Alicorns Are Made, Not Born
"What a day..." Shining Armor sighed and snuggled against Cadance. "It's hard to believe my little sister is an alicorn princess now. I didn't even know that could happen!"
"I'm proud of her too, Shiney." Cadance nuzzled up against her husband, then paused, a puzzled look on her face. "Wait. Where did you think alicorns came from?"
"Well..." Shining Armor blushed. "I just sort of assumed they were timeless, you know? Like the sun and moon, or love."
"That's... not entirely true." Cadance rolled away, propping her head up on her front hooves. "I wasn't always an alicorn, you know."
"Obviously, now that I think about it." Shining Armor grinned awkwardly. "You're Celestia's niece, which probably means you grew up in Canterlot, probably the palace? I think I heard you're of the House of... Moondancer, maybe?" He put a hoof to his chin, frowning. "You know, I really should have asked this stuff sooner, but I didn't think it applied."
"I was adopted by Celestia, but I wasn't born in Canterlot. I actually didn't meet Celestia until after I became an alicorn. We met in alicorn-space, which was a bit of a shocker for Aunt Tia, I'm sure you can imagine!"
"Stop." Shining Armor rubbed his temple with a hoof. "This is making my head hurt. Let's pretend I don't know anything and start at the beginning, alright?"
"Alright. I'll start at the beginning and tell you everything, but no interruptions. Deal?"
"Deal," Shining Armor said with a nod.
"It all started when I was found in the woods..."
I was found in the woods as a foal by an earth pony couple, Bitta Luck and Meadow Song. They raised me as best they could, even though they'd hardly ever seen pegasi before-
"Wait, you're a pegasus?"
"Shiney, you promised."
"Right, sorry."
"So yes, they tried to teach me everything they could." Cadance sighed, lost in old, happy memories. "They did not know much of what lay outside Hollow Shades, but what they knew about love and kindness could fill the Canterlot Archives."
Hollow Shades was a small village of happy, hardworking ponies. Times were hard, but as long as everypony worked together and shared what they had freely, love made it enough. There was one pony who didn't understand the importance of love. She was cold and bitter, and had all the companionship she thought she needed in the form of a magical amulet that amplified her powers and the bitterness in her own heart. Her name was Prismia. Prismia the enchantress.
Believing one does not need love is not the same as not needing it, as Prismia discovered. She cast a spell that drained the warm feelings of the villagers in an empty attempt to fill the void in her heart. While she scarcely noticed the love flowing through her and into the amulet, the village was shattered by her actions.
Best friends turned against each other, parents resented their children, and ordinary disagreements came to blows. It was the middle of my eighth summer, and yet a blanket of snow covered the entire town. The town called a meeting. The signs were clear, and everypony knew the only possible culprit. Prismia the witch had cursed them and brought winter out of jealousy, and the hex would only be lifted with her death. The town was in agreement, united against a common enemy, and only I could see what was wrong with this.
The previous winter, I participated in the Hearth's Warming Eve pageant. Its lesson of cooperation and tolerance and friendship struck a note with me, being a pegasus in an earth pony town. As an outsider, I could have been jealous of what everypony else had, but instead I was grateful that they invited me into their lives.
Prismia never had that chance; an outsider she was born, and now an outsider she would die. "You can't do this! No enchantress could bring winter in summer! There's but one thing it could be. Only windigoes can do this, and they feed on the darkness in the hearts of all ponies. If you kill her, this winter will never end."
"We can't risk the harvest on the whims of one flighty filly!" the mayor roared.
"We can't risk the village on the whims of an angry mob!" I shot back. "One week. That is all I ask. If I can't stop this in one week... you do what you have to."
"What can one little filly do?"
"More than a village that refuses to try."
"I'm going to regret this." The mayor bowed his head in thought. A few moments later he raised his head and opened his eyes. "Three days. That's all I can spare, child."
"No time to waste, then. I shall begin immediately." I left the town hall behind me and headed directly into the forest.
A short distance into the woods, I found Prismia's house. I had been expecting a ramshackle cottage with a rotting roof, not the imposing structure of stone and wood suspended from an overgrown grove of trees entwined together I found before me. "Hello? Miss Prismia?" I called into the boughs.
No response.
I was not a skilled flier, being both young and raised by earth ponies, but I refused to let this keep me from my task. I climbed the trees by hoof, navigating the gnarled branches as best I could. It was still the better part of an hour before I reached the trap door at the bottom of the house, this being the only entrance. No windows lined the enchantress's rough-hewn bungalow. The door, of course, was locked. I knocked at it with all my might. "Miss Prismia! I must speak with you!"
No response still.
I pounded at the door for nearly as long as the climb itself had taken. I could not be dissuaded from my task; after all, my village depended on me. Still, I was just a filly, and my conviction began to waver. Just as I began my descent from the gnarled boughs, a voice spoke up behind me.
"I expected you to give up far sooner child, hehe." It seemed to have more in common with the creaking of stone and branch than an honest pony's speech, and nearly shocked me off my hooves. When I turned around, she stood before me.
