The Tale of Lovely Feathersby LovelyMuseChaptersChapter 1: The TransformationChapter 2: A New LifeChapter 3: Family HistoryPrologue: The Last LetterChapter 1: The Transformation"Your Majesty, are you sure this is wise? We have no clue as to who she or where she came from." "Do not worry. I sense no dark motives within this young one. I will let you know if there is anything I need." "Of course, Your Majesty. Excuse me." Deep within herself, the sleeping individual was dreaming. It was dark, leaving her unable to see anything at all. Where am I? She asked herself. As if to answer her, a single beam of light shined down a few feet away from her, revealing a simple mirror. It was thinly rimmed in black and seemed to be about five feet in height and three feet in width. It also appeared to be floating a good foot or so in the air, no wall to hang it on or string above to tie it to the ceiling. Curious, she cautiously stepped towards the mirror, noticing that she was barefoot. When she was standing before it, the reflection showed a human girl, perhaps no more than twenty years or so. She stood at about 5' 6" and had midnight-blue eyes and pale peach-colored skin. However, she gasped and touched her hair. Why is my hair white!? She noted the light-blue ribbons that wound two front pieces of her hair and the unnatural silky-smoothness she felt upon brushing her fingers through them. Suddenly, she seemed to notice her attire and looked down at the elegant navy-blue dress. It was strapless and cut off just at her ankles. Even in the dim lighting, the dress seemed to glisten like starlight, portraying the night sky. What's going on? Why am I seeing this? The girl reached out her hand towards the mirror. The moment her hand lay flat on the surface, however, a tiny crack appeared. She quickly pulled away and stood frozen as the small crack began to grow in size, like ice that begins to melt at the start of spring. The sound it gave off sent shivers down the girl's spine, causing goosebumps to run along her arms and legs. Yet, the cracking suddenly stopped growing, ending as fast as it had started. The girl hesitated for several moments, waiting for the strange phenomenon to start up again. When that did not happen, she slowly crept forward. However, as she did so, she was unaware that her body began to change. Her dress disappeared as her back began to arch forward so she was on all fours, her arms and legs becoming longer and matching in length, causing her to grow in height. Her fingers and toes fused with their separate partners, while at the same time, her hands and feet curved to form skinny, upside-down u's, hardening to act like nails. Her skin turned into a soft, turquoise shade and fur started to cover her body, while her ears disappeared. Her face stretched out from the nose down, her nostrils enlarging and creating a muzzle, while her neck grew in length as well. Triangular ears of the same fur that had taken over her body appeared slightly further back from the top of her head, tucked between her hair that clumped together and formed into a sort of visible aura, flowing in an nonexistent wind. A tail exactly like her hair soon appeared on her hind, curling around her back legs. A horn the same shade as her fur formed on her forehead, while matching wings that seemed to belong to an angel sprouted from her back. This all happened within a heartbeat, though the transformation itself seemed to have gone in slow motion. When the now nonhuman girl was in front of the mirror once more, she felt her heart stop. Even with the reflection coming off in chunks, she saw that she no longer was a human, but some sort of equine, her horn indicating that she was a unicorn but her wings saying she was also a pegasus. Her entire body shook as she reached out a hoof, but she would not be able to touch the mirror a second time. When her hoof would have come into contact with the broken mirror, the glass shattered completely and blew outward. The newly transformed girl screamed and pulled her wings forward to shield herself, but before she would have felt the shards pierce her skin, the floor beneath her disappeared and she began to plummet into the dark abyss. And though she didn't know it, a cloaked being watched her fall from the edge of the hole, an evil grin visible on his face even within the shadows of his hood. "So it begins." Author's Note Let me know what ya think. Questions and comments are welcomed^^ Chapter 2: A New Life"Are you awake?" The young alicorn filly moaned as she shifted on the bed, leaving the world of dreams. Her eyelids flickered several times before they eventually lifted, revealing clouded sapphire-blue eyes. At first, her surroundings were nothing more than blotched shapes and colors, but in time, her eyes adjusted, dispelling the clouds and showing her she