is, until 19 years ago when the first signs of Decay’s return began to show. My sister and I were actually traveling there to meet with the king, and a terrible earthquake tore the city from the rest of our continent. All of its residents were turned to stone, though we managed to save one little colt, who just so happened to be the king’s son: prince Solar Flare. Or as you know him: Nova Dash.”

I think the reactions those words were met with were what I would have gotten if Twilight hadn’t already become an alicorn before me. Loud gasps, wide eyes, and a sister that tore herself away from me and shook her head.

“Now hold on a minute! You’re saying that the stallion I’ve known since birth isn’t my real brother? Princess, I know you don’t have any reason to lie to us, but I find that really hard to believe!”

Rainbow’s words were followed by quite a bit of chatter, but Luna simply held up her hoof again, and I kind of stepped on my sister’s tail to quiet her. “I understand that this may be hard to believe, but as Nova gets closer and closer to meeting his full potential, you’ll see. My sister and I chose you above all others because of your close connection to El Dorbronco and the Elements of Virtue. Not only that, but as a princess myself, I know what I’m saying when I tell you that leadership runs in the blood. Whether you know it or not, assuming your role as a prince will be much easier than you think.”

Again my sister was the first to speak up. “Nova… you seriously gave up racing? That was your whole life! You worked so hard, and for what? Just to throw it all away?”

It took a few moments, but finally I looked up at her with a certain answer. “Racing may have been my passion… but this isn’t my choice to make. If I’m really the best choice, then who am I to deny Equestria a new leader? Who am I to force Twilight to reign over Equestria with someone she barely knows, or worse, all by herself? Yes, it was a very difficult decision, but it was one I had to make.”

“Well, I must say, the horn seems oddly fitting for you.” Of all ponies, Rarity was the last I expected to hear a compliment out of.

However, my mood started to brighten when one of my favorite ponies decided to start talking. “Wow! Can you imagine? A city of gold! And Nova’s a prince! Wait, if the city is gold, why aren’t you all shiny and stuff? In fact, why aren’t you gold? Oh, silly me! If you were gold, you wouldn’t be able to breathe, and that’s kind of important!”

Finally, Applejack decided to poke a hoof on Pinkie’s mouth. The hyperactive mare never failed to cheer others up, but this was a serious matter. Twilight seemed to understand this too, as she hung back with me as we all made our way back to the castle.

“You seem pretty calm given what we just heard.”

I let out a sigh, looking up into the sky. Well, more like the trees blocking out the sky. “To be honest, Twi, I always had a sneaking suspicion that I wasn’t truly related to the Dash family. I mean, look at me compared to all of them. It didn’t really surprise me to find out I was adopted, and at this point I don’t really care where I came from.”

She tilted her head at me and blinked. “Why’s that? Haven’t you ever been curious?”

“Well, I have, but not to the extent that you’d think. I mean, Thunder Dash and Rainbowshine raised me basically from birth. I was in their family even before Rainbow was born. Even if my father named me Solar Flare, my dad named me Nova Dash, and Nova Dash is who I am. I guess this knowledge doesn’t really faze me because I know who I am. Even though I’m pretty much a prince now, deep down I’m still Thunder Dash’s pride and joy and Rainbowshine’s little boy.”

A soft smile began to spread on her muzzle. “Well, that’s very admirable. Though your statement about knowing who you are is a little invalid now.”

“Invalid?”

The alicorn nodded and pointed towards the royal sisters, then to my horn. “We just learned that, regardless of how long you were actually with them, your parents were royalty. That means you are, too. Your life was, in a way, already determined for you at birth.”

I shook my head, spreading my wings out. “No, Twilight. I made my life. Even now I’m still making it. Luna gave me a choice, and while I honestly don’t feel I could have said no, I did have the option. I could still be a racer right now.”

“So… why give that up?”

I sighed again, lowering my head some. “I don’t know. I loved racing. I still love racing. It’s just… I do feel like this is something I have to do. Giving up my passion was not an easy decision, and even now I’m questioning whether or not I made the right one. There’s no going back, though.”

Twilight started picking up her pace so she could catch up with the others. “Well, just know that you’re not giving up everything. You still have us, and your friends aren’t going anywhere.”

That was enough to help me lift my head back up. “Thanks Twi, that means a lot.”

She nodded and turned around. “You don’t need to thank me. We’re friends. Besides, we both already said that we’re in this together, right?”

Smiling became a lot easier when she said this, and I found myself picking up the pace as well to catch up with her. “Yeah, together.”

Chapter 4: Allies

A New Era

Story 7

Chapter 4: Allies

By: SleeplessScribe

Life in my kingdom was getting worse by the day. My hunters would be gone for days in search of enough love to feed my Changelings, and even then it would only serve to quite a roaring hunger in their shrinking stomachs. Some days I wondered if it was my love for my subjects that was giving them just enough strength to hang on. In hindsight, my attempt to take over Equestria was not my greatest idea, and looking back I found myself wishing I had at least tried to make some kind of diplomatic deal. I guess I was so used to being met with fear and hatred that I expected Celestia to decline my requests.

In recent days, I had made a habit of stepping outside of the hive and spend a few minutes just watching the horizons beyond my dying kingdom. Today, however, was very far out of the ordinary. As I walked towards my normal resting place in the rocky hills of my kingdom, a gravelly, deep voice rang out from behind me.

“I feel your pain.”

I froze the instant I heard it, my eyes darting from side to side as I looked around. “Who are you, and where are you? If you’re here to attack me, know that I am queen of the Changelings, not some everyday plebian.”

“Yes. I know who you are, dear Chrysalis. Please, relax, I am not here to hurt you, but to offer my assistance.”

“If you’re truly here to do as you claim, then why do you hide?”

After a short pause, I began to hear what sounded like crumbling stone. “Oh, forgive me, dear queen.”

I nearly jumped when I turned around. On one of the taller stones was a face more equine than I cared for, though its features and coloring were just as stony as the rock it was in. A horn about as long as my own protruded from his head, poking through a jagged mess of something I couldn’t make out, though I assumed it to be his mane.

“Did I startle you? I do apologize. I also hope you’ll forgive me for not mincing words.”

“Mincing words?”

The face cocked a brow, a grin appearing on the muzzle and revealing jagged, sharp teeth unlike anything I’d seen on a normal pony. “We’re not that different, you and I. You are feared and hated just as I am, and we both were dealt humiliating defeats by the royal sisters of Equestria.”

My ears perked when I heard this. I didn’t trust this talking rock as far as I could throw it, but at least it had my attention now.

“I understand your struggle. As a queen, you were just trying to feed your poor, starving subjects. Those ponies were blinded by their desires for self-preservation, with tunnel vision so severe they couldn’t see the blatant pain you and your Changelings were in. Pain that you still experience even now. I, too, know the pain of being unable to provide for your subjects.”

Now I was actually facing him. He knew he had me, but I still did my best to seem uninterested. “Big whoop, you know how I feel. Why have you gone so far just to tell me all this? Why do you want to ‘help’ us?”

His grin faded, turning into a rather menacing scowl. “Because it’s not fair! Equestria basks in comfort and harmony, while you and your people scrape by with barely anything! Why are you hated and feared by them? Did it never occur to them that your methods were your only means of survival? No! They prosper while you die! Why is this gift not the Changelings’ to claim as well? My desire is to help bring that prosperity to you, and show the ponies of Equestria what it’s to be on the paper thin line between life and death.”

My eyes widened as I stared at the face. “What do you stand to gain from all this?”

“I have my own issues with the royal sisters. Since I’d love nothing more than to see them brought down, I thought ‘Why not help a people in need while I’m at it?’ and chose to help the Changelings flourish again.”

I furrowed my brows, my own scowl starting to form. “I see, so you just want to use us to achieve your own goals.”

“Oh, not at all! I don’t need the Changelings, believe me. I am weak now, but if you can do your best to hold out for three more months, I will return completely renewed. My army will rise, and when they do, there will be no power in Equestria that can stop them.”

I rolled my eyes. I’d heard enough, and I did all I could to make that obvious. “You’re not making a very good case for yourself.”

“Oh, by all means, have a seat and allow me to rectify that.”

Before I could respond, a thick, tall tuft of grass bursts forth from beneath me, forming an admittedly soft seat. “What? How did you?”

“I have more power than you realize, dear Chrysalis, and I want to use it to help you. I’ve been around longer than you know, and I’ve seen your life from the start. I remember when the Changeling Kingdom flourished just as much as Equestria did. Alas, as time went on, sources of love began to shrink. Then came the famine, and a cold wind blew in this land. All the while, the winds in Equestria brought comfort and warmth in place of the horrid scent of death. Chrysalis, my friend, how can you seem so content knowing a land and its people a thriving so close by while yours are fighting to live?”

