The Burdens Of Alicornhood

by Dragon Genesis

Rating: teen
Tags: Slice of Life, Sad
Length: 9330

Twilight is now an alicorn and new princess of Equestria. Going in, she knew some of the difficulties. New body, wierd looks, over extensive work. But what are the other burdens that will start to chip away at her?

Twilight Sparkle has recently become an alicorn and one of the new princesses of Equestria, letting her rule beside Celestia and Luna. Going into this new world, she knew a few of the difficulties. New body that she knew little of, wings, tons of politics, and more magic she could handle without proper practice. But what else is there that burden alicorns that Celestia and Luna have never revealed except to Cadence. It is these new burdens that will slowly chip away at Twilight's mind, eating her away unless she can learn to fight against it.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2013-11-17 21:09:07 UTC

The pain brought by curiosity

          Twilight looked over the city of Canterlot.  The capital of Equestria, one of the largest countries on the planet of Equus.  She was laying on a single cloud in the evening sky, watching the setting sun dip low into the sky as it gave way to night.  Colors of orange, purple, and dark blue penetrated the sky, brining forth night.

           Twilight stared off, deep in her thought process.  She has only been an alicorn, as well as the new princess of Equestria, that she was starting to look into things that she didn't know too much about.  This topic was Alicorns.

           She knew the basics.  Part of all three pony tribes with impossibly strong magic, extreme flying abilities, and strength that surpasses any stallion.  They were idols, yet Twilight knew little to nothing about then.  So did everypony else for she could not find one scrap of solid information on the god like creatures that ruled their country.  Twilight now being added to that list.

            A few questions ate at her mind.  Why was it that the princesses have no recorded mate or children?  Over the years they should have least found a few stallions, or mares if they went that way, to be with and have a few foals with.  But no matter how deep she searched, there was never any mentions of any sort of relationship or foals.

            Then there was one considering her own ascension.  She knew Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were immortal, thus their history dating back so far, but what about her?  Would she live an eternity over the country, or will she die with her friends, when they hit to be too old?  Did ascending instead of being an alicorn by birthright even give you immortality?

            Twilight sighed and placed her head over top her hooves, deciding to inspect the cloud she was laying on. After a few minutes, staring at the swirled white mass of condensed water started to hurt her eyes.  She closed them and rolled over, turning her belly towards the ever darkening sky above her.  So many questions to be asked yet she didn't know wether they should be.

           "Why the buck is everything so confusing?" She shouted, throwing her hooves into the air.

          "Because we will never learn without the diffulcties of life."  Twilight jumped.  She turned to see Celestia landing next to her on the cloud.  Her white alabaster coat shone brilliantly in the dying light.

           "Why are you out here, my dear Twilight?" Asked the alicorn, sitting down next to her.  Twilight sighed and layed her head on her forehooves, looking over the city below.

          "I was just thinking.  Nothing to worry about." mumbled Twilight, avoiding the subject.  Celestia sighed and nuzzled the smaller alicorn's side.

           "I know that's not true, Twilight.  It's more than just some thought.  If it was that, you wouldn't be out here like a depressed filly." said the white alicorn, looking down at her.  Twilight thought for a moment before looking up at the much older alicorn.

          "Am I immortal?"  Celestia was taken aback by the question.  She wasn't expecting the question so soon, but she should have expected the mare to come to the conclusion sooner or later.  Sooner considering her intellect.  Celestia sighed and looked over the city such as her companion did awhile ago.

           "All alicorns come with multiple curses, Twilight.  Such is the way of our unique existence.  One of them happens to be immortality." said Celestia, keeping her gaze away from the mare next to her.

           "Me and Luna have seen countless ponies close to us come and go, almost too fast at times.  Cadence expirenced this after the Crystal Empire incident, leading all the way out to now.  It does not matter wether you were born an alicorn as me and Luna, or brought into it such as Cadence and yourself.  We all have the exact same curses to deal with."

             "So, does that my friends will...."

            "If there was a way to prevent it, I would have done so by now.  I'm sorry, Twilight.  They will die long before you."

                                                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "No!" shouted Twilight, tears streaming down her face.  She is sitting up right in her bed, the sheets thrown onto the floor.  She looked around the darkened room of her Canterlot bedroom.  The same dream played through her mind over and over again.  She has been having it for the past three weeks and she had not told Celestia or Luna of them, fearing them to be more reality than dream.

            "You okay, Twilight?" Asked Spike who was watching her with concern from the edge of the bed.  She sighed as she looked at the dragon.

            "What am I going to do, Spike?  These dreams are going to haunt my forever." said Spike, putting her head in her hooves.  "I need to know but I'm afraid.  What if I'm right?  What if they will all die while I live immortal?  I couldn't possibly live like that."

             "Yes you can, Twilight.  I believe in you, Celestia believes in you, Luna believes in you, we all believe in you.  You can handle what this new life will bring or else you wouldn't have it." said Spike, placing a claw on her shoulder.  Twilight thought for a moment.

            "Spike, find a time where both princesses are free and clear my time for them.  We need to have a talk."

                                                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~

           "Do you know why we have been called here, Sister?" Asked Luna, walking into the dining hall she was asked to meet in.  Celestia was already sitting at the table, sipping on the already served tea.

           "Not a clue.  I thought you called the meeting, dear Luna." said Celestia, taking another sip while levitating the pot to her sister.  The younger alicorn accepted it with a nod and poured herself a cup of the tea.

          "I did not.  Then that only leaves dear Twilight.  But what could she possibly want with us?" asked the midnight alicorn.

          "Answers to sate my nightmares."  They turned to find Twilight walk into the room, bags under her eyes.  At her heels was Spike.

         "I told you look like shit." said Spike.  Twilight shoved him for that.

          "Thanks for the uplift, Spike.  Really helped." said the alicorn with a roll of her eyes.