was in a sort of bedchamber. The main color-theme was purple, though in several different hues, clouds painted at different angles around the edges. A tapestry depicting the night sky and shooting stars hung on one side of the room, a grand fireplace not too far away, a fire of reds, yellows, and oranges lit within, sending warmth and the slightest hint of pine throughout the room. Two doors were at opposite sides, the one of glass leading to a balcony that overlooked the quickly changing city from summer to fall, and the other of grand white that the filly could not figure out. The filly stifled a yawn, covering her mouth with her front right turquoise hoof, then pushed a stray strand of pale-white mane out of her face and behind her right ear. "It's good to see you awake, little one," the voice from before stated. The filly flinched and gasped upon hearing the voice before quickly spinning around to see the source. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the tall and majestic alicorn mare before her. She had a gorgeous white coat with the very slightest tint of pink. Her indigo eyes shined in the light given off by the fire, a loving look in them. The tiny filly stared at the older alicorn, shivering in fright. The mare smiled softly. "Do not be scared, my little pony. No harm will come to you; I promise." The smaller stopped her quivering, but continued to hold her gaze of uneasiness. "That's good." The mare stepped closer ever so slowly. "May I sit with you?" The younger hesitated, but eventually nodded her head. "Thank you." The older sat on the edge of the bed. "My name is Celestia. Do you have a name?" The filly looked down, as if thinking. "... I... don't know." Celestia smiled, glad to see that the filly had not lost her voice. "That's perfectly fine. How about where you live, or who your parents are?" A shake of the head was her reply. "Is there anything at all that you can remember that might help in finding your family?" She shook her head once more before looking back up at Celestia, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I...I'm sorry. I just... can't remember." She released her tears and began sobbing. Sympathy taking over, Celestia pulled the weeping filly into her embrace. She hushed her in a motherly way, running her hoof along the smaller's pale-white mane. "It's alright, little one. I promise I'll do everything in my power to help you." The filly nodded against Celestia's chest as she continued to cry. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************* As the days passed, news of the discovery of an alicorn filly in Canterlot quickly spread across the four corners of Equestria. Princess Celestia hoped that the young filly's family would eventually hear that their daughter had been found and hurry to Canterlot to reunite with her. However, days soon became weeks, and Celestia began to wonder if the young alicorn even had any living relatives to speak of. When a month had passed after the arrival of the filly and still no word of her family came, Celestia declared the alicorn an orphan. Though under normal circumstances Celestia would have sent an abandoned colt or filly to the orphanage, she found herself unable to give the filly up. She feared the environment would only further harm the young alicorn, and the need to surpervise the growing filly would be mandatory, for young alicorn magic could be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. Though more privately, Celestia had grown attached to the filly, seeing her as the child she never had. The filly was named Lovely Feathers after her wings that seemed to glisten in any form of light when fully extended. In her spare time, Celestia educated Lovely Feathers in the art of magic and proper princess etiquette. However, when she had royal duties of her own to perform, private foal-sitters and tutors came in to watch over the development of Lovely. As time went on, Lovely Feathers slowly came out of her shell, speaking to those besides Celestia and playing with her caretakers, though she would rather spend time with her adoptive mother. Three months later... In Celestia's throne room, the sun goddess sat in her throne as she listened to a unicorn stallion who was in the middle of a proposal for trade-rearangements between Canterlot and Manehatten. The brown stallion pushed the spectacles that rested on the bridge of his nose closer to his face as he continued to read off of a piece of parchment paper that levitated in his magic. "And so, Your Highness, I believe that these set of changes will-" "Mother! Mother!" A shrilled voice interrupted. The unicorn flinched and lost his concentration on the paper, causing him to drop it. However, he was more interested to see who had cut into his conversation and spun his head around, only for a flash of turquoise