Chapters Chapter 1 ~A Night of Darkness~
Chapter 1 ~A Night of Darkness~
Snowflakes drifted by an old cottage.The family residing inside was poor,but it was a joyous occasion.A new baby filly was born.A filly with a magical gift.
A little white,earth pony filly sat in Snowdrop's hooves. It's been months since Snowdrop could finally see and a filly was just born into the family of Snowdrop and her husband,Thunder Wave. Snowdrop cradled the filly and listened to the thumping of her filly's heartbeat. Beside Snowdrop,was her husband Thunder Wave.He crooned to the filly as the tiny thing tried to 'steal' her father's muzzle and fight against her mother's grasp.
Suddenly,the filly slipped right out of her mother's hooves and was about to crash land on the ground when something sparkled.It was the filly's hooves! The shocked parents watched as a pile of snow magically appeared to cushion the filly's landing. The filly giggled and played about in the layer of snow .
It was the birth of something beautiful and at the same time,fearful.
In the ancient Castle where the two regal sisters lived,Celestia and Luna had sensed the strings of ancient magic.
"What was that?"Luna said,sitting up from her relaxed position,her horn sending slight tingling sensations to her body. She had never felt magic like this and had only sensed it when she raise the moon or when her sister was raising the sun.
Celestia looked over to the source."I don't know. It feels so much like how.... Wait,could it be? Another alicorn?"Celestia wandered out loud.
"It can't be. Princess Platinum said that all alicorns except us were killed during the Chaotic War."Luna responded,closing her eyes and letting her instincts guide her to the source. Celestia,following suit,flew together with her sister towards the source while arguing with her sister of what could be causing the magic.
"It's down here."Luna called over to Celestia,landing gracefully onto the porch of the little house where Snowdrop lived.
Luna rapped the door,rousing the attention of the family inside.
Inside,Snowdrop nervously opened the door,only to be answered by the gaze of her friend,Princess Luna.
"P...Princess Luna!W...Whatever brings you to my house?"Snowdrop tried to smile as brightly as she could and used her body to hide the pile of snow in her house where the filly still sat playing.
"No time for idle gossip,"Celestia said,"May we come in?"
"Sure!I mean -you can't." Snowdrop raised her voice a little to hide the sounds of her daughter still playing in the snow,one of her eyelids twitching from nervousness.
"Why not?"Luna questioned the behavior of her friend , raising a questioning brow as well.
Snowdrop sighed in defeat when she saw Celestia doing the same action ," I'm not good at hiding things am I? Come in."
The Princesses jaws drop when they saw how the tiny filly used the magic that was supposed to be in a alicorn with ease.
'Well this was ..unexpected.' Luna used her telepathy to quietly communicate with Celestia.
'Yes,quite unexpected.An Earth pony doing magic.It's like salt tasting like sugar.' Celestia responded through the telepathy.
As the two continued using telepathy Snowdrop was busy biting at her hooves as the silence continued to grow,since she could not use magic to eavesdrop on their conversation,which Celestia and Luna had taken advantage of.
Celestia then noticed the nervous parents and spoke,"We'd like a moment in private,if you don't mind."
Snowdrop started and silently nodded,hustling her husband out for the Princesses to be alone with their child.
The two sat in silence,watching the tiny thing play about .
"This reminds me of you when Dad tickled you while you were sleeping."Luna remarked as Celestia tickled the filly.
"Oh yeah?How do you explain this!"Celestia smirked as she used her magic to tickle her sister.
The little time they had played together with the filly was interrupted by some terrible crashing.
The two ponies rushed to see Thunder Wave slightly bruised with his wife hovering over him,shaking her head.
Luna burst out in anger," Thunder Wave! What in the name of Equestria are you doing? Were you eavesdropping on us?"
Thunder Wave dumbly nodded , rubbing his head while Snowdrop took some snow from the pile Winter Snow still sat playing to apply on her husband's aching head.
" We have come to a decision." Luna towered before Snowdrop,who was on the floor with her husband ,trying to get him to stand up.
"We must take your filly away to be taught under us. " Celestia finished simply,watching the reaction of Snowdrop carefully.
Snowdrop spluttered,"What? Y... You want Winter S...Snow ?"
The Princesses looked sadly at each other before turning to the Snowdrop with an answer," We must. In order that she could not hurt anypony else ,we must teach her to control them. If not,she could doom Equestria to endless nights of winter."
Snowdrop,shell shocked at her friend Princess Luna and Princess Celestia,stared at them both with her mouth wide open.
Thunder Wave smiled,searching for a sign that this must be some kind of prank,"This must be some kind of joke. She's just a filly. She can't possibly harm Equestria!"
Luna countered,"Yes she can.If she can't rein in her emotions,the whole of Equestria can be frozen forever.Her powers is heavily based on her emotions. If a unicorn can rage-shift purely by magic,she can harm Equestria just by the slightest bit of negative emotion she comes across.Ever thought of that?"
Snowdrop sighed,"You know,Thundy,she has a pretty good point."
Thunder Wave turned to his wife,"So whose side your on?C'mon help me out here,Snowy!It's our daughter we're talking about! We can't just give our foal to a passer-by in the street!"
Snowdrop opened her mouth,starting her first quarrel with her husband,"Ahem,it's the Princesses we're talking about here. Not some passerby as you call them. If we can't help our daughter, then don't you think that the Princesses will do a better job than us pegasi ?"
Thunder Wave grimaced at her voice then calmed himself before replying coolly,"Look here,sweetheart , it's our daughter or Equestria . My hooves are up. You make the decision,but if I were you,I'd choose my daughter."
He then left the room,upset and angry as Snowdrop surprised by the anger and venom in her husband's voice,sat in the room in silence with the Princesses.
"The ultimate decision is yours,Snowdrop." Celestia gently placed her hoof on Snowdrop's face,drawing it up to the Princesses eyes.