          "Why do you look like you have not gotten any sleep, Twilight?" asked Luna, cocking her head at the young alicorn.

          "Because I haven't.  Questions can become obsessive if not answered and mine became nightmares.  That's why I want to ask you them." said the lavender mare, sitting at the end of the table.  Unlike Celestia and Luna, Twilight poured herself hard cider.  She had a feeling she was going to need every drop of the strong liquid.

           "What is your questions, my dear Twilight?" Asked Celestia, concerned for her former student.  Twilight set down the mug and looked the two in the eyes.

           "Am I immortal?"  It was those three words the sisters have dreaded hearing for the last three months.  Each day they felt lucky that the new alicorn did not ask them.  Now, however, they were stuck with a choice.  Tell her the truth and break her now, or lie and break her all the more harder with the added length of false bliss.  It was a choice they hated and only had to do once, that time being before Nightmare Moon and only a few years before the fall of the Crystal Empire.  It was the rise of Princess Mi Amor Cadenza.  Now they had to do the same for Princess Twilight Sparkle.

          "Alicorns come with a long list of burdens," said Luna.  "Me and Tia have expirenced so many of these burdens and curses over our long lives.  Nightmare Moon is a curse, but that is for another time."

          "Immortality is one of the larger curses of our eternal lives," continued Celestia, sitting back and looking out the window.  "I have proven that much after the banishment of Nightmare Moon.  So has Luna.  Alicorns can never die naturally, at least in the normal sense."

          "But back to your question, the answer is yes," said Luna.  Twilight just stared in shock and horror.   The conversation was not perfect but close to her nightmares the many nights before.

          "My friends will die before me." said Twilight, staring down at the grain of the wood.  Spike just stroked her mane, already coming to grips with his overly long lifetime awhile ago when told by Celestia.

         "We are trying to change that short of alicornhood.  If need be, we will change them into alicorns some way." said Celestia, trying to comfort the distraught mare before her.

         "Why can't you just do the same as you did for me for them?  Why not have them cast the spell?" Asked Twilight, crying.

         "Because it has to be cast by a powerful magician.  Twilight, the only reason you are an alicorn is because you deserve it by showing your knowledge of friendship and you incredible ability of magic." said Luna.  Twilight shook her head.

          "There has to be a way.  I don't know how I would continue without them.  We've been through so much together..."

          "We know how you feel, Twilight." said Celestia, a sad look on her face.  "Me and Luna have witnessed the death of our parents and all of our loved ones over the course of four thousand years.  Three thousand for Luna.  When we were your age, oh so long ago, we felt the exact same way.  But we remembered we were not alone."

           "We had each other," said Luna, smiling.  "We knew as long as we had the other we would never be alone.  When we met Cadence and she rose, then our chances of being alone lessened.  You must remember that even though you live for so long, you will always have me, Tia, and Caddy to keep you company and pick you up.  That's what we are for."  Twilight smiled at the two, tears streaming down her face.

          "Thank you."  And she meant it.  The helpless pit was filled once again.  Though one of her questions were answered, there were plenty more to be answered.  And she knew she had to be ready,

The pain brought by love

Her next question was something of a delicate matter that was important for her to find out, but more than likely a sensitive topic for the princesses. Cadence being the first and only to marry and not one recorded relationship on the either one of the two princesses.  This brought a few ideas, more probable by this new news of immortality.

They just couldn't bring themselves to love a mortal.

"So, what's your next question, Twilight?" Asked Celestia, sitting back in her chair, pressing her forehooves together.  Luna placed herself in a similar pose as they waited for her response.  The lavender mare took a deep breath.

"Why have you never been in an relationship?"  She must be pretty good at shocking ponies since this was the second time she was able to shock the goddesses of night and day.

"Well, it's a bit of a sensitive topic." said Luna, tracing the grain of the wood with her hoof.  Twilight sighed.

"Right.  Sorry.  Just curious." said the lavender mare, looking away to hide her blush.  Celestia bit her lip and looked over at Luna.  The night goddess nodded.

"Well, part of it is that society has just come to except ponies of our sexuality." said Celestia.  Twilight took a few moments before she came to a conclusion.

"Oh."  Was all she could say.  It was still weird to learn two of the most powerful alicorns were lesbians but she couldn't complain.

"Yes.  The other thing leads us back to your last question and our answer to it.  We are immortal.  A life of a mortal is fast in our lifestyle, especially if we enjoy the time we have with that mortal the way you would with a lover."

"The time with your love would be short and filled with sorrow by the time it so quickly ends." Finished Twilight.  Celestia nodded her confirmation. Twilight sighed.

"So Cadnce will end up losing Shining than she can probably handle." said Twilight, looking out the window to the beautiful afternoon.  It was ironic.  Such sad and dark topics on a beautiful and carefree day.  Neither of the three princesses had much work for the day.  Sadly this free time was not taken in leisure, but for a more needed and deserved conversation for the new alicorn.  Not an ideal pass time for them, but it had to be done.

"That is the most likely outcome, yes." said Luna, nodding.  "I learned of her relationship with Prince Shining Armor shortly after my return and I tried to tell her the consequence of it all, just as Tia has.  She just said she will find a way to make him immortal, an alicorn.  Something me and Tia have searched for since before she was born and only barely accomplished and that was with special conditions."

"The one who got lucky." muttered Twilight.  The only reason she was an alicorn was because she got lucky.  Just a stroke of luck that she was the most powerful unicorn in existence and the element of harmony.  Barely allowing her to become an alicorn.  A process lost in the centuries only to be brought back and used on her.  She was lucky.

"Twilight, you got to understand we are getting closer.  We may be able to finish the spell before the other elements pass on." said Celestia, trying to soothe the mare.

"What am I to do, Celestia?  I'm immortal and all who I love will pass on centuries even millennia before me.  I can't fall in love because the moment I do, I'm doomed to mourn them only what feels like a few years when it's been decades of being with them.  How am I supposed to go on with all this weighing in on my mind?"  Asked the mare, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Twilight..." said Celestia, standing to go comfort the mare.