to fly by him, an after-gust sending his spectacles flying off his nose. He managed to catch his glasses with his magic a second before they would have fallen to the ground, then placed them back in place and looked to Celestia, finding a small alicorn filly floating beside his princess. "Look, Mother. I learned a new trick from a book in the library." Lovely Feathers' horn glowed white and seemed to begin to form a figure. The stallion stared in disbelief as the light shifted to create the illusion of a full-grown alicorn. The casted spell reared playfully as it pranced around the throne room. The unicorn could only watch in utter amazement as the illusion danced to a fro, mesmerized by the detail put into it. Though the fake alicorn had no specific characteristics such as a cutie mark or actual face, it still seemed to give off the presence similar to that of Celestia herself. The visitor looked back at Lovely Feathers- who was giggling the entire time- dumb-struck when he noticed just how young the filly actually was. Eventually, the illusion began to fade before vanishing altogether, leaving Lovely sighing in exhaustion. However, when she regained her composure, she landed on the ground and looked up at Celestia with hopeful eyes, as if asking for approval. She was rewarded by Celestia's smile and a small laugh, surprising the stallion. The princess turned back to her guest and stated "I hope you can forgive Lovely Feathers for her sudden interruption. She is quite gifted in her magic and wishes to show me something new at any given moment. You are not the first to witness such strange occurrences done by her." The unicorn seemed to snap his senses back as he shook his head and bowed. "It is no trouble at all, Your Highness. Though if I may ask," he added, lifting his head up, "Is she a pupil of yours?" "Yes," Celestia replied. "She is currently living here in the castle so her powers can be properly watched." "I can tell she will grow to be a fine mare under your guidance, Your Highness," the stallion commented. Lovely Feathers giggled. "You're really nice, mister. Mommy makes a good choice in friends." Chapter 3: Family HistoryIncidents like these were a weekly occurrence, daily when Lovely managed to get by the guards more easily. Each time, the young alicorn showed Celestia a new spell, dazzling the guest or guests present without fail. Autumn came and went, winter quickly taking hold with frigid days and rooftops covered in frost. The palace began to buzz with more activity than usual as light blankets and drapes were traded in for heavier and darker ones. Firewood was stocked to the brim and guards fresh out of the boot-camp took new positions. One night, Lovely Feathers snuck out of her room and into Celestia's. She waited patiently for her mother's return, knowing she was tending to her final duties before heading to bed. When the princess did return to her bed chambers, she was not at all surprised when she saw Lovely, who was sitting comfortably by the fire. "I thought Madge put you to bed already," the older teased. Madge -Madge Brightheart fully- was a middle-aged unicorn mare who possessed a light-brown coat and a slightly-grayed dark brown mane and tail that were both tied in braids. She had soft blue eyes and her cutie mark was a white cradle surrounded by red hearts, proving to Celestia that she would make a wonderful nurse and nanny for Lovely Feathers. The filly looked up at her adoptive mother and giggled. "Yes, but I wanted to ask you something, since Madge wouldn't answer." She picked up a book that lay beside her with her magic and showed it to Celestia. The older alicorn was surprised when she saw that the book her daughter held was the one that contained the story of Nightmare Moon. "Madge saw me reading this and said it's just an old mare's tale to scare little foals and colts, but that's not true, is it?" Lovely stated, a serious look on her face. Celestia tried her best and stayed calm, smiling slightly. "Now what would make you believe such a silly thing?" Lovely Feathers turned her head and looked at the night sky that could be seen through the glass balcony doors. "Because... I've... had dreams about her." "Who, dear?" Lovely hesitated for a few more moments before answering "Nightmare Moon." A tinge of curiosity picked at the sun goddess's heart, but she continued to act oblivious. "Well of course you would have dreams of her if you've been reading that book," she offered. "But that's just it, Mother. I've been having these dreams even before I found the book. And-" Lovely paused for several more seconds before adding "-it's not truly dreams of Nightmare Moon herself, but of another pony who's trapped inside her." Though on the outside she appeared calm and collected, Celestia's mind was racing as it tried to make sense of what