I could do nothing apart from look away. Whoever this creature was, he was starting make valid points. “It doesn’t matter. We’ve already tried attacking Canterlot once, and my plans were foiled.”

“Ah, but all would have been yours had it not been for one Twilight Sparkle, yes? Trust me, my dear, nuisances like her will not be an issue with me at your side. I can promise you that.”

I could no longer take it. In fact, I should have asked him right from the start, but admittedly I was kind of sidetracked with listening to him. “Just who exactly are you?”

He let out a loud, sinister laugh that echoed through the rocky hills loudly enough to scare away the few buzzard that were around. “Who am I? I am that which rots and destroys. I am the force that none can fight, and none can resist. I cause even the tallest of trees to fall and the greatest of stone fortresses to crumble. I am what greets all life at its end. I am natural, I am eternal, I am inevitable.”

Before my very eyes, the face in the stone began to come forward, and as it did, more and more of an actual body began to show. Once he was fully exposed, he broke off from the rock entirely. His mane and tail went from the stony grey to varying shades of grey and brown, and his coat took on a new brown as well. He was wearing similar attire to that of Celestia, though it was chipped and cracked in various places as well. A part of me wondered just for a moment if he could fly with all the tatters in his wings, as well as how he was even still standing with all the scars and burns that covered his body, and lastly my eyes rested on his, solid black with bright red irises that looked more like rings in empty holes.

“I am Decay.”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a tad bit impressed, but there was no way I’d actually let him know that. “That’s quite a sales pitch you have. Did you write it yourself?”

He just chuckled and began to circle around my grassy cushion. “I speak from the heart, not from a script. Think about it, my dear; nothing I’ve said is false. In the end, everything falls prey to decay and eventually rots away. Some things are just better at staving it off than others.”

As I watched him, I rolled my eyes and stood back up. “That’s all well and good, but let me be blunt: what do we gain out of working with each other? You haven’t given me very convincing answers on either side.”

Decay grinned and inched closer to my face. “Sweet, sweet Chrysalis… if I must gain something from this… then I guess it would be peace of mind. The royal sisters of Equestria have wronged me, and seeing them brought to their knees would put me at ease.”

He continued to close in even as I straightened up and started snarling. “You, however, are gaining tremendously. Not only would you have a new land to call your kingdom, but my army, even now as they slowly rise again, is very, very loyal. When I say fight, they fight. When I say run, they run. When I say love,” my eyes widened, prompting him to smirk, “they love. My soldiers would be ready and willing to feed your starving subjects long after the citizens of Equestria have been drained. Your people would never go hungry again, and you would have all the power you could dream of.”

By now I could feel his breath against my muzzle. I readied myself to bite him, but he suddenly stopped. Decay raised his brows, grinning as he backed away. “In fact, why don’t I give you a free sample? I realize that my proposal is rather heavy, so I shouldn’t have expected an answer right away. Please forgive me and return to your home. I’ve prepared a little surprise for you, and I’m sure decision making will be much easier once you’ve had a chance to… feed.”

Decay slowly opened his wings, and he took off as soon as I rushed towards him. “Wait!”

“Farewell for now, my queen. We will speak again soon.”

It was a wonder he could even fly with such tattered feathers, but then again, I could walk with at least four holes in each leg. Even after he faded out of my sight, I still sat there staring at the sky. I think I sat there for a good ten minutes trying to figure out what exactly had just happened.

My trip back to the hive was long, lonely, and noticeably colder than it was earlier. I began to think of my subjects and how many parents were having to tell their children there would be no dinner that night. I thought of how many of my dear Changelings would be shivering even through thick blankets, as we were very sensitive to the cold. Feeding made us stronger, but even I was starting to feel the effects of our lack of sustenance.

“Is something troubling you, Your Highness?”

I looked up quickly the minute I heard the voice. Changeling voices were very distinct, and this was far too… equine to be one of my guards. Instead, I was met with a very odd looking creature. It was most certainly a pegasus pony, but rather than feathered wings or a mane and tail, thick tree branches protruded from its sides with large leaves extending out of them, and two more large leaves sprouted out of its head and rear. I immediately lowered myself and pointed my horn at him, but he simply bowed to me.

“I’ve been instructed to serve you, my queen. What would you have me do?”

As I stared him down, I felt a power resonating from him. Love came in many forms, some stronger than others, but this… “protect you with my life” variant was good enough. He hadn’t moved since he posed his question, so I lifted his head with a smile.

“Just hold still.”

It wasn’t often that I had the chance to feed on a willing source, so just taking in the power without changing my appearance felt a little odd. He never even flinched as I fed, and when I was finished he just shook a few times. I had to admit, while it was nothing like what I had experience during my time in Canterlot, those few seconds of feeding left me more satisfied than I had felt in months.

“You may rise.” When he did, I smirked at him. “I trust it is not only me you wish to keep safe, correct?”

He slowly shook his head. “I was told to protect all Changelings. Their safety and comfort is my only concern.”

My smirk grew into a grin as I began rubbing my hooves together. “Wonderful… is there any chance there are others like you?”

“My brethren sprout one by one, but in time they will return by the tens, then hundreds, then thousands. We have all been ordered to serve you.”

“I see. Well then, my friend, I assume you know that I have just… fed off of you, correct?”

“It is my honor and pleasure to nourish you and your people, Your Highness.”

If I could feed on him, then I knew my subjects could as well. I still had my doubts about Decay, but I decided to wait and see if he really had thousands of these living feeding troughs for me. “Find your king and give him my thanks, then return to me.”

He just nodded and spread his branch… leaf… wing… things. “As you wish.”

I watched him take off with a grin. The possibility that Decay was simply trying to earn my trust so he could act out a greater plan was a thought that would never leave my mind, but for now his gift seemed genuine, and very, very welcome.

My people would starve no more, and that, in all honesty, was all I really wanted. Everything else I was promised was just icing on the cake.

I looked down to the ground I was standing on. Call me crazy, but something told me he could hear my just because I was standing on stone. “You’ve convinced me… for now. Only time will tell if I can truly trust you or not. If I receive what I’ve been promised, you’ll have yourself an ally.”

After a very long pause, I almost walked away. However, as I took my first few steps, I heard that raspy voice echo through the air.

“Excellent. I will see you again soon, my dear, and we can discuss how to begin our coup… with significantly less hunger. Until then, enjoy my gift to you.”

As his voice faded, I heard hoof steps behind me and turned to find not one, not two, not three, but seven of those ponies behind me, all bowing their heads. The mere sight sent a chill up my spine, and I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized just how powerful we were about to become.

Chapter 5: New Developments

A New Era

Story 7

Chapter 5: New Developments

By: SleeplessScribe

Light was just starting to come through the library windows as I closed my twenty-fifth book. I was so wrapped up in my reading that I didn’t even realize I wasn’t alone until the steaming mug was set beside me.

“You’ve been up since last night. Figured you could use a pick me up.”

Nova and I were asked to stay at the castle while the others went home and got their affairs in order. “Thanks, Nova. I don’t understand how you can even sleep. Not only have we been given a massive role to fulfill, but you just learned that the family you’ve lived with for nineteen years isn’t actually related to you.”

He sat down beside me and took a sip of his own coffee. “My time at the academy taught me that worry and panic are the fastest ways to bring about your own undoing. I do have a lot on my mind, but I’m just trying not to let it bother me too much. You’d be surprised how much of my time last night was spent tossing and turning as opposed to actually sleeping.”

I let out a sigh and sipped at my drink. “Has Princess Luna said anything to you about magic yet?”

Nova just shrugged. “I was kind of hoping you’d be able to help me with that. The princess told me she wanted to focus on improving my offensive capabilities right now, but if I’m going to have a horn for the rest of my life, I’d at least like to learn how to levitate objects.”

“I’d love to, but I still have a lot of material to go through.” In fact, I was already eight pages into my next book.

He set his hoof under the front cover and lifted it. “A Brief History of the Empire, volume XIII. Geeze, Twi, what are you trying to get out of this?”

Before even trying to reply, I lightly swatted his hoof away. “I need to learn as much as I can as fast as I can about Equestria’s politics and traditions. I also need to read up on what mistakes we made so I can avoid repeating them.”

My friend rolled his eyes. “You really need to lighten up.” He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath through his nose. “Do you smell that?”