"No!  I did not ask for any of this!  I did not want to be immortal and never love!  How could you do this to me?"

"It was to help keep the elements of harmony alive.  The elements are rare enough to come by that we were lucky to find you when we did.  We can't keep searching for them once a century." said Celestia.  Preservation.  Twilight didn't know wether or not to be angry.  She maybe should feel thankful.  But she didn't know.

Charging what magic she could into her horn, which was quite a lot with her new reserve of magical energy, she casted a long distance teleportation spell.  Not caring where she ended up, as long as it was away from the castle.

With a flash of lavender light, she appeared in a large, dark corridor.  The ceiling and walls were filled with numerous alicorn shaped holes from the wrath of time and the battle that raged here over a thousand years ago.

"How ironic I would go here.  The place it began." she muttered to herself, looking around the room she once faced Nightmare Moon in, discovered friendship, and reactivated the five elements of harmony and created a sixth.  It was the room that started a chain of events that soon ended up with her as an immortal being.  Forced to watch everyone die around her while she weathered the years, unharmed by its effects.

"How can I even hope for a somewhat normal life anymore?  I can't have a family of my own and I'm destined to protect and guide Equestria for eternity, watching every single pony I meet die with years to me." said Twilight, slumping against an crumbles pillar.  She scanned the room and smiled.  Even the castle that first housed the immortal princess fell to the wrath of time, leaving a skeleton of what it once was.  Though, alicorns are somewhat the same.

Time will have its effects on her, that much she was certain.  They just would be different effects than most ponies would go through.  She won't grow old and wither.  She will live on while her mind slows and falls apart through grief and mourning.  Leaving nothing but a shell of what she once was.  A mask to hide what was inside.  The broken soul that cowered behind its asylum from the pain that each waking moment would bring.  Only a few years and she will be just the same.  A broken soul hiding behind her mask in asylum.  Just a small matter of time was all it was.

Curse was more than an the right word to describe alicornhood.  She remembered dreaming along with so many other foals of have the pure privalge and honor of becoming an alicorn.  Now she just wanted to go to every one of those old dreamers and tell them to forget it.  Save them of the disappointment they will receive when they achieve their goal.  Though it won't stop them.  Ponies would always search for a higher power and alicorns were the highest you could get among the common knowledge.

The clopping of hooves broke Twilight's dark thoughts, causing her to turn her head to the stairwell leading up to the room she now stood in, waiting to see who dared interrupt her.

"Of course it's you." she said as Celestia and Luna topped the stairs.  It took her a moment to realize that they weren't alone.  Following behind them was Cadence, Shining, and each of her five friends and fellow element bearers.  She turned away and walked up to the incline that they had once defeated Nightmare Moon, sitting with her back to the group.

"Twilight, we need to talk about this." said Celestia.

"Why did you bring them?" She asked, casting a glance back at the group.  The closest to the inclined alter were her friends.  She now noticed Spike on Rarity's back. She sighed and turned back to the wall in front of her.

"Because we are worried about you dear.  You have been out here for three days." said Rarity. Twilight raised her eyebrows and looked back at the group behind her.

"Three days?  Well, I must have been thinking pretty hard." said Twilight, laughing slightly before laying down.  Her head sat on her forelegs while she stared off into nowhere.

"Twilight, please talk to us." said Cadence.  Twilight could hear the concern in her voice.

"There is nothing to talk about.  You've been in my place, Cadence.  You know what it feels like."

"Yes, I have.  So has Celestia and Luna.  All three of us know that you need to talk. Right now, more importantly.  You are hurting and confused.  You can't just hide Twilight."

"And why can't I?!  I'm immortal!  It wouldn't matter!  Why should it?!" Snapped Twilight, whipping her head to Cadence and causing the others to back away.

"Don't your friends matter?!  Don't we matter?!" Shouted Rainbow Dash, flying up into the lavender alicorns face.  "We may not be immortal.  Not yet, at least.  But we still are your friends and we still care and worry for you.  You can't just throw us aside because you are depressed.  We work together and we get through this."

"I uh-bu-um"  Twilight tried to think of something to say to the cyan Pegasus that was now glaring at her.  Rainbow was right.  There was no reason for her to throw them aside, immortality or not.  It just wasn't what they deserved to remember her as.  A ,are who couldn't take something and hid away from the world and her friends because of it.  It was appropriate to hear it come from Dash.  She was the element of loyalty and she hated to hear someone betraying another.