"Then take her."Snowdrop let the words flow out of her mouth,knowing it will mean her separation with her husband and for the best of her foal.
Luna,sensing the sadness within her best friend ,gently smiled at Snowdrop,"We'll let you have time with your foal ."
The two alicorns excited the room,leaving Snowdrop with her foal,Winter Snow.
Cradling her filly , Snowdrop began to sing her lullaby for the last time to Winter Snow with a clear voice,one like a flute," Rest now,my little filly.
Let the stars,and the moon guide you to sleep.
Wake up,with the sun shining bright,
With eyes full of life.
Fall asleep,with knowledge that we love you.
Even if the thunder roars ,
Or if the winter grows cold,
We love you Winter Snow.
Winter Snow fell asleep as the lullaby finished,earning a motherly smile from Snowdrop.With a heavy heart, Snowdrop headed outside with the still asleep Winter Snow tucked in her wings to meet the two Princesses waiting outside of the cottage.
Passing over her filly to the Princesses,Snowdrop was on the verge of tears.
"Please take good care of her.."Snowdrop whispered as she hugged Luna.
"We will."Luna softly replied,holding Winter in her forehooves and stilling Snowdrop's worries for her filly.
As the two ponies flew off,Snowdrop tore up,her fallen tears crystallizing into ice crystals in the wintry weather .
When she finally turned around to retreat to the warmth of her house,the angry face of her husband greeted her as she succumbed to the knife buried deep in her side,her blood splattering on the snow as he retrieved his weapon.
"That's what you get ,you worthless thing."Thunder coldly muttered , going in for the kill. Snowdrop,now acting in self defense,mustered her strength within herself to change the course of the knife into Thunder's heart.
Thunder ,in shock of what Snowdrop did and her strength within , pulled out the bloody knife and blacked out as Snowdrop's words echoed in his head,"Til death do us part. "
Snowdrop,weak from the effort she had placed in murdering her husband,finally died with her body lying across Thunder Wave's body.
Author's Note
(\ ~~~~~Author Note~~~~~/)
Anyways,Pic of little Winter Snow:
Chapter 2 ~A Haunting Beauty~
~7 years later~
Winter Snow woke up to the chirping of birds. It's that dream again. The white pegasus was holding her and singing that song. That song. It was haunting yet beautiful. Winter shook her head violently.
"Princess Winter,your breakfast." A mare had came in with a silver tray balanced on her head.
Ever since Princess Celestia had signed those papers the prim and proper colt called adoption papers,ponies had been calling her Princess Winter and treating her differently from before the time before that colt came with the papers.
"Oh,um okay.Please put it on the table." Winter shyly ventured ,unsure of how to approach the mare in a proper,ladylike way. The mare's name was Sweet Tea,a personal servant of Winter.
"You alright,miss?" Sweet Tea asked,concerned of the filly she had been tasked to take care of.
"It's the same dream,every single time.I..I can't seem to dream anything else other than that." Winter confessed ,fiddling with the bed sheets.
Sweet Tea,now worried for the little one,smiled gently to conceal the frown she nearly made appearance of as she set the tray on the nightstand,"Why,sweetie. What about we see Auntie Luna about those strange dreams,hm?She might know a thing or two for what ails you."
Winter,her mind now thinking furiously ahead,countered her servant,"I can't,Sweet Tea. She is always busy what with those nobleponies and citizens."
"Still,she's your aunt.She must help you,even if you're just a poor old mare down the street."Sweet Tea coaxed,effectively winning the argument between Winter Snow and herself with the prospect of breakfast.
"Alright,Sweet Tea. We'll see her later after I er,go check on the that thing ." Winter Snow gave up when she saw the delicious meal being set before her.
Sweet Tea,raising a brow when she caught her mistress's drift,"At this time?To the Garden?"
"Yeah.I *munch* simphee wuve *munch* the garden!"" Winter spoke as she chomped on a toast spread with honey,crumbs nearly escaping her mouth.
Just three years ago,they stumbled upon an empty plot of land in the Royal Gardens and straight away,Winter joyfully suggested of having a little Secret Garden just between themselves. It was tough at raising the plants up and a little easier as they grew up.After they had cultivated it into an enchanting and charming little garden,Winter had made it a point to visit it everyday.
Sweet Tea giggled at Winter as she tried to talk while eating,"Mistress,you shouldn't speak while you eat. Swallow before speaking."
Winter gulped and finished her breakfast,smiling at Sweet Tea. Unexpectedly,she gave a hug to Sweet Tea,who was caught off guard.
"Thanks,Sweet Tea!You are a gem!See you later!"Winter said,rushing off after those words left her mouth.
Sweet Tea smiled warmly at the door which Winter just rushed in,her heart swimming in a lake of warm feelings. After cleaning up,she went off to help in the kitchen.
Winter Snow galloped off to her secret garden,toppling paper work over the marble floors and messing up prim and proper manes. She was just a few meters away,she stopped short at the sight of a small group of fillies.The lot of them are back yet again. They were tearing up her work! But she was too late!Before she could get somepony,they surrounded her.
"Hello,Princess ,to what I owe the pleasure of meeting?"The leader mocked her,her face twisted in an ugly expression.
Winter's ears went down and she backed off in fright.
"Why would the Princess adopt such a mutt!I mean,she doesn't any wings."Another filly sneered.
"Or horn!"The group of four said in unison,breaking into maniacal laughter.
Winter felt her tears start to well up,thoroughly upset by the mocking words of the mean ponies.
"Awwww,did we hurt the wittle baby's fweelings?"One with dark,frizzy hair sneered at the lone tear that streamed down her face.
"Please,just go away. "Winter whimpered,as she was aware of her powers . The air started to rapidly decrease.
"Like we will,mutt.Or should I say,BLANK FLANK !" The leader provoked her even more,making Winter feel some new feeling on her hooves and in her heart.