I shook my head without taking my eyes off the pages. Nova continued his dog-like sniffing, and eventually he got so close to me that I could feel his breath.

“Found it! You smell good, Twilight.”

“Excuse me? Hey!”

He pressed his muzzle against me and continued sniffing. “You smell really good.”

“Nova, you’re in my personal space!” Within moments, my irritation turned to laughter as he moved down to my neck. “Stop! That tickles! Haha! Nova, cut it out!”

He finally sat back up after leaving me laughing on the floor. Once I calmed down and sat up, he started sniffing the air again, so I gave him a gentle push. “What was that about?”

“Isn’t it nice to forget about your problems for a little bit?” He leaned back and grinned, tempting me to smack him in the stomach.

“I guess you’re right. That was kind of funny.”

He smiled, opened his wing, and put it around me. “Look Twi, I know this is something you really want to get done, but you need to relax. You’re right; this is a lot for me to take in, but I know a way for both of us to ease the stress, at least for a little bit.

Over the years, I learned that my ears twitched whenever someone or something caught my attention. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Nova noticed them the minute he finished speaking.

“Oh? What would that be?”

“Well, it’s pretty obvious we’ll be spending quite a long time together, and despite the time we’ve already spent together, I still don’t know you as well as I’d like. It’s still pretty early, but I know a nice little café not too far from here. If you’d like, I could treat you to some breakfast and real coffee.”

I stared at him with a smirk on my face. “You just want a reason to ask me out, don’t you?”

Nova’s face turned a shade to match the red in his mane. “W-What? No, no, it’s not like that, I just—”

Getting him all flustered like that was actually really fun. “Oh please, you don’t think I’ve read a book or two on the subject out of curiosity? This is a perfect example of one of the 628 ways a stallion will ask a mare out on a date, commonly referred to as the ‘coffee offer’.”

The look on his face was enough to make even a royal guard laugh. “Sure, fine, yeah. I’m asking you out. Twilight, if my intentions were to subtly ask if you wanted to try dating me, I’d have just said it. Don’t you remember that I already did? I asked you out once, and you said you’d think about it, and decided the next day that we could go out as friends.”

My ears fell flat as my slight superiority complex dissolved into dust. “Oh yeah. Guess I just wasn’t thinking about it.”

“Hey now, don’t give me that look!” He leaned forward and nudged my shoulder. “Come on, Twilight. Breakfast, my treat. We can sit down, talk about some stuff, and get our minds off our ‘eternal destinies’ and whatnot. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you need to loosen up a little. Stressing yourself out all the time is going to get you nowhere.”

I let out a long sigh and slowly closed the book. “Fine. If I do this, will you refrain from interrupting me again?”

He rolled his eyes, but his smile told me he couldn’t have been too irritated. “No promises, but I’ll try.”

Nova held his hoof out to me, and a small smile crossed my muzzle as I took a hold of it. “Good enough for me.”

He wasn’t lying when he said it wasn’t that far away. From the castle courtyard, it was just a short trip to the city square and a minute or two of walking down the left road. Despite it being so early, there were still plenty of ponies out and about, and none of them seemed to think that we wouldn’t notice them giving us odd looks and whispering to one another. I could only imagine what kinds of assumptions they were making, but I was brought back to earth by a nudge on the shoulder.

“Ignore it. I’ve learned that when ponies start doing that when smiling, at least you know they’re not saying anything bad.”

Nova opened the door to a small building that bore a strong resemblance to a countryside cottage. It seemed rather… out of place, considering the usual style Canterlot architecture normally followed, but the minute I walked in, the appearance became the last thing on my mind. The aroma of honey, freshly baked bread, and cinnamon filled the air as we entered the little café, and my reaction got a small chuckle out of Nova.

“This place has you already, doesn’t it? Evergreen does good work.”

“Did someone say my name?” A colt popped up from behind the counter ahead of us. It was like looking at a topiary: Everything but the colt’s eyes was a shade of green. “Oh, hey there Nova! Haven’t seen you in a whi—” He froze mid-sentence and stared at us. Evergreen turned to me and bowed quickly before addressing Nova again. “Knowledge of Princess Twilight is common at this point, but since when were you an Alicorn, Nova?”

He just looked away and groaned a little. “Eh… it’s a long story.”

Evergreen grinned and leaned against the counter. “That’s fine! I’ve got plenty of time to hear about this!”

Nova let out a sigh. “Can we please not talk about it?”

“Heck no! Dude, you’re basically a prince now. That’s big news!”

I stepped between them and kept my eyes on Evergreen. “I think you need to respect him. Like you said, he is a prince now, and if he says he doesn’t want to talk about something, then you shouldn’t egg him on.”

Evergreen’s ears fell flat. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry… anyways, what can I get you two? I haven’t gotten much done, but I’m sure I have most of the stuff you can order ready.”

He nudged his head back a little, drawing my attention to the menus on the wall. Behind the counter he had two large lists on either side of the door. One was titled “Drinks” and the other “Treats”, and each had the items one could order on the left side and that item’s price on the right side. I was actually caught slightly off guard; this place had a bigger selection than Sugar Cube Corner did!

After perusing all my options, I found a combo that I just couldn’t resist. “I’ll take a small cherry cake with a green tea, please.”

I hadn’t really paid much attention, but seeing him reach up and grab a notepad made me realize why this place seemed so different from the rest of Canterlot: Evergreen was an earth pony. It didn’t really matter, but it was an interesting little fact.

He started scribbling on the notepad and turned to Nova. “Got it. And for you, Nova?”

Nova tapped his chin a few times before shrugging. “The usual.”

Evergreen nodded and jotted that down as well. “Gotcha. Cream and two sugars, right?”

“That’s it. Oh, one thing though: can I get the pie without whipped cream this time?”

He blinked once and slowly nodded. “Sure… oh, and don’t worry about paying. I could never ask for payment from the royalty!”

Before either of us had a chance to respond, Evergreen turned and went through the door behind the counter. Nova, however, didn’t seem to have a problem with his friend’s statement. “Really? Well, thanks Evergreen! That’s nice of you!” He then turned to me, jumping a little when he saw my glare. “What?”

After grabbing hold of him, I pulled him over to one of the booths near the corner. I lowered my voice, but my irritation was still pretty blatant. “Nova! I know you did not just accept a free gift for no reason!”

His ears flattened as he turned towards the counter. “Why? What’s the problem?”

“I am not comfortable accepting gifts like that, and you shouldn’t be either! Just because we’re royalty now does not me we should get unfair privileges. Everypony else has to pay for their meals, so we should too. Now get over there and let him know you don’t want any special treatment!”

Nova rolled his eyes, which made me want to smack him. “Don’t roll your eyes at me! You’re doing a very poor job of winning me over.”

His own eyes widened for a moment. “I know Evergreen better than you do. He isn’t going to just let me pay him.”

“You’re a prince now. It may not be official, but you still are, so make him take the money!”

I noticed him shake a bit as he made his way back to the counter and set the money on it. “Evergreen! I’m paying whether you like it or not! It’s not fair that you give us free stuff just because we’re royalty.”

He poked his head out before walking through the door with our entire order in tow. “Haha, that’s funny. No, I said it’s on the house, so you keep your money.”

Nova turned to me, but I just nodded and waved my hooves forward. After seeing this, he sighed and turned back to his friend. “Look, it’s not fair. There’s a reason I didn’t want to make a big deal out of becoming an Alicorn in the first place, so do not treat me any differently than you would if I was still just a pegasus. Take the money.”

“Alright, if you say so. Enjoy your breakfast.”

I picked up both mugs and both plates with my magic. There was a glass door at the side of the café, and I could see tables out there under an awning. I smiled at Evergreen as I headed towards the door. “Thank you very much.”

He smiled and waved to us. “It’s no problem at all, Prin—I mean Twilight.”

Nova followed me out and froze as he approached the table I had chosen. “Twi! Check out that view!”

From where we were, we could look out and see quite a bit of the land below. I even spotted my library. “It’s funny… views like this seemed so mundane before I moved to Ponyville. Now it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time again.”

My friend sat down and took a sip of his coffee. “Yeah, how did you end up in Ponyville? I don’t think I’ve heard that story yet.”

“Well, Princess Celestia had been my magic teacher for a very long while. She saw fit to send me to Ponyville one year not only to oversee preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, but also to make friends. Back then, I thought friendship was a foolish concept. Ironically enough, it was only with the help of my friends that Nightmare Moon was changed back into Princess Luna.”

“Hmm.” He took a bite out of his chocolate pie and looked out at the landscape again. “So you are your friends are indirectly linked to my current… situation.”