"Alright.  I will come back.  I still have some questions, b-but those can wait." said the mare, standing.  It came apparent she had been there for three days as her legs nearly gave out from beneath her.  She caught herself and gave a few flaps of her wings to correct herself.  She huffed slightly before walking down the alter.  She was able to make it three steps before exhaustion and lack of movement caught up to her, causing her to fall over face first onto the marble.

~~~~~~~

Twilight stood on a cloud plain.  The expanse of endless clouds stretched for miles and miles in each direction, dominating the sky.  Above was a clear night sky, stars twinkling in the sky as the moon shone down on the clouds, illuminating the clouds in a silver light.

"One is never sure of things, are they?"  Twilight turned to find a white alicorn mare walking towards her, her red mane shining in the moon light.

"I guess.  I'm not exactly sure of things myself." replied Twilight, casting her gaze over the sky once more.  She could see each constellation more clearly than she could ever dream of.  Not even in a town like Ponyville with almost no lights could accomplish a perfect view such as this.

"You like it?  My daughter always had a way with the night.  Just as my oldest had a way with the day and I had a way with more...sensitive matters."  Twilight gaped at the white mare.

"Y-you are Celestia and Luna's mother?!" Asked the young alicorn, shocked.

"The very same.  Didn't live long enough on Equus to see them grow in pony, but I know they've had some pretty rough times since my passing, though they are perfect for the role of ruling Equestria." said the mare, staring lovingly at the moon, a somewhat sad look in her eyes.

"But, from what it sounded like to me, you were a regular pony.  What were you an alicorn of exactly?" Asked Twilight, confused.

"My name is Faust.  When I was around, I was called the great creator, though I wasn't a creator of anything.  I was a keeper."  said Faust.

"A keeper of what?"

"Lives, dear Twilight Sparkle.  Every move, breath, and thought of a pony is recorded in that ponies own book, kept in the library of souls.  I keep these books, memories, thoughts, ideas, and dreams safe and accounted for."

"So you know every detail that is lost to ponies, secrets long forgotten, and tales never told, and you protect them?  From what?" Asked the studious mare.

"Demons, corrupt angels, soul hungry reapers.  The list goes on, Twilight.  Now, we must get to the reason why you are in my domain.

"As I am obviously aware, you are currently going through the emotional crisis of finding out the burdens of alicorns.  Am I right about this."

"Yes.  What does this have to do with anything?" Asked Twilight.

"Simple.  Another thing that all alicorns carry is a certain connection.  Celestia has her sun, Luna her moon, Cadence and Chrysalis love.  Now.."

"Wait!  Chrysalis is an alicorn?" Asked Twilight, shocked.

"Yes.  Changelings are like ponies in many ways, including alicorns.  Now, can I please continue?  This is rather important."

"Yes.  Sorry." said Twilight, smiling sheepishly.  Faust giggled a bit before continuing.

"Now, as much as you can try to control magic, it is impossible.  You can't exactly control friendship as easy as love either.  It's more nitpicky somehow.  It has been attempted but failed.  So, that leaves one option for you, Miss Sparkle.

"You must become the next Keeper."  And out of all the things that Twilight has heard in the past week, this has topped it.  Her jaw hit the floor, trying to place if the eldest alicorn wasn't actually just joking as her youngest daughter was prone to.  The serious look on her face shot down any hope of that.

"But why me?  How am I suitable for something of this scale?  I have enough trouble with having to deal with the nobles as it is as well as everything else.  I doubt protecting, and occasionally reading, the souls of ponies is exactly a quick thing." said Twilight.

"Its not, but you are not in the realm of time when you enter.  Right now, if I were to show you your current location, you would be in the hall that the elements of harmony  once sat, heading face first to the ground and the others trying to catch you.  But no pony would be moving.  Time is in stand still as you enter.  You move so fast, you never move at all.

"As for why you, you are extremely studious and organized.  Your magical power is enough to protect the library as well.  In all, you are ideal." said Faust.  Twilight stood there in shock, trying to figure out what she should do.  She wasn't exactly keen on becoming a god of such a stature.  Celestia herald the dawn, Luna brought the night and guarded the dreams, and Cadence brought love.  Twilight, however, was asked to guard the housing the most valuable knowledge in the universe.  The very essence of souls.  But....

         "I'll do it." said Twilight, standing tall.  Faust smiled and nodded.

         "Brave young mare.  Now, close your eyes."  Twilight nodded.  After a moment, she felt something touch her horn, but she kept her eyes shut despite the odd feeling.

         "Now wake up."

The library of souls

        Time corrected itself, ending with Twilight falling face first into the stone.  Her head throbbed from the fall and the rush of information concerning the library and her new position.  She now knew how to cast the spell that completely stopped time and placed her soul in the library and realm of souls.

         Twilight herself still needed to check out this new source of information that held the very lives of ponies that have gone by.  It also allowed her to research lost secrets of Equestria and things that hardly anypony in Equus knows about.  In all actuality, there wouldn't be a single thing she didn't know about.  It was ultimately the entire world in her hooves.  And just when she believed she had enough problems.

         "Twilight, are you okay?" Asked Celestia, putting a hoof on the young alicorns shoulder.  Twilight went through the new information in her head and smiled.

         "Yes, I'm perfectly fine."

Bring them here.  Twilight's eyes widened as a familiar voice rang through her head.

Faust?  How are you talking to me?  I thought you were stuck in the library of souls, about to pass on. said Twilight.  There was a mental sigh.

I still have some time, Twilight.  I still need to teach you the ways of the library, but right now, I think my daughters need to know.  Twilight gave a mental nod.  In an instant, she somehow knew how to take multiple souls with her to the library.  Realizing she had been sitting there  staring off into space and worrying the others, Twilight looked up at Celestia and Luna.

          "Somepony wants to speak with you." Twilight said, gesturing for them to sit.  The sisters looked at each other for a moment until sitting across from the lavender alicorn.  Taking a deep breath, Twilight channeled her magic into the spell that would send her to the library, she then stretched it out so it encompassed the two sisters as well.  After making sure all three of them were ready, she sent their souls off in a bright flash.