Winter was tired of being bullied. For the last three years,she was tormented like this,by the same group of ponies. For the first time,Winter felt anger.
"I said,go away !" Winter yelled,her voice full of anger and venom . As she said this,Winter stomped her hoof,magically making a ring of dark ice crystals appear around her.
The bullies stepped back quickly in fear of the filly they had bullied for three years in a row. The four fillies,now afraid of the filly,galloped off,fearing that she may strike their hearts with the crystals she had conjured. As they galloped for their lives,Winter curled up in a ball,and cried her eyes out,rousing the attention of Princess Luna who was busy strolling through the garden.
Luna,seeing Winter trapped in a ring of dark crystals,Luna looked about the secret garden to see four different hoofprints and torn plants that used to graced this little garden she stumbled upon a few days earlier. Luna ,drawn back to the sobbing Winter,quickly used a beam to eradicate the crystals.
"There there,little one."Luna awkwardly held the filly to her chest,calming the filly slightly.
Winter soon dried her tears and hugged her aunt tightly,nearly squeezing the air out of her.Luna,using her magic,placed Winter on her back and journeyed back to her quarters,making the filly feel comforted as she held the Princess close.
Upon arrival,Winter slid off her back,tired out from the day and falling asleep. Luna,nuzzling her niece,she used her magic and entered the dream of Winter Snow.
After the last of the roaring wind had ended,Luna opened her eyes to see ..Snowdrop!She was singing the enchanting lullaby she had heard only once,and that was the last time she had ever saw Snowdrop. In a distance,she could see Winter Snow struggling to a chained chair,screaming,"No!Not again!" Right beside her was Thunder Wave.
Author's Note
Hey guys,many thanks for likes and views(even though I didn't get any comments)! It means a lot to me! I'm sorry if this chapter isn't up to expectation as my school will be continuing this week and my School Band had just started practice. I hope it wasn't too late for an update. :0 I know how it feels like to wait forever for your fanfic to update . Please,like comment and follow!If you don't mind,that is. It would super much to me!
Love,
Luna's reaction was immediate. She rushed forward and tackled Thunder Wave to the ground. "What is the meaning of this?" She roared at Thunder Wave.
Thunder Wave cowered beneath the angered Princess,his hooves covering his face,"Leave me be,Princess."
"And why would I do that,you criminal scum?After what you did to my..o..only f..friend?" Luna tried repress the tears threatening to show. The loss of her only friend had pained her so much,it was hard to get out of depression.
Thunder Wave uncovered his hooves to see the Princess sitting down, sobbing in spite her attempts of bottling it in. Standing up,he wiped away her tears and finally had the attention of Luna.
"Princess,Snowdrop isn't really all that good. She murdered her father and me. I know she's dead but I know she can hear me talking to you."Thunder Wave said,sitting opposite Luna , getting ready for a long explanation.
"Snowdrop isn't good,cause every night, I see her standing in the moonlight ,practicing magic. Not any kind of magic. Dark magic. I know because I see her eyes red and green and all smoky. That was how Winter here got her winter magic. Snowdrop meddled with ancient magic. She did ancient magic when you took Winter Snow away."Thunder gasped as a figure held his throat.
"Hello ,honey. Did you miss me?" Snowdrop smiled evilly as she held Thunder's throat.
"Leave Thunder Wave be, Snowdrop."Luna growled,her horn glowing in her magical aura.
Snowdrop laughed softly,her eyes in red and green,smoke gushing out in streams,"Oh,why should I let him be when he is attempting to free my Winter Snow?"
Luna ,with a gaping mouth,watched as the figure materialized into her friend with the evil eyes she saw on Sombra's. Snowdrop circled around her friend ,still smiling evilly.
"Snowdrop..Oh Snowdrop Whatever happened to you?" Luna sadly mourned ,making Snowdrop hiss in anger.
"Ponies can be corrupted,my dear little Princess. Noticed any lack in attention from your citizens?"Snowdrop hissed.
Luna flinched as the comment hit home on her popularity. Luna shook her head violently,eliciting a chuckle from her friend.
"You will leave Winter Snow alone!You ..You monster!" Luna spluttered as she spat the words into Snowdrop's surprised face.
The look of surprise soon turned into a cunning smile. "Am I not your friend,Princess? I never thought that you never guessed I was the leader of the cult King Sombra founded. He had blessed me and all was going well until you and your meddling sister Celestia stepped in."Snowdrop grinned.
"Blessed?My hoof!He had you in a mind control spell!I should have known!"Luna cried,at despair at the destruction of her friend.
Snowdrop smiled a little bigger and said,"Tick tock,Princess. A few more minutes before Winter awakes and you lost in this dimension."
Luna awoke from her stupor and loaded her horn with as much magic as she could muster and yelled in the Canterlot Voice ,"Get out of Winter Snow and LEAVE HER ALONE !" However,Luna had forgotten a few things about dreamwalking. When dispelling a nightmare force,you should not use too much magic or else the force will take advantage of you to do terrible things that is indescribable.And this was the opening that Snowdrop was hoping for . As the chains bounding Winter dissipated ,Snowdrop let lose the dark magic within her ghostly form ,engulfing the tired Princess with dark magic and disappearing from the dream.
As Winter fell from the chair,Luna took advantage for the few seconds to escape the dream world.
Luna reappeared on the soft carpet,singed and smoking a little. As she opened her eyes,she was shocked by her appearance in the nearby mirror. Her eyes were green with smoke streaming out. Her irises were red and her coat was considerably darker. The sounds of Winter waking up sent the Princess in a flurry of covering up the traces of dark magic. Using the mirror as a guide,Luna was satisfied of how normal she looked.
Winter yawned from her nap before blinking a little when she saw Luna in a flurry of stopping the last of the weird smoke that was coming out of her eyes.