Lovely Feathers had just said. Why is it now that you try to contact those down here, sister? She thought to herself. And why have you chosen to speak with Lovely Feathers? "Mother?" Lovely's voice brought the older alicorn out of her thoughts and back to reality. The filly gave her mother a concerned look. "Please tell me, Mother. I need to understand why I keep having these dreams. Can't you do that?" Celestia just stood there, staring at her daughter and debating what to do. Though it was probably just her imagination, she thought she heard her dear sister, telling her that Lovely deserved to know the truth, despite being young and possibly not being able to fully understand. The young alicorn looked at the older with pleading eyes. Stars seemed to glisten in the sapphire orbs, giving a sense of innocence. Eventually, Celestia released a breath of defeat, knowing her daughter should be aware of her new family's history. She smiled at her daughter and held out a hoof. "Come here." Lovely's eyes lit up as she jumped to her feet and hurried into her mother's embrace. Her eyes closed happily as she took in the warmth Celestia gave off, nuzzling her legs and the very tip of her chest. Celestia brought her hoof around her daughter's back, while also bringing her wings forward and wrapping the both of them in a warm cocoon. It wasn't going to be easy to explain, especially to somepony so young, but Celestia knew she could manage. "It was several centuries ago; long before you or any pony now were born. I ruled Equestria as I do now, but I was not alone. I had a younger sister by the name of Luna who led Equestria beside me. While I brought the day, Luna brought the night. We ruled for several years, trying to make our home a beautiful place once again. However, while everypony loved the sun and warmth I brought, they all shunned and ignored the moon and calmness of night Luna brought. For many years, Luna became frustrated and upset that her night was hated, while my day was loved. I tried to make her see that her gift was just as beautiful and important as mine, but she could not think reasonably, and because of that... darkness took hold of her heart. One night, Luna refused to lower the moon, claiming that her night would remain eternal and ponies would come to love her. I could not let do so, for it would upset the balance of the world and throw everything into chaos... I used the legendary powers of The Elements of Harmony... and banished the now transformed Nightmare Moon to the moon. From then on, I took on the responsibility of both raising and setting the sun and moon." Once she was done, tears streamed down the princess's face. "Oh, Mother." Lovely hugged Celestia more tightly, starting to cry as well. "Now I understand. Thank you... for trusting me." They both continued to cry as they fell to ground, hugging each other well into the night. Author's Note I'm so sorry this has taken so long. College started up again and I have a bunch of late classes. Hopefully, things will go a little faster now that I've settled in a little. Comments and questions are always welcome. Prologue: The Last LetterDear Mother, The night sky here in Cairo is nothing short of spectacular. Never before have I seen so many stars, reminding me of a painting I saw while in London to further study the history of Ancient Egypt and lay my eyes upon the famed Rosetta Stone. However, you probably don't want to read me ramble on about the ancients, so I'll get back to the stars. The days are hot and the nights are frigid, but seeing this beautiful sky is worth facing the sudden shifts in temperature. I've been told that an unexpected meteor shower is to take place in three days, so I plan on taking plenty of pictures for you. I love you so much and miss you dearly. I hope to hear back from you soon. Your loving daughter, Melody Tears formed in the elderly woman's eyes and she folded the letter and placed it in her lap. For perhaps the hundredth time, she looked at the photos her daughter had taken of the meteor shower. The Polaroid photos were spectacular, showing streams of stars frozen in time with a single snap. The final photo, however, had only been able to partially develop before the camera was destroyed, revealing a bright golden light. More tears escaped her and dripped onto the photos and letter. She set them aside and grabbed her handkerchief, wiping away the tears. Once she regained some composure, she looked down at the figure lying in the hospital bed before her. No major life support had been applied yet, but as the days dragged on without results, it was only a matter of time. The woman picked up the patient's cold hand, treating it like a fragile piece of fine china. Fear for what lay ahead for the comatosed individual plagued her mind. "Oh my sweet daughter, what happened?" Author's Note My first ever MLP: FiM fanfc. Questions and comments are welcome.