                                                                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~

           The three alicorns stood at the steps of a golden library, the pillars holding up the awning to the library were covered in lush green vines that sprouted out of the clouds.  Twilight took in the sight with a smile while the two sisters gaped at it.  Twilight turned her head back to the golden double doors.

            "You are going to have to show me the way, master." she said calmly.  The doors opened and a spectral of golden light appeared.  It was a formless sphere that Twilight had no doubt was Faust's way of guiding them.

            "Twilight, where are we and how did we get here?" Asked Celestia, looking around at the bookshelves that were laden with numerous tomes.  Some thick, some thin.  Each beheld a name and, on occasion, a rune that depicted which in the bloodline they were.

            "This is the library of souls.  Only two have ever roamed its halls, I am one.  As for how we got here, I used a spell only two ponies know, I being one of them again.  The second pony has requested your audience, thus I brought you here." said Twilight, keeping her eye on the golden sphere as it hummed its acceptance to her explanation.

            "Who is this other pony, Twilight?" Asked Luna, eyeing the young alicorn.

            "I have a feeling that you will know when you see them."  The three of them walked for another few minutes before coming to another pair of doors.  Engraved into the doors was a sun and moon, almost identical to the sister's own cutie marks.  The sphere faded away into nothingness, signaling their arrival.  Taking a deep breath, Twilight placed a hoof on the door and pushed it open.

             "Thank you, Twilight.  Oh, and nice use of master.  It's a new title for me."  Celestia and Luna froze as they heard the oh so familiar voice.  As the doors finished opening, they revealed a white alicorn with a red mane and tail sitting at the table in the very center.  Four thick tomes sat on the table.  Each one had a cutie mark on it.  One of the four was open and floating in front of the mare.

            "M-mother?" Asked Celestia weakly.  The white mare turned and smiled warmly at the two.

             "It had been a few years, hasn't it?"  Faust laughed brightly as she was embraced by the two mares, who were now crying as they held their dead mother.

           "We thought you were dead." said Luna through her sobs.

           "And I am.  The reason you are here is because I have chosen a successor to the library so I can finally rest my old soul and sit upon my own shelf." said Faust, stroking the manes of both of her daughters.  Twilight sat off in the corner as she watched the three.

Explore your new domain, dear Twilight.  I need to have a talk with my daughters. said Faust over their mental connection, looking up at the alicorn slightly.  Twilight nodded and slipped out of the room, closing the golden doors as quietly as physically possible.

          Taking a deep breath, ventured through the bookshelves of the library.  She soon found that over the centuries, Faust has been busy collecting each scrap of knowledge and history into books all of their own.  No doubt from reading the lives of multiple ponies.

          There was forgotten theories, dead languages, history of events lost in the folds of time, and spells that were complex and unique in nature but never saw the light of day.  It was not only the housing of every soul's history, but the history amd knowledge of Equus itself.

          Twilight nearly drooled over the vast amount of awaiting knowledge for her to indulge herself in, fill her mind until it was numb.  It was Twilight's paradise and she received it without having to die.

          Looking through the history section, Twilight found a familiar topic to her and smiled.  She picked up the book and turned it over to view the cover.  An image of the six elements of harmony.

          Opening to the table of contents, Twilight started to look to see if there were any chapters that touched a topic she was not familiar with.  She didn't have to look far.   She flipped to the first chapter and started reading aloud.

           "The six elements of harmony represent the six traits of each pony that helps keep us balanced and in harmony.  Sometimes, we focus too little or too much on one trait and we become unbalanced and chaotic.  As a result, the elements were created to help keep peace and order.

           "The Great Creator Faust used her magic and crafted each of these elements from a lost stone called Soul Stone.  The only one to have retrieved this stone and knows of its whereabouts is none other than Faust herself.  The Soul Stone was then enhanced to shape to the Cutie Mark of its owner and find its said owner when the time is right.  This pony would be able to uses its powers to keep harmony but can only use it fully when combined with the other five."  Twilight set down the book and stared at In awe.

            "Faust created the elements of harmony?" She asked aloud to no one.  It was a wonder how only a handful knew, and according to Celestia and Luna, they were just as clueless.

            The Great Creator Faust.  It was an odd title that made so much sense now.  She created some of the most magical artifacts in Equus and her talent wasn't even magic.  If there was an all powerful alicorn, it was her most recent mentor.  What kind of a world did she just walk into?

            The sound of an opening door made her close the book and return it to its usual spot.  She turned around to see Faust and her two daughters exiting the golden room.  Celestia and Luna had their heads leaning on the eldest mares shoulders.  Faust seemed unfazed by the awkward weight on her shoulders and walked towards Twilight who had climbed down her previous bookshelf down to the floor.

            "Thank you, Twilight, for that much needed talk." said Faust.  Twilight nodded.

            "Of course.  It was nothing." said the young alicorn with a smile.  Faust smiled back then turned to her daughters.

            "I have to show my student one quick thing about the library, then you may leave." said the mighty alicorn.  They said nothing but nodded.  Faust motioned for Twilight to follow her back into the room she had previously left.  All for tomes were close and sitting on their pedestals when they entered.

             "This, Twilight, is the hall of alicorns." said Faust as the doors shut behind them.  "This is where all four alicorns have their soul tomes.  Mine is not present since I have yet to truly die.  Once I have, all of my knowledge, memories, and dreams will be sealed into a single, thick tome and sit among the others."  Taking this moment to examine the four present tomes, Twilight saw that each one beared the cutie mark of the four living alicorns, herself being one of them.

             Each tome was thick, including her own despite her young age.  Twilight cocked her head at her own tome, confused by its already thick pages.  Faust saw this and chuckled.

            "Dear Twilight, did you expect a thin novel after all you have gone through and accomplished?" Asked Faust.