"A..Auntie?Er,what's with the smoke in your eyes?"Winter asked,curious as Luna tensed a little.
Luna nervously stammered,"I..I er,just pranked C..Celestia!B..But she caught me in the act and placed this um,smoke."
This seemed to satisfy Winter,as she began chatting about tea and alfalfa and leading Luna to the dining room. Luna was weary and mentally snapped in her brain,'Dang it!Why can't she just shut her muzzle?'Luna stopped short at the little voice at the back of her brain. Luna violently shook her head for the second time of the day,sparking a confused look from Winter.
"Are you okay,Auntie?"Winter asked,worried for her aunt.
"Um,no. I'm just tired from,court stuff.What with noble's and citizens keep asking for bits and land."Luna randomly brought up her daily life,eliciting a smile from Winter.
"Aw,I guess you must be tired from all of that work. What about you rest while I ask Sweet to bring tea up?"Winter said,leading Luna back to her bedroom. Luna gently nodded while holding her head in pain from the dark magic threatening to break her apart if she continued to hold it back. Winter raced off, leaving Luna relieved as she shut the door behind the filly.
The dark magic finally broke free,giving back the dark appearance Luna had after dispelling the nightmare. The voice in her head began to get louder and meaner as it picked everything wrong about her. Luna glanced at the window,seeing Celestia being swarmed by loving ponies.
'Those silly sun loving faces of those stupid ponies.' the voice continued on,'They don't love you. You can see it as plain as Celestia's daylight.'
Luna screamed as the dark magic ate away at her sanity,"SHUT UP,YOU STUPID VOICE !" The voice continued on. Luna snapped at last,to the dark magic's joy. Luna then used her magic,her horn aura now dark in color,to make herself look as normal as possible.
"Caster Sugar!"Luna called,suppressing a frown when a scrawny pony rushed up to her,bowing instantly by a mere sight of her.
"I want you to call Princess Celestia to the throne room. I'd like to speak to her. And I want you tell that she must come quickly as she can."Luna flatly continued,making the pony nod and rush off.
Luna,determination in her eyes,set off to the throne room,lying in wait for her sister to come.
In a few minutes,Celestia came in,a little confused and curious,asked,"Luna?You wanted to see me?"
"Not another step." Luna spoke venomously,appearing from behind her throne,the levels of dark magic increasing as the dark magic took control of her mind.
"Luna?What's going on?"Celestia persisted,sensing traces of dark magic she had felt when she met King Sombra.
"Did you expect to me sit idly by while they all bask in your precious light?"Luna said,more venom dripping and the strength of dark magic saturating the air as Luna continued,"There can only be one Princess in Equestria! And that Princess will be me !"
Celestia backed off a little as Luna stomped on the table beside the two thrones. The window cracked,revealing the sun shining brightly. Luna ,mustering the magic left in her body,used it to raise the moon,forming an eclipse. The dark magic left her body,reacting to the eclipse she had formed .
"No..."Luna gasped as the dark magic engulfed her once more,changing her form into a more demonic like pony version of herself. Celestia looked in horror at the transformation of her sister,fear trapping her in its stupor.
Celestia then glanced at the moon,her sense of responsibility taking charge.
"Luna,I will not fight you!You must lower the moon,it is your duty!"Celestia cried,her voice slightly quavering in fear,whom which Luna did not notice.
"Luna?I am Nightmare Moon."Her sister coldly said,"I have but one royal duty now. TO DESTROY YOU!"
Celestia ducked from the cyan beams her sister,no Nightmare Moon unleashed. Celestia,desperate and in fear of her own life, flew away into the clouds above.
"And where do you think you're going?" Nightmare Moon gleefully gave chase to Celestia,shooting beams that went closer and closer until it finally hit her. A terrible scream came from Celestia as she plummeted down to the throne room below. As Nightmare Moon laughed and relished in her victory,a bright shining light flew up from where Celestia had fell to her supposed doom. Nightmare gritted her teeth and prepared her best spell to fire at Celestia. Celestia ,her eye brimming in tears, brought up the Elements before herself,taking a moment to prepare the gems.
As a strong beam of cyan came upon Celestia,a beam of a glorious rainbow retaliated,shoving away Nightmare Moon to the moon,since Celestia didn't really exemplify all of the Elements. Celestia hovered in the sky,lowering the moon ,before returning the Elements to the stand,which they turned into balls of cement,with engravings of the gems on each of the balls.
Celestia stumbled to her room,where she wept over the loss of her sister. Winter,hearing from the guards of the news her beloved aunt was banished to the moon,went back to her quarters and cried.As she cried,the room transformed to a charming,filly's room to a small and cold winter wasteland.
Little did Winter Snow know, Princess Luna was banished to the moon because of her nightmare.
Winter sat in silence,watching the ponies outside burning away what was left of her aunt's possessions,all joyous that Nightmare was gone for good. They did not know of the pony who kept them safe from nightmares,or kept them safe from creatures of the night.
Winter used her powers to summon a brooch from her mantelpiece . The silver moon and the glittery dark sapphire on the brooch shimmered in her magic's grasp. Thanks to magic training by Celestia,she had learned a number of spells she could use with her snow powers. The brooch was given to her by Luna,on her seventh birthday.
A snowflake cutiemark glittered on her flank,newly acquired during her latest lesson with her teacher. Smiling a little,she fixed it on her dark blue cape,feeling relieved she had a piece of her beloved aunt with her,glad that she didn't hand it over to the ruffians that call themselves nobility outside.
Winter pulled over the hood and looked about,her things already packed into trunks and chests. Winter looked over at a chest she personally packed. It was filled with flowers Winter plucked from her garden that she magically preserved within balls of crystals.
"Ready to go?"Sweet Tea materialized outside of Winter's door,seeing Winter sitting by the crystals and gingerly touching each crystal with a hoof. Sweet sighed,and softly touched the shoulder of the depressed filly,gaining the attention of Winter successfully.