“I guess so.” As I sipped my tea, a thought crossed my mind that nearly made me jump. “You know, I have something to ask you.”

“I’m all ears.”

“When you first came here, you said you never visited your sister because you were busy training. Well, why now? And why couldn’t you take time out of your schedule to see her on holidays? I’m sure she would have enjoyed a visit from her brother on Hearth’s Warming.”

He closed his eyes and turned to me. After a long sigh, he opened them and I saw something in them I never thought I’d see Nova Dash display.

Regret.

“I’m not as great a brother as Rainbow’s behavior might make you think. Back when we still lived in Cloudsdale, Rainbow dropped out of Junior Speedsters Flight Camp just before I graduated. Mom and Dad scolded her, but we got into a big fight. It was one of those arguments that ended with an ‘I hate you’ and tears. Rather than apologizing and trying to make up with her, I just got angry and stormed off to pursue my own future. Instead of staying home, I lived on campus when I attended Cloudsdale’s Academy for Advanced Pegasi, and I was so wrapped up with my racing career after my time there that I never even thought about seeing her. Luckily for me, she found it in her heart to forgive me when I finally wrote a letter to her.”

I couldn’t help but feel just a little sorry for him. “I know how you feel. My brother and I got into a fight so bad that he actually forbid me from coming to his wedding. Granted, his ‘bride’ turned out to be an imposter, like I had thought, but I was still crushed when it happened. What prompted you to write to her?”

Whether he did it to avoid talking about it or because he actually wanted some, I was forced to wait until he had finished chugging his drink. “My accident with Spitfire. When I was in the hospital, the only visitors I got were my parents. That made me realize how alone I really was. By just leaving my sister to her own devices instead of trying to help her, it was almost as if I had disowned her. It made me realize how much I missed her, but I didn’t have the confidence to face her, so for a time we just exchanged letters. It wasn’t until that same day I met you that I finally was able to look at her again.”

I raised my brow at him and smirked. “You without confidence? That sounds impossible to me.”

He slowly shook his head. “Twilight, this isn’t a joke. The most precious pony in my life told me she hated me. I know she was young, but it still stung. A lot.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt it. Thanks for telling me that. I… I’m sure it couldn’t have been an easy thing to remind yourself of.”

“It’s fine. You deserve to know.” He set the mug and plate aside once both were empty. “Twilight… what do you think about all of this? Just, me being an Alicorn now, the princesses having a traitorous brother, me being adopted, all that stuff. Can you even give a general opinion?”

It took a little bit of thought, but I did come up with something decent to say. “Well, it certainly caught me off guard. Even with all I know about Equestria’s history, nothing I ever read even hinted at any lost kingdoms or attempted coups. Then again, I don’t think there are any books that date earlier than 2,000 years or so. The princess said that Decay tried to take over at least 6,000 years ago. What are your thoughts?”

Nova turned back to the landscape again, scratching the back of his head. “Having to give up my passion wasn’t easy. But I’m thankful as well. I’m just going to be blunt: I like you, Twilight. A lot. It’s nice to spend time with you, even if we are spending that time preparing for a possible battle.”

My ears twitched as I finished off my coffee. “Speaking of, didn’t you say you wanted to learn a levitation spell?”

“It would certainly make a lot of things much easier.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I lifted his mug up with my magic. “It’s not actually that hard. Magic is all about concentration and visualization. Most spells don’t require much beyond that unless you’re trying to cast adept or higher level magic. To be honest… it’s kind of hard to put into words, seeing as how casting spells has become second nature to me. I’m sure you’d have just as hard a time explaining flight to me.”

That got a chuckle out of him. “Yeah, trying to tell you how to fly would not be easy. The best I could tell you is ‘flap both wings at the same time’, which wouldn’t help at all. So, what, I just concentrate and imagine making this plate float, and it will make the plate float?”

I just nodded. “I know it sounds silly, but that’s how basic magic works."

He actually shook his head. “Silly? No, that’s awesome! It’s like telekinesis or something.”

“Well… I guess so. Just try it. I know it sounds confusing, but once you start doing it, simple magic won’t be that hard to get down.”

“Yeah, I get you. Well, here goes nothing.”

The faces Nova made as he stared at the plate brought me very close to laughing. There was no doubt in my mind he misunderstood what I meant by “concentrate”, but I was too busy trying to keep a straight face to correct him.

After a few minutes, I spotted a faint glow on the tip of his horn. Unfortunately, his attempt ended with a loud pop and a cloud of smoke. When it cleared, Nova was on the ground and rubbing his head. “Ouch… I’m going to assume I didn’t do it.”

“Sadly, no. We need to work on that a lot more.”

He managed to pick himself up, though it took a moment before he was able to stand straight up. “Gotcha!” Nova turned to the plate again, but was met with the same results. Luckily he didn’t get knocked down this time, but he was obviously dazed. “Ugh, this date has taken a poor turn.”

My ears twitched and I couldn’t help but smirk. “Aha! You were asking me out!”

Nova started chuckling as he regained his bearings. “I like how you’re acting like this is some ground breaking event. It’s like I’m the first guy to ever ask you on a date.”

I could feel my face heating up a bit. Now I was finding it hard to look at him, and I started tapping my front hooves together. “Well… to be honest, you kind of are. I mean, there was a guy that asked me to a dance, but that was on the other side of the mirror. You really are the first stallion to outright ask me on a real date.”

He came up to me and gently tapped my muzzle. “You know why that is, Twi? You need to get out more. All your friends, including me, are proof that you can be really outspoken around those you know, but I haven’t really seen you say much beyond a ‘hello’ and the occasional ‘how are you’ with most ponies. You’re nice enough, I’m sure if you had put more effort into socialization you’d probably already have a coltfriend by now.”

My face only got hotter, and I’m sure by this point it was red. “Right… I doubt it. Finding romance has never been a big priority of mine, but I’ve never had much faith in it anyway. Nearly all of the books I read on dating had personality profile charts, and the ones that matched me best were always near the bottom for most likely to find romance.”

Nova blew a loud raspberry and started laughing. “Okay, Twilight, seriously, I know you really enjoy reading, and I myself acknowledge the amount of knowledge you can gain from books, but there are some things you just can’t trust a book to tell you. I can tell you right now that that personality stuff is gaaaaarbage!”

I was beginning to wonder if he was doing all of this for the express purpose of embarrassing me. If he was, it was working very well. “I can’t believe I’m getting a lecture from you of all ponies.”

That did nothing to stop his laughter. “Hey, I can’t help it if I’m more social than you. Listen, Twilight, it may not be my place to say this, but… you need to get some street smarts, especially when it comes to dating. I want to help you, so how about this: when we get back to the castle and find out what the princesses have in store for us, we sit down and make a schedule of some kind.”

A sneeze interrupted him, but I wasn’t given any chance to respond. “Excuse me. You know, we could sort out everything we want to do, and maybe set aside some time just to do things together. We don’t have to call them ‘dates’, and we don’t have to be ‘dating’. We’re just two friends hanging out. Besides, being stuck in the castle all the time is not my idea of fun. I realize this is something we have to do, but nopony said we couldn’t still do things we enjoy, and I enjoy doing stuff with you.”

I was sure my face was still a little red, but the heat was starting to fade away. “Do you really mean that?”

“Yeah! You may not think that I’d have any interest in the things you like, but you’re a pretty cool pony. You’re not as awesome as me, of course, but for a…” He turned away from me and cleared his throat. “Diligent and near perfect student, you’re nowhere near as boring as my sister had me believe.”

As nice as these things were to hear, I had to admit, I was getting very confused. “Nova, I really don’t understand you. We’re on near opposite ends of the spectrum, yet you seem very interested in everything I do. Why is that?”

All he did was shrug. “Don’t base your beliefs of me off of Rainbow. I enjoy a good book every now and again, and I do research things… when they’re relevant. See, I may not be as big on academics as you, but I do realize the benefits of knowledge. To me it feels like you seek knowledge simply because you enjoy learning about all kinds of things. As for me, I seek knowledge for the benefits.”

“I’m not sure I follow completely.”

Nova sat down again and motioned for me to do the same. “Alright, here’s an example: You’ve seen how fast my sister has become through sheer hard work and dedication.” He looked around a few times before continuing. “Don’t tell a soul that I said this, but I believe the only reason I’m faster than her is because I’ve done my homework. Rainbow and I both have the power, but I’d like to think I have better technique. You’d be surprised how much science there is in racing. I did a lot of reading and research to learn every possible thing I could about improving flight performance.”

