Once upon a time, there was a wine-purple unicorn. This unicorn was bubbly, kind, sweet -- traits which were frowned upon in her land, moreso because she was heir to the queen regent's throne.
Elsewhere, there was a white unicorn. This unicorn was much of the same, but her land revered traits like this, especially in a princess.
The two princesses were raised apart, despite their mothers being in almost constant contact with each other. It was not fitting for the daughter of a kirin and the daughter of an alicorn to be seen together, but the powers of each prevented any from commenting on their unique relationship.
It continued like this for years, the purple unicorn growing angrier and crueler by the day; the white going in the opposite direction all together. Slowly, even her appearance changed to reflect her corrupting personality.
This unicorn was named Divine Wine and this is where her story begins.
Six seconds. Seven, now. Eight.
Mother wasn't saying anything, just staring at the floor with the expression of a mourning wife. I sat patiently, waited for an answer. Anything to satisfy my curiosity. Why did she have wings, and I did not?
"Was I adopted? Is that why I don't look like you?" This made Mother laugh and ruffle my mane.
"You're my daughter, born and bred. The reason you don't look like me is because ... well, you have to fight to become like me. You have to defeat Galactia's daughter in fair combat." I had known she would say this, but I had hoped that it wouldn't have to be like this. "And by defeat, you know I mean kill." The word hung in the air like a bad smell; neither of us wanted to acknowledge the fact that, yes, this was how it ended. I would rise to power in a shower of blood.
Since that fateful declaration, the days have passed with the speed of a Wonderbolt. It seems like it's only been seconds,
but really, it's been months to reach this day. The mirror reflects my armor -- I am dragon and pony seamlessly blended, despite not being a full kirin. Metaphorically, I carry on the grandiose battle that has been raging for all time -- purebloods vs hybrids. Who would eventually win in the end was anyone's guess.
My mother comes to fetch me; she is clothed in ceremonial regalia reserved for crownings and debuts like my own. We travel to the median between Hajahact and Equestria. There are no witnesses, no yelling crowds to add pressure to the situation. Only two regents and their pawns.
Celestia is mocked up like myself; her golden armor shines in the brilliant light of the sun. We approach each other with the confidence born to every royal. I made the first move, but my spell misses, digging a deep trench inches from Celestia. She whimpers and returns fire, missing me by a mile.
It continues in this fashion for what seems to be an eternity, but finally, I find myself gaining the upper hand. Still, this feels wrong, despite the years of training leading up to this point. When I realize what I am standing over, my heart seizes. I look down at the white unicorn cringing in anticipation of her own death, tears running down her still-filly smooth cheeks, and lose my nerve.
There was no reason she needed to die. No reason for this fight. We were but political pawns, being used for a twisted aim. Whatever remained of my previous self retched at the very thought. We came to terms -- we would forfeit. Power was not worth it if it meant killing a child to obtain.
I walk away from the filly, my glare directed at my mother.
"I forfeit. Galactia, you win. Take your child and leave," I order, never looking away from my mother. At that moment, I feel like Icarus, if he had set his own wings ablaze. I would not be an alicorn. I would remain as a unicorn, by default. But there would be no death.
Mother gapes, her expression growing angrier and angrier with each second that ticks by.
"You what, you ungrateful little brat?!" she shrieks, slapping me across the face. I would not stand for such abuse. It was time for a death. One that was deserved.
"Do not lay a hoof on me!" I roar, letting loose a bolt of magic I didn't even know I possessed. She screams for a last time, her body being shredded as though by an astounding number of paper cuts. Blood drenches my fur, mats my mane.
Galactia only looks on in calm detachment, unfazed. Her daughter slowly rises in an aura of golden light, and white wings suddenly snap out from her back. Her once pink mane takes on all of the colors of the aurora. I am, for once, at a loss for words. Her mother only smiles and fades away, dissolving into a flock of grey and blue butterflies. Emblazoned on the filly's flank is the sun.
Tears well up in her eyes and she weeps, not knowing the least bit about how she was to get home. From that day forward, I decide, I will pay off this debt I owe. She saved me from my mother's destiny. I owe her everything.
From that day forward, I rejected the name my mother gave me and entitled myself Enigmatic Insanity, a tongue-in-cheek nod to my destroying of my own destiny. At the time of this writing, I have no cutie mark. I do not see myself getting one. It was supposed to be either her or I that day. I created another way.
Another fit of coughing seizes me. My death draws near. I can hear its fateful rattle in the coughs that wrack my form. I must go home, to the mare who loved me. Should she reject me, so will I die, forgotten and alone.
"That's where it ends, Twilight," Luna said, neatly re-stacking the manuscript. "She gave this to me to hold onto, just in case, but this is the first time I've actually read it."
Twilight only stared, chewing absently at her hoof and fluttering her wings. Luna shook her head. Children.