"Well?" She smiled wickedly, a mouthful of blackened stumps set below glowing red eyes and a thick, matted mane like a washed-out rainbow. "You came all this way to talk, and now you lose your nerve? Typical. I've come to expect no better from you ponies from the Shades." Her voice was gravelly, ancient, and totally self-assured. She may have been pretty once, but age and bitterness had consumed nearly all traces of that.
"I am Cadance of Hollow Shades. My village has been suffering from unnatural winter because of your curse. I ask that you lift your curse before worse disaster befalls us all."
"Such big words from such a small mouth!" The old witch laughed. "Tell me, does your family grow corn or dictionaries?"
"Hay, actually. And clover, for special occasions."
"Well then, Cadance Farmer's-Daughter... No. I won't lift my curse. I'm an old nag, and life has been unkind to me. All I have left is my little fun. Surely you wouldn't deny your elder a little something to brighten her last days in this Sun-damned land?"
"I fail to see what is fun about ponies hurting each other. Every night, the snow gets a little deeper. Soon the windigoes themselves will return. Then who will you torment for your own amusement?"
"Oh, I'll think of something. I always seem to, so long as my little piece of rainbow never leaves my sight." She ran a hoof along her necklace, which I noticed for the first time. It was black, in the shape of a unicorn's head in profile, with black wings behind it. Embedded into the 'chest' of the amulet was a crimson jewel, the same color as Prismia's eyes.
"I don't know a lot about magic," I said uncertainly, "but I know enough about ponies to tell that your necklace is hurting you."
"So what're you going to do about it, feather-filly? Do you think you can make me get rid of it? Better ponies than you have tried."
"...No. I'm not strong enough to take it from you. I'm no unicorn, so I can't force you to take it off yourself. I'm just a filly who knows the difference between right and wrong, and thinks everypony deserves to be loved." I took a step towards her. "So I'm going to be your friend."
"What!? You be my friend?" The witch barely managed to speak through her tears of laughter. "What do I, the great and powerful Prismia, need with friends? I have everything I need here in my house."
"You never get lonely?"
"Never. Even if I did, I could just make friends for myself."
"I know you cursed the village, and I know it didn't bring the winter. I think you cursed everypony because you're afraid."
"Foalish child, I could defeat Celestia here in my woods. The wild animals flee before me. The trees and the very earth itself answer my call. What could I possibly be afraid of?"
"You are old, and you are all alone. If I had to guess, you're afraid of what comes next."
"...What? What gave you that idea?" I could tell I struck a nerve, though she tried not to let it show.
"You want to be feared, because it's better than being forgotten, and you don't know how to be loved. I'm here to show you how to love and be loved." My legs trembled, both from my climb and my fear that what happened next could end in disaster. "You want them to kill you, because it's better than dying unknown." I threw my hooves around Prismia and buried my face in her dirty white coat. "Well, I won't let you. That's not what friends do."
Prismia hesitated, unsure of how to respond. After the tensest few minutes of my young life, she returned the hug. "I suppose I could use an extra set of hooves around the place."
"The mayor gave me three days while they prepare for the attack."
"Relax. I'm sure I'll get tired of you long before they've finished sharpening their pitchforks. Now come inside, I have some potatoes that want peeling."
For three days, I worked my hooves to the bone in her cottage. It always seemed to need dusting, or sweeping, and the entire house was full of souvenirs from her travels: a buffalo-made dreamcatcher, nesting dolls from Stalliongrad, even a piece of carved coral she claimed came from the foundation of Marelantis. While I labored, she told me of her travels, and of the curio shop in Manehattan where she stumbled across the pride of her collection, the amulet she never removed.
"It's called the 'Unicharm', though the shopkeeper knew it by a different name. Forged by the Unicorn King of the pre-classical era at the height of his power. It is said that as long as one wears it, she will never taste defeat."
We know the Unicorn King by a different name now: Sombra the Despoiler. Though I did not know its history then, I knew that the Unicharm was as evil as an object could be. Still I did nothing, hoping that I could convince Prismia to relinquish the amulet of her own free will.
Finally, on the third day the townsponies arrived. They were dressed heavily to guard against the unseasonable chill and bickering amongst themselves about the proper way to execute Prismia. Even united in hatred, there was no harmony left in them. Each tried to outdo the last with more poetic punishments. I listened at the trap door while they debated.
"Cadance, you've been good to me. You've shown me more kindness in the last few days than anypony has since my own mother. After the mob is through with me, you should go back to them. Don't throw your life away over three days with an unlovable monster."
I shook my head. "Even if I could allow myself to abandon you, it wouldn't solve anything. The frost is not your doing. It's theirs. The only way out is to show them you've reformed."
"Letting a filly handle your chores is a strange definition of reform," she said with a snort.
"It'll have to do. We don't have time for anything else."
We stepped out of Prismia's cottage onto the boughs that formed the landing. Nearly the entire village stood below us, scowling at their common nemesis. My mother and father were not among them, I noticed.
"Out of the way, young filly," the mayor said with a snarl. "You had your chance to deal with the witch, and now it's our turn to take a shot at her." I stood my ground.
"No. You promised me three days. I still have an hour left." I stood on my hind legs defiantly, front legs crossed over my barrel.