           "It's just that it's over half the size of the others.  I'm only twemty-five and they are over a thousand.  I just don't see how this is possible." said Twilight, shaking her head.

           "Many things are possible in this realm.  Now, I believe its time for you to return to your realm.  I presume you know how?"

           "I would be surprised if I didn't." said Twilight, walking towards the door.  Faust giggled and watched as Twilight left and closed the door behind her.  She levitated the tome she had earlier, the name Twilight Sparkle adorning its cover.  She opened to the page she was on earlier and grabbed her quill.

            The quill scratched along the books surface for several paragraphs as it shaped the young alicorns future.  Once it was shaped to her satisfactory for the next three months, Faust sat down the quill and reviewed her work.

             "You have a long, rough life ahead of you, my dear Twilight."

The Life of Faust

REMEMBER:  This is a fictional Faust as I see head cannon.  Not actual Laruan Faust that gave us this show.  Back to the chapter.

Three months have passed in the pony world, with close to two years in the library.  By now, Twilight knew many of the twists and turns of the eternal library and the organizing system by heart.  Over the course of these two spirit years, Twilight was able to learn the multiple offense and defense spells against the universe and whatever ponies may find a way to travel into the realm.

The realm itself was closely connected to dream realm but hidden enough that Luna had to really look for it to find it.  However, once Faust was gone, the door between realms would become more visible to not only Luna, but to whoever was aware they were dreaming.  They would be able to see the faults and whatever doorway they could.

If such an event would to occur where a lucid dreamer found themselves in the spirit realm, not only would Twilight be well aware of it and she would have to work on carefully removing them as to not accidently harm them, for the injuries would still be on the body once they woke up and prove it real, or to cause severe harm for it could kill them in their sleep and cause their bodies to disperse into the spirit realm and for their story to conclude.

However, at the end of these two years in the library, another story must conclude its long story and rest it's head among the sea of spirits gone by previously.

Faust smiled as she walked the halls one last time, taking in every shelf and tome.  She had spent millennia in the library and now it was time for her to move on.  She was thousands of years past due and it was prime time she did. And knowing there was a pony to take up her position when she left was very comforting.  Besides, according to dreams from her eldest, this young mare could end up making the sun goddess more happy than any pony could hope to and so many wished to but mortality prevented them from.  Faust blushed and giggled as she remembered some of the more vivid dreams.  Oh what an imaginative mind Celestia had.

She sighed happily as she came to the very room she used to watch over her daughters and adopted granddaughter and, at one time, change the very fate of a certain alicorns future.  In Faust's opinion, it was not time for Twilight to die, not yet at least.

There was a surge of familiar magic, making the old alicorn smile.  She has grown familiar with the feel of the magic over the past two spirit years.

"Please, come in, Twilight." said Faust, gently stroking one of her daughters tomes.  She ran her hoof over the crescent moon, tracing its shape as she remembered the day Luna received it.

It was when her daughters were not but filly's.  It has the day Luna was first able to not only discover the magical tether to the moon such as Tia did for the sun, but the door into the dream realm that allowed her to freely walk and alter dreams as she pleased.

Faust remembered waking up in the middle of the night to a excited Luna jumping on her bed and a tired, confused Celestia standing in the doorway as Luna explained how she recieved  her cutie mark.

"You wanted to see me, Faust?" Asked the lavender mare.  It took awhile before Faust could get Twilight to stop calling her Princess, Mentor, Master, and got her to just call her Faust.  Now she was able to say it with more ease than any could hope when in the presence of the Keeper.

"I did, Twilight.  Tell me, you have memorized everything I have taught you, correct?" Asked the elder alicorn.  Twilight nodded.

"I have.  I even taken liberty to practice at the Royal Guard training grounds once a week." said Twilight with a smile.  Faust chuckled.  She looked over at the awaiting pedestal.  She nodded towards it.

"Do you know why I have placed that there, Twilight?" Asked Faust.  Twilight sighed.

"I have a few guesses.  I don't think another alicorn is one of them.  You know your daughters will be devestated when I tell them." said the mare sadly.  Faust sighed and nodded.

"Yes, yes they will.  But it cannot be helped.  I have outlived my death for thousands of years.  As will you when you die in the material world.  Leaving your soul to wonder here until a alicorn with the right potential shows up to claim your position.  Then you will train them until they are ready, and then you will join the ones you lost." said Faust, stroking a hoof over the pedestal.

"I had a husband, obviously since I had Tia and Lulu, but he was mortal.  He was the first and only stallion to win my love.  And you already know how fast time flies when you are immortal.  One day we were married, the next we had one daughter, then two, then the next I was sitting next to his death bed as he lived his longest.

"I guess the reason why Tia and Lulu have never been with a stallion or mare is partly my fault.  They saw what it did to me when their father died and did not wish that fate on themselves." said Faust, turning to Twilight.

"It was one of the things I hated when I passed on to here.  But, now I can see him once again."  Faust laughed softly and looked back at the tome with her eldest's cutie mark.  "Read page 3,005.  Tia can be very imaginative." said Faust.  She giggled slightly before looking up into nothing.

"When I leave here, please be gentle with telling them.  Oh, and make sure you lock the door on your way out." said Faust, winking.  The air around the white mare shifted and glowed bright golden.  She started to dissipate as a tome started to form on the pedestal.  Twilight's mind finally caught up to her and tears started to fall as she watched her mentor pass on.  She stood tall and watched as the alicorn died for the second time in her lifetime.

She took a shaky breath as the final piece of Faust's soul was transferred into the very thick tome with a quill and parchement cutie mark on its cover.  Twilight stood there for a few moments before taking a deep breath.

Twilight summoned a saddle bag onto her bag and levitated the rather thick tome into it after placing a series of wards on it.  She prepared to leave then remembered what Faust said about Celestia's tome.  She levitated the smaller tome over to her bags and placed the same wards on it and placed in the bag.