"No..How can I let go of this?"Winter whispered,clutching on to her brooch and holding it close to her heart,"Auntie Luna.."
"The Princess will be fine.Everything is going to be alright,'kay?Trust me." Sweet coaxed,bringing Winter to her hooves and closing the chest gingerly.
"But.-No buts,we must leave now. The carriage to Canterlot awaits your presence."Sweet interrupted Winter's protests and escorted the filly up along with Celestia into a big carriage as big as a small house,drawn by many strong stallions provided by the guard.
The carriage stopped by a clear lake with pure water and ducks and swans for a break. Sweet and Winter went off to sit right in the scenic lake.
"So,this is Lake Silencio Auntie Luna was talking about,right?"Winter said,holding tightly to her brooch that shimmered in the sunlight.
"Yes."Sweet's voice was as soft as a gentle breeze that rolled by the calm river. Pain flashed through Winter as her brain randomly replayed all the happy moments she had with her aunt. At once,the lake turned into a frozen wasteland of ice and snow.
"It's because of me,isn't it?"Winter whispered.
Sweet was taken aback by her sudden withdrawal and soft voice and responded uncertainly," I..don't know,Princess."
"It's because of my nightmare!"Winter yelled across the wasteland,"She was banished because of me!"
"Winter,calm down.."Sweet commanded but it sounded more like she was begging as Winter enunciated the words in pain and anger,the words stabbing Sweet and a blizzard was quickly forming between the two ponies.
"Please,just let me help you."Sweet pleaded as she tried to make her way towards Winter to comfort her filly.
Winter tried to curb the terrible cocktail of feelings in her but as Sweet made her way through,the more difficult it was to hold her powers back.
Just as Sweet was within a few hoof steps away,the blizzard suddenly swirled around Winter and hit Sweet in the heart ,causing her to stumble back. As the attack subsided,Winter turned around to see Sweet on the ground.
"Sweet!"Winter cried,rushing up to her foalsitter. Sweet gasped,her breath taken away from the attack.
"I'll go get Celestia."Winter said,rushing off to search for her mom while Sweet lay on the snowy ground,getting a little weaker as time drew by. When Winter returned,Sweet Tea was barely holding on. Celestia saw the terrible landscape and quickly and correctly guessed what was going on. Celestia lit her horn and used the warmest heating spell and defrosted the lake,all but the frozen heart. Another streak of white made its way down onto Sweet's mane.
Celestia knew that she couldn't save the pony as Sweet held on to her chest,still gasping from the effort of staying alive.
"Sweet..I'm sorry...Don't go..Don't leave me here alone.Please,I love you"Winter pleaded as Sweet began to show signs of turning into a frozen statue.
"I love you too,Winty."Sweet weakly smiled as she drew her breath sharply. The two friends shared their last smile before Sweet turned into a frozen statue.
Winter's heart then broke into a million pieces at her nurse's death. Celestia looked sadly at her stepdaughter and uncomfortably suggested,"There's one thing that I might be able to do."
Without waiting for a reply,Celestia aimed her horn at the frozen statue,defrosting the coat and mane but unable to get the heart defrosted to get it pumping again. Using her magic once more,she made a boat and laid the body in it. Celestia then pushed it to the lake and using a fire spell,let the body burn in the boat.
Winter understanding the actions of her mother,could not stop the tears flowing freely down her muzzle as the fire burnt on. The two silently returned to the carriage,but not before Winter noticed a heart shaped pin that Sweet had dropped on the forest floor. Picking it up,she fastened the pin on her mane and rushed to keep up with Celestia.
Winter looked back at the boat,watched as the last of the burning embers burnt out. From that day forth,Winter knew nothing was ever going to be the same again.
Winter sadly mourned,unfastening the pin and placing it upon her dressing table. In a clear cabinet,were the very crystal balls with the flowers she preserved that morning.
Winter shut the door and locked it. Sitting in the middle of the room,Winter began to cry once again,turning the room into another winter wonderland.and putting off the flames at once . Was it just this morning she was talking to Sweet Tea? It felt as though she had went through at least a month of pain. Winter then took her favorite pony doll and began to make it look like Sweet. It took several hours to paint her doll and using her magic and with difficulty,started a spark in the fireplace. Feeling better that Winter managed to clear her room of snow,she tucked her doll into a doll bed and began to sing the song she had made while she rode over to Canterlot
"Fate had been cruel and feelings unkind. How could I have killed you by mistake? The blame was my own,the ending is yours. I'm so sorry for my mistake.
But into the dreams,I'll sing you my song,
And I will your company keep.
Till my lullaby and your sleepy eyes
Have carried you gently to sleep."
Winter voice cracked at the last note,into something she knew Sweet will love.The kind that will make birds fall silent and stumble over each other to sing with.
"Once did filly whose cool as the snow,
Looked upon her nurse and sighed
She smiled and sang surely there is nopony as lovely as my Sweet Tea.
So great was her love,so brilliant her warmth
that big was the void she made.
Which that makes the filly want to cry when she left
In pain and sorrow for the death she had made
Lullay ,my angel,goodnight friend of mine.
Rest now in afterlife's embrace.
Bear my love,winds of my world.
Through clouds and through sky and through space.
Carry my peace and the coolness of snow,
And carry my grief in kind.
Sweet Tea ,your loved so much more than you know.
Forgive me for my crime."
Winter's tears streaked down the familiar path right down onto the blankets as she continued her song.
"Soon after the filly's beloved aunt was gone.
Banished away to the moon.
And she harboured the feelings of darkness and grief.
Foalishly thinking she could keep it in check
But such is the way of the feelings,
taking over her little senses
And that foalish filly did nothing to stop
The destruction of one she loved most.
Lullay,my darling,goodnight friend of mine
Rest now in afterlife's embrace.