Chapter 1: The Transformation"Your Majesty, are you sure this is wise? We have no clue as to who she or where she came from." "Do not worry. I sense no dark motives within this young one. I will let you know if there is anything I need." "Of course, Your Majesty. Excuse me." Deep within herself, the sleeping individual was dreaming. It was dark, leaving her unable to see anything at all. Where am I? She asked herself. As if to answer her, a single beam of light shined down a few feet away from her, revealing a simple mirror. It was thinly rimmed in black and seemed to be about five feet in height and three feet in width. It also appeared to be floating a good foot or so in the air, no wall to hang it on or string above to tie it to the ceiling. Curious, she cautiously stepped towards the mirror, noticing that she was barefoot. When she was standing before it, the reflection showed a human girl, perhaps no more than twenty years or so. She stood at about 5' 6" and had midnight-blue eyes and pale peach-colored skin. However, she gasped and touched her hair. Why is my hair white!? She noted the light-blue ribbons that wound two front pieces of her hair and the unnatural silky-smoothness she felt upon brushing her fingers through them. Suddenly, she seemed to notice her attire and looked down at the elegant navy-blue dress. It was strapless and cut off just at her ankles. Even in the dim lighting, the dress seemed to glisten like starlight, portraying the night sky. What's going on? Why am I seeing this? The girl reached out her hand towards the mirror. The moment her hand lay flat on the surface, however, a tiny crack appeared. She quickly pulled away and stood frozen as the small crack began to grow in size, like ice that begins to melt at the start of spring. The sound it gave off sent shivers down the girl's spine, causing goosebumps to run along her arms and legs. Yet, the cracking suddenly stopped growing, ending as fast as it had started. The girl hesitated for several moments, waiting for the strange phenomenon to start up again. When that did not happen, she slowly crept forward. However, as she did so, she was unaware that her body began to change. Her dress disappeared as her back began to arch forward so she was on all fours, her arms and legs becoming longer and matching in length, causing her to grow in height. Her fingers and toes fused with their separate partners, while at the same time, her hands and feet curved to form skinny, upside-down u's, hardening to act like nails. Her skin turned into a soft, turquoise shade and fur started to cover her body, while her ears disappeared. Her face stretched out from the nose down, her nostrils enlarging and creating a muzzle, while her neck grew in length as well. Triangular ears of the same fur that had taken over her body appeared slightly further back from the top of her head, tucked between her hair that clumped together and formed into a sort of visible aura, flowing in an nonexistent wind. A tail exactly like her hair soon appeared on her hind, curling around her back legs. A horn the same shade as her fur formed on her forehead, while matching wings that seemed to belong to an angel sprouted from her back. This all happened within a heartbeat, though the transformation itself seemed to have gone in slow motion. When the now nonhuman girl was in front of the mirror once more, she felt her heart stop. Even with the reflection coming off in chunks, she saw that she no longer was a human, but some sort of equine, her horn indicating that she was a unicorn but her wings saying she was also a pegasus. Her entire body shook as she reached out a hoof, but she would not be able to touch the mirror a second time. When her hoof would have come into contact with the broken mirror, the glass shattered completely and blew outward. The newly transformed girl screamed and pulled her wings forward to shield herself, but before she would have felt the shards pierce her skin, the floor beneath her disappeared and she began to plummet into the dark abyss. And though she didn't know it, a cloaked being watched her fall from the edge of the hole, an evil grin visible on his face even within the shadows of his hood. "So it begins." Author's Note Let me know what ya think. Questions and comments are welcomed^^