He took a quick breath and lifted himself into the air, folding all four of his legs underneath of him and lowering his head. “Like this, for example. The way you position your body has a big impact on your speed. Heck, what my uniform is made out of makes a big difference. It’s not just with racing, either; I do all I can to learn things that help me in many different ways. Speaking of which, I guarantee there’s a few books in the royal library that would help me understand the basic concepts of magic.”

“Oh, I know there are. If you’d like, I’ll show you around, seeing as how I’ve been through it many times.”

“I’d appreciate that. The castle is still like a maze to me.”

The trip back to the castle took no time at all, but we were surprised to find neither of the princesses waiting for us. Asking around got us nowhere, as we were only told that they weren’t here, but the guards assured us they were safe. It was apparent we weren’t going to get any more information, so we just went on our way to the library.

“Where do you think we should start, Twi?”

I looked at him and slowly shook my head. “Sorry, Nova, but since we’re back here, I’m going to continue my studies from this morning. Don’t worry, though. The library is divided into wings, and each wing has a pretty obvious name. It shouldn’t be a problem finding books on basic magic.”

He rolled his eyes and nudged my shoulder as I opened the library door. “Oh come on, Twi. You’re really still on that? How can you expect to learn anything if you cram like that? I mean, really, twenty-five books in one night? You need to take a break.”

Nova jumped a little as I turned around and started poking his chest. “Look, Nova, I need to learn as much as I can in a small amount of time. The more I know, the less likely I’ll be to make a huge mistake.”

He let out a sigh and turned away. Even though we were going separate ways, he still saw fit to talk. “I highly doubt Celestia or Luna haven’t already planned this out. They sounded like they knew when the ascension would take place, and I can’t see them not setting aside time to prepare us for governmental responsibilities. Think about it, Twilight, they’re leaving all of Equestria in our care! Do you really believe they’ll just drop that on us?”

There was no reason for him to be raising his voice like he was, and to be honest, it caught me a little off guard. I lowered my ears and turned away from him, but for some reason I could no longer focus on the book I had left open earlier.

After a short pause, stopped pretending to look at the books on theoretical physics and turned to me. “I’m sorry, Twi. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that. I… I’m just as stressed out by this as you are, and I’m just trying to relax. Not to sound rude, but you constantly bringing up that we’re going to have a metric ton of stuff pushed onto our shoulders soon just… it’s not helping. Still, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve that.”

That was apparently enough to at least make me raise my ears again. However, I still didn’t look at him, even when I spoke. “I understand. We’re both a little on edge. I guess I just have a different way of coping with it than you do. Look, for now, let’s just do what we came here to do while we wait for the princesses.”

“Right. I’ll see what I can find. Uh… again, Twi, I’m sorry.”

“Uh huh.” Now that things had calmed down a little, I was able to focus on my reading again. Sometimes I even amazed myself with how fast I could read. Before I knew it, I had gone through the last five volumes of A Brief History of the Empire.

“Twilight! Come look!” There was still a decent stack of unread books before me, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t just a little curious. When I turned around to peek on the other side of the bookshelf, Nova was right in my face sporting a huge grin. “I did it! I did it!”

I tilted my head. “Did what?”

He grabbed a hold of me and pulled me over to the nearby table. The two books on the left of and open one, compared to the six on the right, were what made me realize just how fast of a reader I was. Nova sat me down on the opposite side of his books before sitting across from me.

“Watch this.”

Nova leaned over the book and stared at it. The tip of his horn began to shine a little brighter than this morning, and he was already doing marginally better than this morning simply because he hadn’t blown himself up yet. He began to shake a little, and I couldn’t help but smile as his efforts reminded me of the days when I first started studying magic.

Back then, simply flipping a page without touching it was a big thing for me, so I understood his excitement when the glowing page before him turned over. It left him panting once he had done it, but he was smiling too.

“I’ll probably never be able to do the things you can, but it’s a start, right? If I keep practicing, I might be able to lift the whole book by this afternoon!”

To be honest, his enthusiasm was kind of cute, for lack of a better word. “I’m sure you will, just keep at it.”

He chuckled and dove back into his book. As I made my way back to my own desk and sat down, I began thinking more and more about what Nova had said earlier. It got so bad that I could no longer focus on my current book. Out of curiosity, I poked my head around the corner to see how Nova was doing. He was trying to flip each page using his magic, but he looked more like he had just run for five miles without stopping. Well… that probably would’ve been easy for him, but my point still stands.

Trying to focus on my own reading became near impossible. Not only was I thinking about what Nova had told me, but I also started to think about our friends. I really couldn’t imagine how they felt having to go home and tell others that they wouldn’t be there for a while. The fact that Canterlot was my home didn’t make that any easier, either.

The point Nova had tried to make was that Celestia and Luna wouldn’t just drop this burden on us without making sure we were ready. What I was truly doubtful of now was whether or not we would be told all there was to tell about Terrario, El Dorbronco, and the Elements. I knew the princesses had their reasons for hiding things, but I felt the same way about our current situation as I did about what we’d be faced with in the future, and I wanted to know everything I could.

If there was one place that might have even a smidgen of information regarding those subjects, it would be the archives created by someone with direct experience.

With a new goal in mind, I headed towards the Starswirl the Bearded wing and made a vow to read through every single book, journal, and scrap book it had.

Chapter 6: Goodbyes

A New Era

Story 7

Chapter 6: Goodbyes

By: SleeplessScribe

Cobalt

As a guard captain, I understood how imperative it was for all of us to begin preparations as fast as we could, but as I flew over the Crystal Empire on my way home to the city of Meadowbrook, I couldn’t help but feel just a little angry at how Princess Celestia had only given all of us two days to get our affairs in order. To be honest, I wouldn’t have put it past her to give us only one if I lived closer to Canterlot. I found out that two of the other colts that were involved in this lived a ways away as well, so they probably had something to do with it, too.

Meadowbrook was just a short flight north of the Crystal Empire, though I was stopped before I could reach the city walls. A loud roar echoed through the sky as the stony-scaled dragon flew over me. He slowly came to a stop and hovered overhead.

“A rough and dangerous road awaits you, child.”

It was kind of funny how such a beast could blend in so well with the sky, especially since his scales, albeit blue and grey, made him look like he was covered in rocks. “I realize that. I suppose you already know this, but I’m just here to say goodbye. My troops will understand, but I’m still worried about the city and what could happen while I’m gone. Not only that, but I’m absolutely dreading breaking the news to Gilda.”

“Young Cobalt, you need not worry. I have kept watch over this city since the end of the White War. Do you truly believe I will not continue to do so?”

I looked down some. “No, Vahlok. I just can’t help but worry. My fathers have commanded the city guard since Meadowbrook first established an official law enforcement and military force. There’s also Gilda, like I said. Explaining everything to her is what I’m really going to have a hard time doing.”

Vahlok let out a low chuckle, though even that sounded like a menacing snarl coming from a dragon. “I believe you’ll find that an easier task than you believe.”

I tilted my head, but started to understand as we made our way to the mountain Meadowbrook had been built into. Standing before the city gates were at least seven figures, and they all made their way towards me when I touched down. My sisters pretended to pout as Gilda wrapped her arms around me. They always did like getting the first hugs. Once we broke, I gave her a quick kiss on the tip of her beak before both mares pulled me away for their hugs.

Cyan, the oldest of us, adjusted her glasses and looked up at the large dragon behind me. “Vahlok has explained a lot to us already, so you know what we’re going to say.”

As serious as this was, I couldn’t help but smile when I looked to my other older sister, whose eyes I could actually see instead of trying to stare through the long, blonde hair she used to hide them behind. “Do you really have to leave, Cobalt? Is there really nopony else that can go in your place?”

My gaze turned to my girlfriend, but Gilda’s focus was behind us. The tapping of my father’s cane against the stone road was the only thing between us and complete silence. Behind him was Shield Shatter, my lieutenant, and Twister and Heavyweight, two of my most well-respected gate guards. It was no surprise to me that Twister didn’t say anything, but I fully expected Shatter and Ol’ Red – which was Heavyweight’s preferred nickname – to have a few words for me. Instead, my father came between us all and cleared his throat.

“Cerulean, you know as well as I do that this is your brother’s path to walk and his alone. That being said, I would like to hear about what exactly is going on. Vahlok has only told us that you must leave for a time.”

I waited for a moment to see if anyone else had words for me. When it became apparent none of them did, I took my pendant out from underneath my armor and held it up so they call could see it. “This is the element of Devotion, one of the six Elements of Valor. They go together with the six Elements of Harmony to create the greatest power in all of Equestria. This power will be needed to quell a strong evil that will soon return to Equestria. Princess Luna believes I am an embodiment of this element, and as a result, am the only one fit to go. Believe me, if I had the option to say here, I would.”