Bear up my love,winds of my world.
Through cloud and through sky and through space
Carry my peace and the grief of mine.
And carry the pain inside.
Sweet Tea,your loved so much more than you know
May my love will reach you in space.
Please remember ,the times we had.
Happy and loved
I never imagined
I'd face my life on my own.
I want you right here.
Here by my side.
Building a snowmare.
In the moonlight.
I love you,I miss you
All these miles away.
And when I dream,I'd fly away,and meet you here.
Dream...Dream...."
Winter held the last note,her tears drying as she rocked her Sweet Tea doll to sleep. Calmed by her own lullaby,Winter finally fell asleep,wistfully dreaming of her Sweet Tea back with her again.
Author's Note
Yes,I based Winter Snow's song on 'A lullaby for a Princess.' by ponyphonic. The song was so beautiful,I knew what I needed to do once the song was over...A NEW CHAPTER! Yes,sorry for the long wait. And if this chapter sucks,I'm so sorry. This story kind of contains Doctor Who references as well,if some didn't notice. I hope y'all will like it! Please if possible,like,comment(no hate,please! >.<) ,point out errors if I'm wrong on a few grammar errors as well.
Love,Pegasis23.
Winter groaned as she woke up from her sleep. Sunlight was streaming in through the damp curtains of her room. Nopony would need her now,since it was the second day of when she arrived here and Celestia would be too busy with administrative papers to continue magic lessons.
Yawning,Winter dove back into her blankets and began to sleep once more,returning to her dream land.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ow.."Winter winced as her body fell onto crystal. Wait a minute,crystal? Winter opened her eyes to see that she was trapped in some kind of black crystal stuff. Evil,masculine laughter could be heard all over the place as Winter looked about in terror.
"Winter Snow,child of my most loyal leader of my little group. We finally meet face to face." The dark,yet sophisticated sounding voice continued,echoing around the dark room. The shadows all round condensed into smoke which then quickly formed a dark stallion with oily,yet wavy dark hair.
"I suppose,you are going ask who am I and what I want from you,like all other silly ponies before you." The stallion studied winter's icy blue eyes,traces of a smirk on his face as he seemed to read her mind as if it was an open book.
"Well,for your information,I am the King Sombra, king of the Crystal Empire until some meddling sisters ,or should I say,mother and aunt,took it away from me." Sombra said,laying back comfortably on a crystal chair that was conjured by his dark magic.
"H..how did you know?"Winter whispered almost inaudibly,"That the Princess was my mom?"
"I had Snowdrop as my little informant. When Luna took her away from here, Snowdrop took Luna along to the moon for a thousand years.One pony down,another Princess to go." Sombra grinned evilly as his meaning of his words sank into Winter.
Winter shivered,"Wait,not my mom..Please no!"
Winter did not want another pony disappearing from her forever,like what happened to her aunt Luna that eventually led to the death of Sweet Tea.
"Oh,your mom is just the very beginning. Once she's gone,you will be next." Sombra smiled,his face just inches away from Winter's,his fangs glinting in the light of the overhead moon in the dream dimension as he moved closer to Winter.
Winter cowered back for a moment before narrowing her eyes suspiciously,"Pray tell,my dear sir,why are you telling me all of this?"
"Oh,haven't you seen the signs?Let me tell you this,if you are truly Celestia's student ,surely you would have known that I want you as an ally,that is if you were reading those dusty old books in the library as she would have told you to do. Oh,Winter Snow,you could be so,much more if you were taught under me.So,much more ." Sombra eyed Winter hungrily before stepping back in the moonlight,his armor shimmering in the light,giving a majestic look that rivaled Celestia's,"So,what do you say?Would you like to be my student and my ally in overcoming Celestia?"
Winter stepped back,before noticing that the cage had melted away in to the ground,leaving her free from any constraint.Even though there was no cages or chains this time,Winter felt uncomfortable in the presence of the stallion.
Voices began to speak in her mind as time floated by.
"Don't join him!This is wrong,it is most unfilial for a daughter to plot against her mother!"Her own mental voice in her mind screamed as her mouth poised to accept.
Winter shook her head and tried to decline,but as she did that,an intense pain in her head began as another voice not quite like hers spoke in her mind,"Join him!After all,you are not Celestia's biological daughter,you are Snowdrop's daughter!Why should you care for that old hag?"
Winter sat down suddenly,as she held her head in pain as Sombra furrowed his brows slightly as he probed about with Winter's mind. The mental fight between her voice and his battled each other fiercely between the decision as Winter neared breaking point of the relentless attack.
Winter finally had enough but instead of snapping,like what Sombra had done to most of his victims and of his expectation,Winter did the very opposite.
"NO!"She yelled,a blast of winter magic shoving Sombra a good distance away from her.
Sombra groaned in pain as he stood up on his own hooves,blinking a few times before noticing Winter standing in the light with newfound confidence that was radiating off her.
"Thank you for your kind offer,but no."Winter firmly said,"I love my mother and I am her student.It is most unfaithful of me to plot against her and to be your student when I am hers."Winter continued,her voice full of assertiveness as Sombra winced as her voice echoed about,her consciousness strongly fighting against his presence.
"I don't know how many other innocent ponies you had affected with your misused powers,but I promise you,Sombra,I will not let you affect other ponies as you had done with my true mother. So,begone with you!"Winter said,her magic sparking and the moon began to glow as she attacked Sombra with an ice blue beam.
As Winter fought Sombra's nightmare force with her magic,the moon shone with magic and a familiar alicorn formed beside Winter,fighting by her side to eradicate Sombra's dream presence from the dream scape.
"No,stop!"Sombra panicked when he saw the alicorn beside Winter,"Stop!No!"
He disappeared,leaving a small pile of ashes on the ground.
Winter gasped,sinking down on the ground for some rest when she noticed the alicorn.