Chapter 2: A New Life"Are you awake?" The young alicorn filly moaned as she shifted on the bed, leaving the world of dreams. Her eyelids flickered several times before they eventually lifted, revealing clouded sapphire-blue eyes. At first, her surroundings were nothing more than blotched shapes and colors, but in time, her eyes adjusted, dispelling the clouds and showing her she was in a sort of bedchamber. The main color-theme was purple, though in several different hues, clouds painted at different angles around the edges. A tapestry depicting the night sky and shooting stars hung on one side of the room, a grand fireplace not too far away, a fire of reds, yellows, and oranges lit within, sending warmth and the slightest hint of pine throughout the room. Two doors were at opposite sides, the one of glass leading to a balcony that overlooked the quickly changing city from summer to fall, and the other of grand white that the filly could not figure out. The filly stifled a yawn, covering her mouth with her front right turquoise hoof, then pushed a stray strand of pale-white mane out of her face and behind her right ear. "It's good to see you awake, little one," the voice from before stated. The filly flinched and gasped upon hearing the voice before quickly spinning around to see the source. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the tall and majestic alicorn mare before her. She had a gorgeous white coat with the very slightest tint of pink. Her indigo eyes shined in the light given off by the fire, a loving look in them. The tiny filly stared at the older alicorn, shivering in fright. The mare smiled softly. "Do not be scared, my little pony. No harm will come to you; I promise." The smaller stopped her quivering, but continued to hold her gaze of uneasiness. "That's good." The mare stepped closer ever so slowly. "May I sit with you?" The younger hesitated, but eventually nodded her head. "Thank you." The older sat on the edge of the bed. "My name is Celestia. Do you have a name?" The filly looked down, as if thinking. "... I... don't know." Celestia smiled, glad to see that the filly had not lost her voice. "That's perfectly fine. How about where you live, or who your parents are?" A shake of the head was her reply. "Is there anything at all that you can remember that might help in finding your family?" She shook her head once more before looking back up at Celestia, tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I...I'm sorry. I just... can't remember." She released her tears and began sobbing. Sympathy taking over, Celestia pulled the weeping filly into her embrace. She hushed her in a motherly way, running her hoof along the smaller's pale-white mane. "It's alright, little one. I promise I'll do everything in my power to help you." The filly nodded against Celestia's chest as she continued to cry. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************* As the days passed, news of the discovery of an alicorn filly in Canterlot quickly spread across the four corners of Equestria. Princess Celestia hoped that the young filly's family would eventually hear that their daughter had been found and hurry to Canterlot to reunite with her. However, days soon became weeks, and Celestia began to wonder if the young alicorn even had any living relatives to speak of. When a month had passed after the arrival of the filly and still no word of her family came, Celestia declared the alicorn an orphan. Though under normal circumstances Celestia would have sent an abandoned colt or filly to the orphanage, she found herself unable to give the filly up. She feared the environment would only further harm the young alicorn, and the need to surpervise the growing filly would be mandatory, for young alicorn magic could be unpredictable and sometimes dangerous. Though more privately, Celestia had grown attached to the filly, seeing her as the child she never had. The filly was named Lovely Feathers after her wings that seemed to glisten in any form of light when fully extended. In her spare time, Celestia educated Lovely Feathers in the art of magic and proper princess etiquette. However, when she had royal duties of her own to perform, private foal-sitters and tutors came in to watch over the development of Lovely. As time went on, Lovely Feathers slowly came out of her shell, speaking to those besides Celestia and playing with her caretakers, though she would rather spend time with her adoptive mother. Three months later... In Celestia's throne room, the sun goddess sat in her throne as she listened to a unicorn stallion who was in the middle of a proposal for trade-rearangements between Canterlot and Manehatten. The brown stallion pushed the spectacles that rested on the bridge of his nose closer to his face as he continued to read off of a piece of parchment paper that levitated in his magic. "And so, Your Highness, I believe that these set of changes will-" "Mother! Mother!" A shrilled voice interrupted. The unicorn flinched and lost his concentration on the paper, causing him to drop it. However, he was more interested to see who had cut into his conversation and spun his head around, only for a flash of turquoise to fly by him, an after-gust sending his spectacles flying off his nose. He