Shatter came up to me with a look on her face that was near impossible to attach one emotion to. “I know better than to argue with you, so I’ll just make things a little easier. Please, Captain, try not to worry too much. You’ve seen me take over before.”

I slowly nodded. “Thanks, Shatter… but there’s more to this than just the city. Of course, the safety of Meadowbrook’s citizens has always been one of my main concerns, but I’m… afraid. I’m not proud to admit it, but I am. If I don’t come back, all of you will have to go on without me… and that’s something that truly scares me. We have no idea what this enemy is capable of, save for the fact that we know he managed to overpower the princesses.”

After seeing some of the faces I was met with, I shook my head. “It’s complicated. I’d equate it to a ‘dirty trick’ or something. Like… he did something to gain more power that the sisters could do too, but didn’t want to for fear of the damage it would cause. That kind of power isn’t something to be messed with.”

Cyan opened her mouth but shut it immediately after another voice came out.

“You’ll come back.”

All heads turned towards Red, who backed up a little to reveal the skinny, silver-coated pegasus behind him. Twister’s blue mane was hiding her eyes, but she moved it out of the way and looked right into my own.

“You’re strong, and you won’t be alone. If everything you’ve said is true, you’ll have eleven other ponies helping you. Please don’t worry, Captain; the last thing you need is to be thinking about us and distracting yourself.”

Everything was silent as we stared at each other. I slowly made my way towards her, wrapping my forelegs around her once I was close enough. “Thanks, Twister. I needed that. I need to leave tomorrow afternoon, but I just can’t bring myself to say goodbye to everyone. Shatter, if anyone asks about me, just tell them I was called away for a while.”

She saluted, but I didn’t give her a chance to speak. “All of you, back to your posts.” I then turned to my father and sisters, nodding to them. “I’ll see you all at home, but I’d like some time with Gilda if you don’t mind.”

They all maintained their silence as they headed towards the city gates. Vahlok spread his wings but did not take off. “I shall return to my cave in the mountain. However, I urge you to visit the blacksmith before your departure. I have informed him of your journey, and he has prepared a gift that is sure to aid you.”

Gilda and I were left on our own once he had flown off. I turned to her, but she was just staring at the ground. However, she did turn to me when I opened my mouth. “That’s really scary, Cobalt. You know I don’t get scared, but the thought of losing you is just… too much. The worst part is that I know Dash is a part of this too. What if I lost both of you? I… I… I couldn’t even imagine how I would feel.”

She took a step back as I approached her, but allowed me to close the gap and wrap my forelegs around her. “I know, Gilda, I know. I won’t ask you not to worry, and I don’t expect you to stay calm, but please, please, please don’t let this consume you. Gilda, I swear to you I’ll come back. I’ll be cautious and I’ll do everything I can to avoid risks, but you know I’ll have to take them.”

The sweet griffin pressed herself against my chest. “Never make a girl a promise if you can’t keep it.”

I knew she would say that, and I already had a response ready. “I made that promise for a reason. This very oath is what’s going to make it a guarantee that you won’t lose me. You’ve already lost so much, I have no right to make you lose more.”

She curled her talons and beat her fist against my chest plate. “I swear, if you get hurt, I’ll never forgive you. I’ll make sure you cut your lip each time we kiss! I—”

Leaning forward, I pressed my lips against her forehead. “I love you too, Gilda. Look, I have to leave tomorrow, so let’s make the most of the rest of today and tomorrow morning, okay? Focusing on being away from one another isn’t going to do us any good.”

“How can you be so… so calm?” Gilda looked up at me and backed away. “You’re the first person in a long while that I’ve allowed beyond my own personal wall. Can you really forget about that so easily?”

I slowly shook my head, nudging it forward so she would at least start walking with me. “Haven’t you been listening? I’m just as afraid as you. I don’t fear death… but I fear loss. Ever since I was told what I needed to do, I’ve been thinking about what might happen to you if I don’t come back. That’s why I promised you I would, Gilda. You’d be surprised how much extra motivation a simple promise can give.”

She was keeping her gaze off of me, but I caught her glancing back every now and again. “I’m going to miss you. We all are, but I will especially. You know my story… I’m tired of being alone.”

I came to a stop and waited until she noticed. Once she had come back to me, I lifted her head up and smiled. “You’re not alone, even when I’m not here. This is your home now, and as far as the important ones here are concerned, you’re family. My father, my sisters, Shatter, Red, Twister, everyone accepts you now. Those bigots that still don’t want you here? Who cares? Listen, Gilda, I know it will be hard, but I need you to be strong.”

She took a deep breath, and I couldn’t help but feel a little better when I saw that small smile form on her beak. “Yeah, you’re right. I guess I just forgot I can still depend on myself. I’ve lived like that for so long, so having others to lean on feels like a necessity.”

Anvil’s smithy was slowly coming into view now that we had started walking again, so I knew I had to wrap this up somehow. “Just remember that you still have my family, and everyone in the guard. While it’s certainly cute that you’re so comfortable around me, it helps to have more than one person to confide in.”

That got her attention. She swiped at me and let out a low growl. “I swear, if you call me cute one more time, I’ll—” Gilda paused and just stared at me for a few moments. She lowered her claw, turning away from me and hanging her head again. “Damn you, Cobalt. I can’t even finish a threat with you anymore. I really am getting soft….”

I patted her shoulder so she’d turn to me again. “There’s nothing wrong with being soft to a degree. I’ve got a big soft spot for you, and you know that.”

She sighed. “Right. Let’s just go before I embarrass myself even more.”

“Alright then.”

Anvil waved as soon as he caught sight of us. “There you are! I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Sorry, bud. I was kind of busy talking to everyone that met me at the gate. Vahlok said you had something for me.”

He nodded slowly and went through the doorway behind him. “Indeed I do! I was told of your new duty, so I figured I’d do my part to help.”

Both my and Gilda’s eyes widened when he came back. On the counter he had set four boots, a chest plate, a sword, and even a shield. There were all made of the same jagged, stony material, and the coloring made it obvious what this material was.

“Well, what do you think? I dare say this is my best work yet.”

I rubbed my eyes quickly just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. “Anvil… where did you get this?”

A sly grin crossed his face. “A… charitable donation. Vahlok saw it as both a test of my skills and a tremendous benefit to you. Genuine dragon scales… light as a feather, but stronger than the finest steel.” He gave the chest plate a few taps. “Go on, let’s give it a field test. It’s even enchanted, and Vahlok will show you how to summon it so you don’t have to carry it around.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I turned to Gilda. “See? You’ve got to be feeling at least a little more assured, right?”

She looked from me to the armor and back again. “I guess so… a little bit. Just be careful, Cobalt.”

“I will, Gilda, I will. Come on, let’s test out this equipment.”

She and Anvil both smiled as I put the chest on, showing that it fit perfectly. “Let’s go.”

Astro

My trip home was probably the shortest of all of us, considering my “cottage for rich ponies” – as Trixie put it – was in East Canterlot. Speaking of Trixie, she was waiting for me in front of the gates to my “country style manor” – as I called it – and ran towards me. Her forelegs were wrapped around my shoulders before I could even say anything.

She smiled and pressed her lips against my own. “Astro!”

“Hello, beautiful!” I happily returned her kiss before she released me. “How’d you hold up while I was gone?”

Trixie grinned and nudged my shoulder. “Just fine, Astro. Sapphire and I had plenty of fun together. In fact, it was nice to have a girls’ night for once. Uh… no offense.”

“None taken. Though… I have some news that’s both good and bad.”

She tilted her head and blinked. “Good and bad?”

I nodded slowly. “I’m going to have to leave for a long while, but at least you’ll get some more ‘girls’ nights’ with Sapphire, right?”

“What? You’re gonna be gone even longer?”

A small frown crossed her face as I lowered my head. “Yes, I’m afraid so. Come on, let’s go inside and I’ll fill you in on the details.”

Trixie stayed silent as we made our way to the door. I opened it for her, but she just stood there staring at me. “You’d better have a good explanation….”

As she walked in, I began to wonder if my explanation would truly be good enough, despite the gravity of this situation. I closed the door and followed Trixie through the door ahead of us that lead into the kitchen. Once there, I saw that Sapphire, the dragon that Trixie had hatched, pouring tea into three cups on the small table near one of the windows. Not many ponies actually knew that Trixie was a student at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, at least not many outside of Canterlot.