Winter's jaws dropped when she saw who it was that helped her fight against Sombra.It was unmistakeable,yet impossible for her to even be here. "Auntie Luna?!"
Author's Note
Author notes ^.^
Many thanks to darkponyD for pointing out my errors! ^.^ Oh,did I mention,that I love cliffhangers?Which of course,is why I even made one on this chapter. Ok,the next chapter will take a while,since I need ideas to hit me before I can write/type it out. Not so super sure if there was any drop of quality here,but it took quite a lot of time.And I still have school,soo yeah....
"Auntie Luna?"Winter was overwhelmed by a cocktail of emotions as she saw her aunt in her dreams,"Is that really you?"
"Yes,my little filly.My dearest Winter Snow,how have you been after all this time?My,I believe you had grown since our last meeting."Luna hugged her niece before looking at her carefully.
Winter buried herself in her aunt's coat before pulling back,"Auntie Luna?Where were you?What happened to you?Am I just seeing some kind of vision or-I assure you,my dearest niece,I am not dead.I am simply here because you had called out for me."Luna replied,smiling down at her niece,"As you are always there for me,I will always be there for you,even if I am currently stuck in the moon."
"Wait,what?You're banished in the moon?But how are you here in my dreams?How long you will stay that way?Will you come back?"Winter asked,the dam holding back all of her questions starting to leak as Luna lingered in her dreams.
"Hush now,Winter,one question at a time."Luna looked at her niece warningly before continuing to answer all of her questions.
"No,my little star,I am merely sent to the moon,just as how you were sent to your room when you broke the rules. I do not know when will I ever return,it will probably take some time for me to be released. I am here because of binding contract I had to go through when I was your age."Luna,while answering Winter's questions,had used her magic to morph the dreamscape in to a valley of flowers,where a picnic basket sat on a flowery picnic mat that matched the vibrant colors all around.
"What binding contract?"Winter asked,glad to sit down and have something to eat,after all of the fighting and the roller coaster of emotions she had been through,Winter was famished.
"It is known as a dream contract.It is an ancient contract that needs a huge amount of planning,magic and not to mention,time. It binds the contractee to a lifetime of defending Drearelmia or Dream Scape,if you will, from nightmare forces.When I earned my cutie mark from raising the moon,it proved that I was the prophesied child that would keep this land safe. Although I'm not one of this realm,I had put a lot of work into it.The contract binds me even when I'm not in Equestria..."Luna explained,helping herself to a cupcake,sighing heavily.
"Oh..."Winter put down her muffin sadly,"I shouldn't have bothered you with my silly nightmare... If I hadn't,you wouldn't be like this -And you wouldn't be the filly who could dream whatever she wants. I gave up my freedom just for you,Winter Snow,just so as you could live your life to the fullest. Don't you dare cry or ever mourn for me or Sweet Tea,Winter Snow. You would know that that both me and Sweet Tea wouldn't want you to cry. Don't stick in the past,Winter,instead,let it go."Luna interrupted Winter,looking at her niece in the eye.
"Repeat after me,Winter.Let it go."Luna said slowly to allow Winter to repeat her words.
"Let it go."Winter echoed before feeling chills traveling up and down her spine,making her glow in a faint,sky blue light fleetingly and fading as quickly as it had appeared.
"There we go Winter. Feel better?"Luna smiled at her niece.
Winter nodded and as she agreed,she felt the tension ebb away from her mind.
"That's what I needed to hear... Good bye,and good luck,Winter Snow."Luna smiled down at Winter.
"Auntie Luna?What's going on?Auntie Luna?Auntie!" Winter shouted as everything seemed to be absorbed into the sun that was right in the middle.And then,Winter woke up.
"AUNTIE LUNA! "Winter screamed,her hoof grasping at the air as she woke up. Her new butler,Silver Tray,jumped back in fright ,nearly toppling his silver tray in fright.
Under the covers,icicles had formed below her. Winter stared at the ice before realizing that she must've awoken. A tear escaped her eyes. She was so close,yet so far in saving her aunt. If she could've gripped her aunt's hoof a little harder,maybe Luna would still be with her.
'Not a single tear,Winter! 'A voice alike her aunt's voice resounded in her mind. Winter sniffled before wiping her tear away.
"P..P..Princess Winter?W..Would you like y..your breakfast I mean,lunch now?"Her butler asked nervously as he lowered the tray with his magic on to her bed side table.
"Sure..Thanks,Silver..."Winter yawned before tucking into her breakfast and dismissing Silver away,much to the butler's relief.
Winter swallowed her honey toast in sombre silence. How had it been since Sweet Tea went away?It seemed as years had passed,even if it were just a matter of days since Sweet's body been cremated due to her hitting Sweet's heart.
"Get over it,Winter..."Winter said to herself,shutting her eyes and taking a few deep breaths.
"1..." Winter silently counted to herself. As quick as one second passed,Winter remembered the terrible sound of her magic hitting Sweet's heart...
"2...."Winter kept her eyes shut as she let her memories go,as her aunt had told her to.
The terrible sight of Sweet's body burning flashed through her mind as she counted the second she was supposed to open her eyes,"3..." Winter felt the weight of pain and depression lift that had accumulated from over the losses of Luna and Sweet as the memories float out of her glowing body,taking up the form of white mist that floated in front of her. Winter opened her eyes and gingerly held the fragile mist with her magic and made her way to her balcony.
Winter glanced at the mist,taking a moment to position the mist correctly before throwing it out,watching as the mist converged for what looked like some kind of forest that was relatively near the castle.
"Go..Be Ever Free from my heart."Winter said,a small smile of relief showing as the pain had finally dulled in her at last.
Slamming the door,Winter smiled,her hope of a happier life beginning to shimmer brighter as she finally got past her losses.