~~~~~

Twilight completely forgot her postion before she went to the library.  She yelped as the sudden weight of the heavy laden saddle bags was suddenly on her back and caused her to fall forward off the throne she was holding court on.  Celestia, who was sitting next to her and helping her with court, caught her with her magic before the mare was crushed under her saddle bags.  The poor stallion who was trying to get a land loans stared confused at her and the saddle bags that appeared out of nowhere.

"I forgot time is stopped in the library.  And that was holding court." groaned Twilight as she was lifted back onto her hooves.  Celestia raised an eyebrow.

"Mother sending you back with homework?" Asked Celestia.  Twilight froze as she remembered what exactly brought her to the library in the first place.

"Please leave us.  I will hold court for an extra two hours tomorrow." said Twilight, talking to both the stallion and the guards.

"But what about my loan?" Asked the stallion.  Twilight sighed.

"Have the papers sent to my study and I will sign off on them when I get the chance."  The stallion bowed and left with the guards.  Once the door closed, Twilight opened her saddle bag and lifted out the tome with Faust's cutie mark.

"Twilight, what is that?" Asked Celestia, concerned.  Twilight took a deep breath.

"I think it would be best if Luna was here." said the lavender alicorn as she teleported paper and quill to herself. She wrote her quick message before sending it off in a purple cloud.  They stood there for a few minutes, Twilight slowly looking over the thick tome.  Finally, Luna appeared before the throne,confused.

"I have some news concerning my most recent trip to the library." said Twilight.  She floated it between herself and the two sisters.  She placed one hoof on it.  "This, is what is left of Faust."  Finding out someone you loved died is painful, finding out they died a second time is ten times more painful than the first.  Twilight had the misfortune of watching two of the most powerful beings in Equus, next to herself now, breakdown in full hysterics, complete with bawling.

It tore at her heart to see the two ponies she grew up admiring, Luna as the moon, all her life in such a destroyed state.  Twilight still had both of her parents so she had no clue what it felt like to learn either one of them died, let alone twice.  Twilight wiped away her own tears as she placed Faust's tome back in the saddle bag.

"I will leave you to mourn." said Twilight, standing and walking to the door.  She was stopped by the sound of Celestia's voice.

"Twilight,  thank you."  Twilight turned around and smiled warmly at the sisters.

"You're welcome.  I will be in my room if you need me."  With that, Twilight left the two sisters to comfort each other.  Twilight had her own research that needed to be done.

Twilight made her way through the halls of the castle.  Not many guards were posted in the private rooms, both an upside and a downside.  But it mattered not to Twilight at the moment.  Right now, she didn't need any guards surrounding her while she looked through the lives of the most powerful ponies in Equus.

Twilight closed the door to her personal chambers.  She sighed as she levitated the two tomes out of her bags and threw the bags on the floor.  The young alicorn strides over to the desk she set the books down.

"Alright, page 3,008 of the Book of Celestia." muttered Twilight as she leafed through the tome.  She came to the marked page and started reading.

"Huh, this was just a few days ago.  'Celestia walked through the yellow fields of her dreams.  She hummed as she walked towards the lone oak tree.  Sitting below it was a lavender mare.  Celestia felt a spark of joy and love as she saw the younger lavender alicorn and the love of her life...'" Twilight stared at the dream.  Her cheeks burned crimson as the dreams meaning came to her mind.

"Well, that was unexpected.  Now, on to Faust." said Twilight, switching the book with the one of Faust.  The very book in her hooves was the very life of Faust, and she planned on deciphering it.

The death of an era

Twilight opened the tome and looked over to the table of contents.  It was sorted by important events, age, or certain years from the ponies life.  It all depended on how you set the contents using a simple spell.  Soul Books were ten times more fun than any other book Twilight ever read.

Twilight lit her horn and set the book by important events.  She stretched and looked down the list of contents.  Her hoof trailed downwards, stopping at 'Birth of Celestia Rose.'  Twilight blinked at the last name, completely not expecting it.  She chuckled and turned to the marked page.

~~~~

The stone corridors of the Everfree Castle medical ward trembled under the powerful voice of its princess as she screamed, shattering a few stained glass windows as she did so.  A grey stallion with a similar red mane to his wife stood next to her with a pained expression as she clamped onto his hoof, squeezing tighter with every contraction.

"Sweet mother, child, get out!" Bellowed Faust, pushing harder in an attempt to remove the child from her womb and out into the world before them.  Sadly, this was an extremely painful process for the elder mare.

"Just breathe, babe." said Crescent Moon, wincing slightly as she tightened her grip on his hoof.  Faust glared at him from her position on the bed.

"Y-you try giving b-birth to a u-unicorn and tr-try breathing.  I-it's n-not easy." said Faust.  The grey unicorn smiled sheepishly as she continued to give birth to their foal.  Her screams were becoming more frequent as well as her contractions, signaling the foal was close to popping out.

This was made proof as she cried out once more, causing the nurses, doctor, and Crescent to splay back their ears in irritation.  As her scream died off, another pair of lungs cried out their distaste.

"It's a filly." said the nurse as she held up a small, white alicorn filly.  The feathers on her alabaster wings were matted down from the fluids in her womb as well as blood from giving birth.  The filly's mane was a bubbly pink, falling down and over her face.

Yawning, the filly opened her eyes to reveal two lavender orbs looking up at her mother.  Faust smiled weakly at her daughter.  She leaned down and nuzzled her underside, causing the small filly to giggle in joy.

"You did great, babe." said Crescent, nuzzling up against his wife.  Faust chuckled and nodded.

"We did great." she corrected, cradling the child.

"Have any names in mind?" Asked Crescent, watching the filly nudge away the blankets, signaling she wanted to be fed.  Faust lifted her and let her attach herself to the princesses teats.  Faust hummed in thought as her daughter fed.

"How about..."  Time stopped, well, for everyone except her.  She stood in the alicorn section of the Library of Souls.  She smiled as she saw a new book sitting there, making it two tomes of the worlds most well respected race.

The tomes cover was blank since the filly was just born and filly's didn't come with cutie marks when they are born.  A name, however, was in there even if the filly was born just moments ago.  This tome held her destiny in some way, and her name was part of it.

She flipped to the first page and read the name out slowly, capturing every syllable.

"Celestia Rose.  A beautiful name." said Faust, fading back into the real world, time flowing back to its original state.

"Celestia Rose." said Faust, smiling up at her husband.  Crescent smiled down at her and kissed her just below the horn.

"Celestia Rose it is, then."

~~~~~~~

Twilight pulled herself back from the memory realm of Faust.  She chuckled slightly at the sight of seeing someone as high in power as Celestia so helplessly cute and nothing but a filly.

She read back down the list trying to find another event.  There were only two more that caught her attention.  The dates landed on the same day, only hours apart.  They read The death of Crescent Moon.'  and 'The fall of the Equestrian Monarchy.'

