Twilight made it back to the princess’s room ok, but when she entered it, it was to the greeting of shocked looks as both Platinum and Star Swirl moved toward her.

“My wife has just told me of what transpired during your meeting with Hurricane, and I find myself worried about what you said, but first what did Hurricane want.”

“He knows I’m a alicorn,” said Twilight immediately, causing both Platinum and Star Swirl to pale.

“He…he knows, but how?”

“He could smell it, I don’t know how but he could, but he will hold his tongue…until I am ready to reveal myself.”

The other two hesitated for a moment, and then Platinum spoke up. “Then I would advise you to be careful around him, at least till a peace is settled.”

This confused Twilight, “what…but why?”

“Because,” stated Platinum, “Hurricane has been groomed since birth to be the perfect mate for the alicorn of legend, for his mother Storm was the last pony who believed in the legend, before Star Swirl told me of its truth. If he believes you to be the alicorn he seeks, then he will try and offer himself to you, no matter what you say.”

Twilight stiffened at this, for she didn’t know if she should tell them about her courtship of the stallion. “…No, this needs to happen, I don’t know why…but it does.”

She then looked back at Platinum, “I shall be careful your highness, but for now, let us get to the matter of my…outburst.”

They both nodded, “Yes,” said Star Swirl, “your outburst. Now, I can gauge from your reaction that you have no knowledge of the three pillars.”

“Well I wouldn’t say that, for I know of the three pillars, however in my time they have nothing to do with earth ponies.”

“WHAT!”

The look on Star Swirls face was one of disgust, the words that Twilight had spoken sickening him. “I cannot believe that, how could the three pillars not have anything to do with earth ponies?”

“Because the three pillars have to do with Unicorn magic, the pillars representing the unicorn virtues of wisdom purity and stren…”

“No…I will not hear this, I have heard enough,” said Star Swirl, storming out of the room as Platinum placed a comforting hoof to stay Twilight.

“Let him go,” said Platinum, “he above all other practitioners in the field of magic holds a high regard for the pillars, and what you have stated has shaken him greatly, so he will need a moment to calm down.”

“I see,” said Twilight, “well then, before we continue, maybe it is best if you tell me about the pillars, that way I can better gauge what is different here.”

Platinum nodded, “Very well, I shall explain as best I am able, though I am not as proficient a magic user as my husband. You see Clover, the three pillars of magic are the foundations of our very world, the pillars of Earth, Sky, and the Divine. Each pillar is held up by a specific pony race, and in so doing, those races are granted special magic to help protect those pillars. The first pillar, the pillar of earth, is held up by the earth ponies, and grants them to power to bend both the earth and fire to their will, allowing them to create beautiful wonders and grow our food. The second pillar, the pillar of sky, is held up by the pegasi, and grants them the power to control both the winds and the waters of our world, allowing them to shape the weather and manipulate the clouds in the sky. And the last pillar, the pillar of the divine, is held up by the unicorns, granting them to power to bend light and darkness to our will, and gives us the power to move the sun and moon each day. When working in harmony, these three pillars hold up our world and make it stable…but when they do not, it leads to strife and unrest, upsetting the balance of all things governed by them.”

Platinum smiled after she finished, but when she looked at Twilight, she immediately dawned a look of concern, “Clover?”

Twilight was frozen in place, for the weight of the information Platinum had given her was mind breaking. That magic, the three pillars, they did not exist in her time, or if they did, then the ponies of her time didn’t have a connection to them anymore, all save for two.

“Celestia and Luna must be holding the pillars up then, for they have the exact same powers that Platinum described. But…but if they do, what causes us ponies to lose our connection to them, and worse…what sort of pressure would having to hold up that kind of magic cause.”

But for now those worries would have to wait, for she had to speak to Platinum, so she did. “What you say is very troubling Princess, for it reveals to me many troubles which have gone unnoticed till now. In my time, we have lost our connection to these pillars, and…if I had to wager a guess, these pillars are now only being held up by two ponies, the alicorn princesses of my time.”

“What,” said Platinum, “but if that’s true then those two are in danger, terrible danger.”

“What do you mean danger?”

“Alicorn’s are not meant to support the pillars of magic; they are made to embody them. It is us, the mortal ponies, who are meant to hold up the pillars, because only mortal hooves can steady them and support the magic that flows within without suffering drastic effects. Because of this, if an alicorn should try and support the pillars, it will begin a magical feedback loop…”

“Whoa hold on a second, I thought you said as best as you were able, from the sounds of it though you are well versed in this magic, at least beyond what I perceive to be the basics of it.”

“Can you blame me when my husband is the arch mage of our tribe,” said Platinum, before shaking her head and continuing. “Anyway as I said, it will begin a magical feedback loop on the alicorn or alicorns in question, which if not halted will…will…”

Platinum stopped, her eyes widening in shock as the cogs started to move in her head, making connections as Twilight spoke up, “Um…Princess Platinum.”

“By the makers that’s it, it all makes sense,” cried Platinum, shocking Twilight and causing her to jump.

“What make’s sense, Princess what are you talking about?”

“Clover, if a magic feedback loop is not halted, it will eventually kill the pony who is suffering from it, mostly due to the ever increasing influx of power. As I told you before the alicorns used to control every aspect that governed our world, and we ponies were as you described, not having any connection to the pillars. With that in mind, it is possible to theorize that the alicorns vanished due to supporting the pillars of magic for too long and, in a sense, getting crushed by them, forcing us mortal ponies to finally take up the charge of holding up the pillars.”

Again, Twilight found herself rendered speechless. Partly because of the information this presented, and partly because out of all the strange little nuances she could have expected to see during this time, Princess Platinum the scientist had not been one she had been ready for.

However she was able to shake it off, smiling at the mare before speaking herself. “Well thank you Platinum, your information has helped me greatly, but for now I wish to retire.”

“Say no more young Clover,” said Platinum, “your quarters have already been prepared; they are through that door back there.”

Twilight thanked her, and then left, heading through the door and into her new chambers, finding where her bed was located and then collapsing on it, letting the emotions of her realized immortality finally wash over her.

She had managed to stave off the reaction due to more pressing concerns, but now the weight of her realization hit her with its full force. She would live forever, she would watch everypony around her die, and even though it meant she would get to see her friends, her brother, and her parents again, she would eventually have to watch them die as well.

But this presented its own problem, for if she was immortal, where was she in the future. Even with how careful she could be, it was highly unlikely that she could stay out of even the grasp of a legend or two, yet there were no such legends about another long lived alicorn besides Celestia and Luna.

“That leaves only two possibilities,” thought Twilight, “Either I get killed some time in the future…or worse, something is keeping me out of sight of the others…and I can only think of one being capable of that…Discord.”

It presented a daunting possibility, for if discord was her opponent, then she would need to find the elements of harmony in order to prevent whatever he had planned. It would be risky, for it meant she would have to directly interfere with time, but if she knew herself as well as she thought she did, she knew she could pull it off.

“I’ll do anything to see my friends again,” thought Twilight, and with that thought she got back up, heading out the door to make her rendezvous with Hurricane.

Author's Note

This chapter was majorly important, for it reveals the foundation for Equestria's magic. There will be a chapter later on where Twilight delves deeper into the mysteries of the three pillars, but for now you will just have to content yourself with a date chapter, which will hopefully be enjoyable. As always, if you guys have any questions or comments, please feel free to drop them on buy, you all know I love hearing from you.