She turned her head when she heard the door close, and ran towards me with open arms once she saw us. “Astro, welcome back! So? What were you called to Canterlot for? Something big and important, I bet! Are you getting a promotion? Did you break a record? Come on, don’t leave us hanging!”

One could almost feel the excitement drain from her as I looked away. “I… I’m going to have to leave you both for a while. I’m not sure exactly how long I’ll be gone, but it’s more important than you know.”

Sapphire didn’t exactly have ears, but the spines on the sides of her head behaved like them and served as a clear indicator of her disappointment when they lowered. “Oh… well, do you at least have time for a cup of tea? I made it because I knew you’d be back soon.”

I nodded as we all sat down at the table. “Oh, yes, it’s not like I’ll be leaving again in five minutes. I’ll probably leave tomorrow evening.”

Trixie let out a groan and nuzzled my cheek. “That’s still way too soon. Why do you even have to leave?”

I let out a sigh and took a sip of the tea Sapphire poured for me. To be honest, I wasn’t all that eager to retell Princess Luna’s story to them, but it was clear that the girls wouldn’t take “I don’t want to talk about it” for an answer. They both stared into my soul as I tried to find words to say. In the end, I just repeated what Luna had told us, which left them both with rather surprised expressions.

Sapphire's blank stare remained on her face, but Trixie finally shook herself back to Earth. "So you've got to go help defeat this great evil?" She stood up and slammed her hoof on the table, nearly knocking her teacup over. "In that case, I'm going too! You can't expect me to stay here and do nothing!"

Over the years, I had learned quite a bit about patience, which allowed me to stay calm despite the mare raising her voice. "Out of the question, love. You don't need to put yourself in danger. As your coltfriend, I'd worry for your safety, and as your mentor, I expect you to continue practice and studies while I'm gone."

Trixie seemed taken aback by my response. She scoffed a few times before setting her other hoof on the table as well. "My safety? What about your safety? Do you actually think I'll be able to sleep at night when I'm constantly worrying about you?"

That last question shut me up faster than an insult about my mother. Trixie continued to glare at me and eventually leaned forward to get in my face. "Well?"

I sighed again and leaned forward as well, giving her a quick peck on the lips. "I love you, Trixie. You know I love you. I'm just looking out for you, lass. Please just stay here and try not to worry."

She raised her hoof as a scowl crossed her muzzle, but she never got a chance to speak.

"Um... don't I get a say in this?" We both turned to Sapphire, whom was twiddling her thumbs and keeping her eyes focused on the floor.

"Of course you do, Sapphire. I'm sorry I flew off the handle like that."

Trixie sat back down, and Sapphire began playing with her tail as she spoke. "I think Astro should go. Trixie... I want you to stay here. If you go, I'll be all alone, and you know how scared I am of being lonely. Besides, I'm sure the princesses will let him write letters, right?"

I smiled and gave her a pat on the head. "That's right. Once I'm gone, I'll be sure to write as often as I can."

There were tears forming in her eyes as I turned back to Trixie. "Astro... I'm going to miss you. Please be careful; I won't ever forgive you if you get hurt."

Before I could even lean towards her, she was wrapping me in a hug. “I’ll promise to be careful if you promise to keep moving forward with your studies. I want to see some new tricks when I get back.”

The smile returned to her face as she let go of me. “I promise.”

Sapphire crossed her arms, putting on a pouty face. “As long as you don’t accidentally turn me yellow again. I’m sure you remember how long it took us to figure out how to reverse that.”

We all started laughing when she brought that up. For a moment, it was if the heavy air had been lifted. It was nice to kind of forget what our future held for those brief seconds, but as soon as the laughter died down, my thoughts immediately drifted back to what was coming.

“I guess I should get ready. It’d be better to get that out of the way now so I have as much time to spend with you two as possible.”

They both sighed as I got up and headed for my study. There really wasn’t much “packing” I needed to do, seeing as how I’d be in Canterlot proper for the most part. I was sure the princesses would provide with necessities if the need to travel arose, but I did want to take a few scrolls and books with me. However, I decided to look through the family archives rather than my library. I knew there were written works that were dated long before any book I had bought. Maybe there were some documents that could prove useful.

I didn’t really expect it to happen, but I made sure to hide my bags just in case one of the girls tried to snoop. It’s not like I thought they’d do something bad, but I didn’t want anyone else finding out about the existence of these papers. There was a reason no stories or books about that time could be found in Equestria, so I could only imagine what the sisters would do if they found out about my documents.

Once I was finished, I came back down and finished my tea with them. I had a long, tough road ahead of me, but I made sure to at least act like there was nothing to worry about… for their sakes.

Beat

It was kind of funny to see how many of us stayed together. Nova and Twilight stayed behind at the castle while Astro and Cobalt went off to wherever they lived, but the rest of us all went back to Ponyville.

In all honesty, I kind of wished we had split up. Everyone was dead silent, even Pinkie. Of course, I was just as at fault as anypony else, since I just listened to music for the whole train ride, but still. When the ride was over, everyone just kind of sauntered off in their own directions. It was too much for me to take.

"Hey!"

They all stopped and looked at me, though they still kept quiet. "What are we doing moping around? These aren't the homies I was greeted by when I first came here! I gave up my fame and fortune to hang out with you guys, and this is how you act?"

My eyes immediately rested on Pinkie. The party pony was scanning the faces around us, and after a bit, she started nodding. "Yeah, Beat's right! Come on everypony, let's turn those frowns upside down!"

I then turned to Torque. I hadn't hung out with him as much as the others, I knew him well enough to know that between him, Pinkie, and myself, there was enough cheer to raise even the lowest of spirits.

The mechanic looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, Pinkie has a point. What's the point in getting all down in the dumps about this? The only thing that's going to accomplish is making all of this even harder."

Rarity reached her hoof out to him. Those two were really close, so I was hoping his attitude would rub off on her. "Torque, I understand how you feel, but this is just a lot to take—”

"Yeah!"

We all turned to Jet, who was sporting a big grin. Applejack was smiling too, but Jet was obviously the more... boisterous one in that relationship. "Who cares if this guy has a lot of power? We're all in his together, right?"

Everyone traded looks with one another, nodding towards Jet after a bit. "There you go! It doesn't matter if it's one or one thousand, we can take 'em! Just who the hell do they think we are?"

I looked to Rarity, who still didn’t seem all that convinced. “Look, I know what you all are saying, but this is a lot for me to take it. Remember that we have just been told that we’ll be leaving home, and we don’t know how long we’ll be gone. Can you honestly say that you’re not worried about this?”

After she said this, I shook my head. “I never said I wasn’t worried. Rarity, I’ve got a pregnant marefriend at home! Speaking of, she’s pretty far along, too! When the princess first told us we’d have to leave, I was terrified of the idea of missing the foal’s birth. That’s not to say I’m no longer afraid, but I keep telling myself that there’s no point in dwelling on it.”

“Beat’s right!” I should have known Rainbow Dash would take my side, as well. She flew over us and landed right beside me. “If we go into this all down in the dumps, then how useful would we actually be? We need to just say our goodbyes, get it over with, and keep moving forward!”

It was time to seal the deal. With six out of eight—Applejack was always on Jet’s side, at least I assumed so—ponies cheered up, that only left Rarity and Fluttershy to convince, and after my super-secret finishing move, there was no way they could resist.

“Hey, you know what we should do? We only have the rest of today and tomorrow morning before we have to leave, so let’s make it count! Let’s have a party right before we leave!”

Pinkie’s eyes lit up as she jumped into the center of the little circle we had made. “That is the best idea ever! I’ll run home and get my streamers! Oh, and I’ll need my tablecloths! Oh, and who could forget the confetti? This is going to be so much fun!”

My favorite party pony took off faster than Rainbow Dash herself, who nudged me as she slowly floated towards her home in the sky. “You really know how to change a mood, Beat! I’m feeling more upbeat already.”

She had given me a perfect opportunity, and there was no way I could pass it up. “I made you more upbeat? Eh? Eh? Get it?”

Rainbow crossed her forelegs and rolled her eyes. As she spoke, her hoof met her forehead as well. “And you just killed it. Good job.”

When she said this, I hung my head and waited for her follow up. She chuckled and patted my back. “I’m just kidding! Still, though, that was a pretty terrible pun.”

I immediately perked back up and chuckled myself. “Should I be punished for it?”

The grin vanished from her face, replaced a line so straight rulers and measuring tape envied it. “Don’t push it.” She then picked up a bit more speed as she flew towards her home.