She knew full well what this entailed.  The fall of the Equestrian Monarchy was when Discord first appeared and took over Equestria in a bloody battle to the castle.  Finally, the elements sealed him away and all was back at peace.  Apparently this was not the case.

~~~~~~~

Faust ran through the halls of the Everfree Castle, sounds of spells being casted and detonated sounded through the halls as a full on battle raged just outside the windows.  A creature called Discord the Draconequus declared a battle against the entire nation of Equestria, going after the throne.

The princess raced through the castle, trying to make it to her daughters and husband before Discord did.  Who knows what he would do if he ever got ahold of her family.  From his ruthless behavior so far, he would probably use them to get to her and get rid of them once their job was over.  She ran into the two sisters further down the hall.

"Mother, what is going on?" Asked Luna Lulamoon, the indigo alicorn of the moon and younger sister of Celestia Rose, alicorn of the sun.

"Where is your father?" Asked the panting white mare.

"He went down to check out all the shouting.  He told us to stay here." answered Celestia.  Faust visibly paled, a feat for a white mare.

"You two stay in the castle.  Do not leave unless I tell you to." said Faust, past  the two and continuing her path through the chaos filled halls of the Everfree Castle as what seemed to be chaos itself rained from all directions just outside, slaughtering soldiers without a second thought.  Discord was insane and merciless.

Her hooves couldn't seem to carry her fast enough.  The narrow passages constricting her to keep her wings at her sides due to their large wing span.  It did not help that the entire battle took place as she was turning in for the night, leaving her mildly exhausted.  He was insane, but not stupid.  He knew when to attack and just where as well it seemed.

"Crescent!  Babe, where are you?" She called out, searching franticly for her husband.  With his incredibly old age he was not fit for any sort of battle, let alone with a being of chaos.  He was too weak, frail, vulnerable.  A lamb for slaughter.  And she was eternally healthy, young, fit.  To forever live while he died before her time can anywhere close to it.  If Discord didn't kill him, his failing health certainly would.  Either way, she may come out of this as a widow.

"Oh, over here, Fausty!" Called out a mocking voice.  It chilled her bones and fueled her anger and expanded her fear. More emotions than she wanted to admit flooded the usually regal princess of a budding country.  She turned to find a creature with various animal parts piecing together it's body holding onto a squirming grey stallion aged away from years.  The Draconequus smirked at her as he held her husband in his very grasp.

"How many years has it been since you two got married?  Sixty plus?  I have to say that is a very long marriage.  I wonder though, will you care when time takes its final toll?" Asked Discord, circling her.  Faust shot him a glare that could stop hearts and shatter planets, but it only caused him to smirk even more.

"Why do you do this, Discord?  Senseless killing and slaughter, and without an army no less.  What justifies your actions?" Asked Faust, trying to destroy the Draconequus with her gaze alone.

"Chaos, my dear pony.  The world feeds and lives off of the chaos and order in the universe.  I embody this chaos and I wreak as much of it as I can, all while enjoying myself to the fullest." said Discord, floating on his back as he completed another lap around the alicorn.

"So you murder ponies, destroy crops, and cause wars among citizens?!  This is complete destruction, not chaos!" Shouted Faust, stomping the ground beneath her, causing spider-web cracks to ruin the perfect marble floors.  Discord broke out in laughter.

"Oh but my dear, destruction is chaos!  When don't have control or can't even understand something, chaos is always present and is to blame.  All this," Discord waved a claw around them.  "This is pure, raw chaos and is it rich and plentiful." Discord said, grinning widely at the alicorn.  Faust growled and lowered her horn for preperation to attack.

"Name one reason why I shouldn't destroy your very existence from where you stand?" Said Faust, her horn glowing golden as she prepared her magic as well as a bridge to the library  if she needed it.  Discord chuckled and brought Crescent into the line of fire, immediately causing the golden aura to disappear, only leaving the bridge standing.

"No magic for you deary.  And I advise not going to your little library, or do you prefer me to cause chaos there instead?"  Faust's eyes widened.  Alarms went off in her mind, screaming to her the presence of a being in the library.

"Y-You wouldn't.  The fallout it would cause!  You could end up extinguishing all life on the planet save for all the wild creatures!  It would be complete genocide!" Exclaimed Faust, completely fearful of what the Draconequus would do.

"Then I advise you surrender.  Give me the throne of Equestria to do what I please, and I will leave you, your family, and your precious library alone."  Discord smirked as Faust trembled.  She was terrified and he could see it.  He could feel it.  And he enjoyed every shudder that racked her body as the very implications of his powers were realized to her.

"F-Fine." said Faust, dropping to her haunches, her head hanging low.  Discord smirked and tossed over a limp Crescent over to him.

"He's been dead for the last hour anyways.  Weak heart it seemed.  I got chaos to create.  Ta-ta~"  With that, Discord disappeared with a snap of his fingers, leaving Faust with the lifeless body of her late-husband.

"You old fool.  I told you that you were told old to fight, and here your own heart proved me right." said Faust softly, crying as she held her husband.  There was the sound hoofsteps behind her and turned to see the last two ponies she wanted to confront so soon.  Her own daughters.

"Mother, have you found father?" Asked Luna, looking at the crying mare with concern.  Luna was only six years younger than her sister, but was still oblivious to plenty of signs.  Celestia, however, caught these signs in which her sister did not and pieced together the answer.

"He is dead, isn't he?" Asked Celestia, her ears splaying back.  Faust kept her composure for a few more moments before the full weight final crashed down, breaking her.  The most respected ruler, the great creator, the princess, reduced to nothing but a sobbing mess all because of one pony.  This one pony happened to capture the heart of the alicorn and steal her love.  And now that one pony was gone due to the cruel ways of time itself.

It was there, wrapped up in the embrace of her daughters with her dead husband in her hooves, that she made a vow.  A vow that would change the world forever.  She vowed that one day, Discord will pay.