managed to catch his glasses with his magic a second before they would have fallen to the ground, then placed them back in place and looked to Celestia, finding a small alicorn filly floating beside his princess. "Look, Mother. I learned a new trick from a book in the library." Lovely Feathers' horn glowed white and seemed to begin to form a figure. The stallion stared in disbelief as the light shifted to create the illusion of a full-grown alicorn. The casted spell reared playfully as it pranced around the throne room. The unicorn could only watch in utter amazement as the illusion danced to a fro, mesmerized by the detail put into it. Though the fake alicorn had no specific characteristics such as a cutie mark or actual face, it still seemed to give off the presence similar to that of Celestia herself. The visitor looked back at Lovely Feathers- who was giggling the entire time- dumb-struck when he noticed just how young the filly actually was. Eventually, the illusion began to fade before vanishing altogether, leaving Lovely sighing in exhaustion. However, when she regained her composure, she landed on the ground and looked up at Celestia with hopeful eyes, as if asking for approval. She was rewarded by Celestia's smile and a small laugh, surprising the stallion. The princess turned back to her guest and stated "I hope you can forgive Lovely Feathers for her sudden interruption. She is quite gifted in her magic and wishes to show me something new at any given moment. You are not the first to witness such strange occurrences done by her." The unicorn seemed to snap his senses back as he shook his head and bowed. "It is no trouble at all, Your Highness. Though if I may ask," he added, lifting his head up, "Is she a pupil of yours?" "Yes," Celestia replied. "She is currently living here in the castle so her powers can be properly watched." "I can tell she will grow to be a fine mare under your guidance, Your Highness," the stallion commented. Lovely Feathers giggled. "You're really nice, mister. Mommy makes a good choice in friends."
Chapter 3: Family HistoryIncidents like these were a weekly occurrence, daily when Lovely managed to get by the guards more easily. Each time, the young alicorn showed Celestia a new spell, dazzling the guest or guests present without fail. Autumn came and went, winter quickly taking hold with frigid days and rooftops covered in frost. The palace began to buzz with more activity than usual as light blankets and drapes were traded in for heavier and darker ones. Firewood was stocked to the brim and guards fresh out of the boot-camp took new positions. One night, Lovely Feathers snuck out of her room and into Celestia's. She waited patiently for her mother's return, knowing she was tending to her final duties before heading to bed. When the princess did return to her bed chambers, she was not at all surprised when she saw Lovely, who was sitting comfortably by the fire. "I thought Madge put you to bed already," the older teased. Madge -Madge Brightheart fully- was a middle-aged unicorn mare who possessed a light-brown coat and a slightly-grayed dark brown mane and tail that were both tied in braids. She had soft blue eyes and her cutie mark was a white cradle surrounded by red hearts, proving to Celestia that she would make a wonderful nurse and nanny for Lovely Feathers. The filly looked up at her adoptive mother and giggled. "Yes, but I wanted to ask you something, since Madge wouldn't answer." She picked up a book that lay beside her with her magic and showed it to Celestia. The older alicorn was surprised when she saw that the book her daughter held was the one that contained the story of Nightmare Moon. "Madge saw me reading this and said it's just an old mare's tale to scare little foals and colts, but that's not true, is it?" Lovely stated, a serious look on her face. Celestia tried her best and stayed calm, smiling slightly. "Now what would make you believe such a silly thing?" Lovely Feathers turned her head and looked at the night sky that could be seen through the glass balcony doors. "Because... I've... had dreams about her." "Who, dear?" Lovely hesitated for a few more moments before answering "Nightmare Moon." A tinge of curiosity picked at the sun goddess's heart, but she continued to act oblivious. "Well of course you would have dreams of her if you've been reading that book," she offered. "But that's just it, Mother. I've been having these dreams even before I found the book. And-" Lovely paused for several more seconds before adding "-it's not truly dreams of Nightmare Moon herself, but of another pony who's trapped inside her." Though on the outside she appeared calm and collected, Celestia's mind was racing as it tried to make sense of what Lovely Feathers had just said. Why is it now that you try to contact those down