When I turned around, Jet and Applejack were already a decent ways away, and I assumed they were heading to Sweet Apple Acres. I mean, who wouldn’t assume that’s where they were headed? Torque and Rarity were chatting to each other until they split up down the road to go to their houses, but Fluttershy was just standing in the same place she had been, staring up at the sky.

“Fluttershy?” She didn’t look at me when I spoke, nor when I approached her. “Everything alright?”

Even as she spoke, her gaze never shifted away from the afternoon sky. “Ever since Nova came to Ponyville and these strange things began happening, all of my animal friends have been acting strangely. I-I wonder… is it because they knew something was wrong with the nature around them?”

“Huh, never pegged you as the philosophical type. Then again, I’d never peg you as the kind to look at a dragon, let alone raise your voice at one. At least, that’s what Rainbow Dash told me you did. Anyway, I’m sure they knew. I had two dogs once, and they always seemed to know when it was going to rain, because they brought their toys in from outside a couple hours before it did.”

Fluttershy’s upturned brows and straight-line mouth made it obvious she wasn’t concerned with small talk. I hadn’t really gotten to know her very well, but I felt I knew her well enough through the various things her friends told me about her. I sat down beside her and looked at the sky myself, trying to think of what she might’ve been thinking about.

“Look, I know it’s going to be scary, and I won’t tell you that you can’t be afraid. I just want you to remember that you’re not alone.”

Her ears twitched, and she slowly turned her head to me.

I wasn’t really expecting it to, but I was still hoping that seeing me smile would make her smile too. “We’re all scared, I’m sure of it. Even so, we have to keep moving forward. You know, Fluttershy, you’re not as weak as you think. I may not know that much about you, but I know your friends have faith in you.”

Fluttershy’s expression hadn’t really changed, but I could tell without a doubt that I had her attention. “Even when you don’t believe in yourself, all of us do. In fact, I’d say we all have enough faith in you to make up for the times when you don’t have faith in yourself.”

As much as I wanted to keep talking, I caught a glimpse of the clock tower and had a brief, mini freak out. “Um, sorry Fluttershy, but I need to get going. I don’t want to keep Vinyl waiting on me.”

I turned to leave, and had already begun walking when a small peep made me freeze. “Th-thanks. I’ll try to remember that.”

I let out a small chuckle and waved to her as I continued my walk. “No problem. I’m not really great with speeches, so I just spoke what was on my mind.”

As soon as I opened the door, I found myself on the floor and underneath a beautiful, white mare with a swollen belly. “Where have you been, mister? I was worried sick!”

All I could do was chuckle and ruffle up that bright blue mane. “Pep talking. Everyone was more depressed than a funeral precession.”

Vinyl let out a small hiss and scowled. “Ouch, that bad, huh?”

“Yeah, I was busy cheering them all up.” I looked behind here and all around the house. There wasn’t much for me to see from where I was, but I still saw enough to merit asking a question. “Has Via been taking care of you?”

She finally backed up off of me and allowed me to get up, and once I was on my hooves, I spotted my cousin sleeping on the couch nearby. “She’s been taking very good care of me. I guess it helps that one of her orchestra members was pregnant as well, but she’s been working herself so hard. It reminds me of this one time, back when we were dating, and I got really sick and—”

Vinyl paused when she saw the look on my face. I unconsciously put that expression on every time my marefriend talked about the days when she and Via dated, though I wished I could break the habit. “Sorry.”

I shook my head quickly and nuzzled her cheek. “No, it’s alright. Believe me, I’m not jealous or anything. I’ve always thought it was a good thing that you were open minded enough to do what you did, it’s just… I wonder what others think.”

She rolled her eyes and bopped me on the nose a few times. “You dummy. Who cares what others think? Besides, I love you, and nothing’s going to change that.” She took a hold of my hoof and brought it to her stomach.

I couldn’t help but smile now, but this reminded me of something I really needed to tell her. “Vinyl! I… I have some bad news. I’m going to have to leave for an indefinite amount of time. I’d like to give you details now, but I plan on seeing if the princesses will allow you to stay at the castle. I refuse to leave you here and… possibly miss the birth of our foal.”

A soft smile slowly formed on her muzzle as she wrapped me in a hug. “Don’t worry, because I won’t. Well, I’ll try not to, anyway.”

I looked over to Octavia again, deciding it was best to change the subject now. “We’re having a party to boost up everyone’s spirits. Do you think you’d be able to come?”

My focus was still on my cousin, but I assumed Vinyl rolled her eyes. She usually did before speaking in the tone she responded with. “Are you kidding? Beat, I’m pregnant, not paralyzed. You can bet I’ll be there!”

When I turned to her, I was met with a smile brighter than any stage light. There were a lot of things I wanted to say, and one thing I had intended to say, but I couldn’t help forgetting about all of that when I saw her face.

“You know, babe, just a few moments with you is worth more than the lifetime of record labels and concerts I gave up.”

She just nodded and nuzzled my cheek again. “So… I said I’d try not to worry, but I can’t help it. Why exactly do you have to leave, anyway? I mean, I understand if you’re not allowed to talk about it or something, but is there anything you can tell me?”

Once again, I looked to Octavia. I turned back to my marefriend and slowly shook my head. “I’m going to make sure you’re given a place in Canterlot to stay, so I think it’d be best if one of the princesses told you. To be honest, I still don’t understand it all myself.”

Now Vinyl was look over at my cousin, though her expression hadn’t really changed. “So, what do we do with her?”

I just shrugged. “She lives in Canterlot. I’m sure we can get her permission to enter the castle and find out what’s going on.”

“I already have permission.” Hearing her speak made us both jump, and we turned to watch her fidgeting on the couch. “You know, you two are really loud, even when you’re trying to be quiet.”

I let out a nervous chuckle and rubbed the back of my neck. “Sorry, Via. How long have you been, uh… how much did you hear?”

She sat up on the couch and crossed her forelegs. “Everything. Now I want to hear your explanation, regardless of how much you understand.”

Scratch and I both stared at her until she began tapping her hoof. I let out a sigh and walked past Vinyl and into the living room, taking a seat in the recliner across from the couch. “Do you remember what happened with Nightmare Moon about two years ago?”

Via nodded and Scratch trotted over as fast as she could at the mention of that disaster. “Well, something like that is happening again, but this time it’s a lot bigger. Was there any mention of these things called the Elements of Harmony back when Princess Luna’s return was still big news?”

My cousin looked out the window to her left for a moment. “I think it was mentioned a few times in the news articles I read. Why do you ask?”

“Well, there’s another set of magic elements. I’ve become involved with this because I’m one of them. In fact, a bunch of the new guys are involved with this. Nova, Jet, Torque, they’re all part of this, and the other two are guys I’ve never met. Unfortunately, I don’t exactly know what it is we need to do.”

Vinyl tilted her head and nudged me shoulder. Despite the heavy air, she still had a big smile on her face. “So what you’re saying is your help is needed to save the world, basically?”

“Basically.”

She leaned up and kissed my cheek. “Then I’m not going to try and stop you. Just make sure to give the bad guy a few good belts for us, got that?”

It took me a moment to process what she had said, but a grin slowly spread across my face when I finally did. “You got it.”

I was able to spend a few more hours with Vinyl, but Octavia had to return to Canterlot. She didn’t really give any details; she just mentioned something about an orchestra meeting. Heck, I didn’t even know orchestras had meetings. Just a few minutes after my cousin had left, Pinkie Pie poked her head through the door.

“Beat! Guess what!”

Scratch and I traded looks before turning our attention back to Pinkie. “You got everything ready for the party already?”

She nodded quickly. Sometimes I wondered how she didn’t pop her head off doing that. “Yeah! How’d you guess?”

“Call it a hunch.” My eyes were closed as I spoke, but I could still hear Vinyl giggling beside me. “So, is the party going to start now, or do you still need to set up?”

Pinkie shook her head just as quickly as she had nodded earlier. “The party itself isn’t ready, but I wanted to come by and ask if you could sing something. Would you mind?”

I let out a small chuckle and nodded as well. “That won’t be a problem at all.”

“Great! I’ll come back when everything’s ready! See you then!” Just as quickly as she had come, Pinkie took off out the door. My marefriend and I traded looks again before quickly bursting into a fit of laughter.

Vinyl was the first to calm down. “Pinkie is such a nutcase. It’s awesome!”

It took me a bit longer to mellow out; I actually was still chuckling when I finally responded. “She’s in good company, then.”

“So, do you know what song you’re going to sing?”

I tapped my chin a few times as I thought about it. “Mm, I think I have an idea.”