"Fine. In an hour, we set torches to your friend's tree. You'd do well to remember whose side you're on before then." The mob was already gathering kindling; though they waited, they saw nothing wrong with preparing for the end of our agreement.
"This is it, Prismia. Either we die together or we both live. Either way, I'm not abandoning you." I hugged her harder than I'd ever hugged anypony in my life. I was terrified, I was crying... but I refused to abandon my new friend.
The villagers watched us from the forest floor below. One of them, I never found out who, touched a torch to the pile of kindling and branches they had been working on. The flames spread like- well, like wildfire. Though none of the ponies below would admit to lighting it, neither would they put out the fire once it started. Prismia and I held each other.
"I know what I have to do," Prismia said. "I just don't know if I can." She fumbled with the clasp of her amulet. "I've loved this amulet more than anything for so long, it's almost like it doesn't want me to take it off."
"I can't take it from you," I said. "All I can do is love you and hope that you'll do the right thing."
"I know. Cadance, if this doesn't work, I want you to fly away from here, okay? You don't deserve to suffer for my mistakes." As the flames climbed higher, she grabbed her necklace and tore it off. "T-take this thing. I can't be trusted with it."
I held the unicharm amulet in my hooves uneasily while Prismia reversed her spell. After a few tense moments, the villagers below came to their senses.
"By the sun and stars, what have we done?" the mayor asked. "Don't stand around, put out that fire!"
My head was spinning. How much was from the relief of my friends and neighbors no longer trying to kill me, and how much was from the smoke, I wasn't sure. I closed my eyes for a moment, and when I opened them, I was somewhere else.
I don't think I can describe alicorn space in a way you'd understand, Shiney. It was... strange, and beautiful. All around me, scenes from my life flashed before my eyes, and at the center of the room-- not that it was literally a room, but close enough, Princess Celestia sat in meditation, her eyes closed.
"How did you get here, and who are you?" She opened a single eye and regarded me suspiciously.
"Cadance, a pegasus of Hollow Shades."
"Cadance of Hollow Shades, I am Princess Celestia of All Equestria. And this is my private sanctuary."
"I'm sorry, your majesty!" I threw myself to my hooves. "I didn't know, I'm sorry."
She lifted my gaze with a gentle gesture of her hoof. "Rise, Cadance. Nopony has found their way here in over a thousand years. If you are here now, it is because you are meant to be." She pointed at one of the floating images and it became me, as I was at that point. It was disorienting, but even more surprising was what I saw in it: I had a horn, and my wings were glorious. I was an alicorn. "Congratulations are in order, Cadance of Hollow Shades. You are the first alicorn in a millennium, and I would like to welcome you into my family." She smiled at me, almost maternally. "I have always wanted a daughter."
"But I already have a family... what about my mama and papa?"
"Becoming my daughter and student would not take away what you share with them. You'll have to move to Canterlot for your studies, of course, but you may visit your parents as often as your studies permit."
"Your daughter... moving to Canterlot..." I shook my head. "I'm sorry, Princess, but I don't think I can accept. It would be too much like turning my back on my family."
"You could fly by chariot to Hollow Shades every weekend if you so desired. And I do not have to adopt you as my daughter." Aunt Tia grinned slyly. You know the one. "I have also always wanted a niece."
"Wait, so you could be my aunt and I could be your niece? Is that allowed?"
"Of course it is, my little pony. I am the ruler of Equestria, and if that is what you desire, then it will happen. Is it what you desire?"
It was a long, agonizing moment for me while I pondered it. On the one hoof, everypony dreams of the chance to become a princess, and it was practically being handed to me. On the other... I had never left home before. The very idea was a little intimidating.
"...Yes. As long as you promise I can still see my parents."
"It is done. Return to your home and prepare your things. Say your goodbyes. I will meet you again once the paperwork is complete, Cadance. I look forward to seeing you in the flesh."
A blinding light surrounded me, and when I opened my eyes I was back in Hollow Shades. My parents, the mayor, Prismia, and everypony else were futilely trying to push the falling snow out of the town. "Everypony, you forgot about the windigoes!" I yelled. "If we don't sing, they'll never leave."
We joined together in song. Even though it was the middle of summer, being surrounded by friends both new and old and singing the Heart Carol, Clovers in Winter, and all the other old songs felt right. We never saw the windigoes, but it worked. The snowstorm stopped, the sun melted the snow, and soon with Prismia's help the fields were replanted.
A few hours later, Celestia arrived to take me back to Canterlot. I began my studies in magic shortly after we arrived, and that was that.
"That's amazing, Cadance. I can't believe I knew so little of your past."
"Well, I try to look to the future." Cadance curled up against him as he wrapped his hooves around her. "That's what's important."
The pair sat in a warm, comfortable silence for a few minutes. "I finally know the story of how you became a princess," Shining Armor said almost reverently.
"Don't be silly, Shiney. That's how I became an alicorn; that was just getting my hoof in the door. It's too late for it now, but maybe some other time I can tell you how I became a princess."
She rolled over, humming to herself. "The fire of friendship burns in our hearts..."