here, sister? She thought to herself. And why have you chosen to speak with Lovely Feathers? "Mother?" Lovely's voice brought the older alicorn out of her thoughts and back to reality. The filly gave her mother a concerned look. "Please tell me, Mother. I need to understand why I keep having these dreams. Can't you do that?" Celestia just stood there, staring at her daughter and debating what to do. Though it was probably just her imagination, she thought she heard her dear sister, telling her that Lovely deserved to know the truth, despite being young and possibly not being able to fully understand. The young alicorn looked at the older with pleading eyes. Stars seemed to glisten in the sapphire orbs, giving a sense of innocence. Eventually, Celestia released a breath of defeat, knowing her daughter should be aware of her new family's history. She smiled at her daughter and held out a hoof. "Come here." Lovely's eyes lit up as she jumped to her feet and hurried into her mother's embrace. Her eyes closed happily as she took in the warmth Celestia gave off, nuzzling her legs and the very tip of her chest. Celestia brought her hoof around her daughter's back, while also bringing her wings forward and wrapping the both of them in a warm cocoon. It wasn't going to be easy to explain, especially to somepony so young, but Celestia knew she could manage. "It was several centuries ago; long before you or any pony now were born. I ruled Equestria as I do now, but I was not alone. I had a younger sister by the name of Luna who led Equestria beside me. While I brought the day, Luna brought the night. We ruled for several years, trying to make our home a beautiful place once again. However, while everypony loved the sun and warmth I brought, they all shunned and ignored the moon and calmness of night Luna brought. For many years, Luna became frustrated and upset that her night was hated, while my day was loved. I tried to make her see that her gift was just as beautiful and important as mine, but she could not think reasonably, and because of that... darkness took hold of her heart. One night, Luna refused to lower the moon, claiming that her night would remain eternal and ponies would come to love her. I could not let do so, for it would upset the balance of the world and throw everything into chaos... I used the legendary powers of The Elements of Harmony... and banished the now transformed Nightmare Moon to the moon. From then on, I took on the responsibility of both raising and setting the sun and moon." Once she was done, tears streamed down the princess's face. "Oh, Mother." Lovely hugged Celestia more tightly, starting to cry as well. "Now I understand. Thank you... for trusting me." They both continued to cry as they fell to ground, hugging each other well into the night. Author's Note I'm so sorry this has taken so long. College started up again and I have a bunch of late classes. Hopefully, things will go a little faster now that I've settled in a little. Comments and questions are always welcome.
Prologue: The Last LetterDear Mother, The night sky here in Cairo is nothing short of spectacular. Never before have I seen so many stars, reminding me of a painting I saw while in London to further study the history of Ancient Egypt and lay my eyes upon the famed Rosetta Stone. However, you probably don't want to read me ramble on about the ancients, so I'll get back to the stars. The days are hot and the nights are frigid, but seeing this beautiful sky is worth facing the sudden shifts in temperature. I've been told that an unexpected meteor shower is to take place in three days, so I plan on taking plenty of pictures for you. I love you so much and miss you dearly. I hope to hear back from you soon. Your loving daughter, Melody Tears formed in the elderly woman's eyes and she folded the letter and placed it in her lap. For perhaps the hundredth time, she looked at the photos her daughter had taken of the meteor shower. The Polaroid photos were spectacular, showing streams of stars frozen in time with a single snap. The final photo, however, had only been able to partially develop before the camera was destroyed, revealing a bright golden light. More tears escaped her and dripped onto the photos and letter. She set them aside and grabbed her handkerchief, wiping away the tears. Once she regained some composure, she looked down at the figure lying in the hospital bed before her. No major life support had been applied yet, but as the days dragged on without results, it was only a matter of time. The woman picked up the patient's cold hand, treating it like a fragile piece of fine china. Fear for what lay ahead for the comatosed individual plagued her mind. "Oh my sweet daughter, what happened?" Author's Note My first ever MLP: FiM fanfc. Questions and comments are welcome.