Author's Note
Yeah,that sums up this chapter. I decided to add what I think of how the Ever Free Forest came to be as well. Hopefully it wasn't too badly done though. O.O So super duper sorry I took a long time. I'm still having school and I may take time to do the next one as well. It is also a bit hard for me to come across chapter ideas too...So,apology accepted? *hopefully squees*
A beam of cyan came hurtling toward's Winter and as Winter deflected it away with shield of ice,Winter grimly thought about how what could have been a perfect first day at school turned out be one of the worst.
6 hours earlier
For the first time in forever,Winter felt carefree and happy as she trotted down to her first class of the year. That was when she first met her nemesis,Sunset Shimmer.
Sunset was a young unicorn at a tender age of seven and was a formidable yet incredibly gifted filly that had went on to Winter's Advanced Magic class. Sunset used to be a sweet,kind filly with magic she often used for the benefits for other ponies. However,her time as student of Princess Celestia soon made the young unicorn complacent and arrogant from her position and prowess.
As Winter took her place beside Sunset,Sunset smirked and shoved over Winter's saddlebags before innocently smiling,"Oh,so sorry,er-"
"Winter.Winter Snow."Winter Snow smiled back at Sunset before bending over to retrieve her bags.As Winter bent over,Sunset delivered a kick,sending Winter sprawling forward.
"Hey!Who did that?"Sunset yelled out to the watching class,her classmates unwilling to tell the truth in fear of Sunset's punishment. Until a mare stepped out of her seat.
"Ok,THAT'S IT! We understand that we might have went too far on the prank we had played on you two years ago but this doesn't give you the permission to bully our new classmate like that!"The mare yelled out before shrinking back as Sunset turned to face her.
Winter heard the words and as quick as light,something in her snapped.
"Oh,you are so dead."Sunset narrowed her eyes and started for the mare but then realized she couldn't move as ice had encased her hooves to the ground.
"Huh?"Sunset asked in confusion only to sense Winter was rising up from her place as well.
'I don't know who the hay you are,but you are definitely going to get it for bullying me and my class."Winter growled,icy wind whipping her mane back and forth and a sort of a dark,yet slightly crazed look in her eyes.
"Who am I?I'm Sunset Shimmer,and that's Princess Celestia's student to you ."Sunset smirked at Winter.
"And I am Winter Snow,Princess Celestia's daughter and you're gonna get it." Winter smiled viciously at Sunset Shimmer whose eyes had went wide in shock.
Sunset,using a warming spell,broke free and threw a beam of cyan that started the whole fight.
Sunset threw bolts and beams of magic at Winter but none hit her target as ice shielded Winter from attacks. She was already feeling exhausted and the pain of overusing her magic was starting to get to her. As Sunset faltered from attacking,Winter struck.
A thick ball of ice,snow and winter magic rammed into Sunset and she braced herself for the impact of the wall but none came.
"Winter,it's okay,everything is fine."A familiar voice,motherly and comforting,wafted through the air, and as Sunset went closer,she saw Winter being embraced by her teacher.
"Princess?"Sunset timidly asked before being shot by the most piercing glare from Princess Celestia. Sunset felt confused,angry and upset as Princess Celestia got up and towered over Sunset and unfurled her wings.
"Sunset Shimmer,I am so sorry,but for your crimes of harassing your classmates and my daughter and according to my librarian,Miss Moon Letter,trespassed the Restricted Section of Magic Objects in the Canterlot Libraries,you are no longer my student. My guards will escort you out."Princess Celestia proclaimed,her body positioned in a regal pose but the Princess's eyes betrayed her feelings of hurt and disappointment in her student.
"This is the baddest mistake you'll make in your entire life."Sunset glared coldly at Princess Celestia as she was led away.
"One of the many...."Princess Celestia sadly whispered as Winter embraced her mother,knowing of the pain and sorrow of Luna's banishment had torn them both mentally apart.
As Sunset neared to the room that held the mysterious magical mirror,Sunset made a run for it,causing the guards to go after her but the chase was in vain as Sunset knocked them out and jumped into the mirror.
Winter and Princess Celestia went down the hallway,walking about in the school until they reached the room that housed the mirror. Winter pushed open the door to see the guards sprawled on the floor,groaning as they rubbed their heads in pain.
"Oh,Sunset Shimmer....No......."Princess Celestia breathed in shock.
"What happened?W...Where did Sunset go?"Winter stuttered.
"So sorry,Princesses b..but she took us by surprise and...and jumped through the mirror." One of the guard grimaced as the movement.
"Shhh,it's alright. If you're feeling up to it,could you please help me move it to the throne room?"Princess Celestia requested,much to Winter's shock.
"But,Mom! Why are you putting this in such a prominent place?Shouldn't you just hide it somewhere safe?"Winter protested as Princess Celestia hung her head when they had finished moving it.
"No,I want it there....to remind me.... Maybe,one day,she will come back."Princess Celestia looked longingly at the mirror before sighing and walking off with the guards,leaving Winter alone with the mirror.
Winter sighed sadly as the door slammed shut before taking a closer look. Tapping the mirror,Winter was surprised when her hoof went in. Unbeknownst to her,the gem above her gleamed a light blue aura as Winter drew her hoof back.
Steeling herself,Winter dived in.
Author's Note
*DISCLAIMER*
I'm not going to base Sunset Shimmer's origin on the comics,soooooooooo,yeahhh......
Chapter 8 ~Crystal Mirror~
Winter fell out of the mirror and fell onto a sea of.....stars? Winter looked about in earnest,taking in her surroundings. 'Strange.'Winter thought as she wandered about.
Winter was about to return when Winter caught a reflection of herself in it. Her platinum and white mane was flowing,just like her mother's mane always did and gleaming white wings adorned her back. Winter was an alicorn.
"Is that really me?"Winter said aloud in disbelief as another voice answered her.
"It is indeed , you."The voice echoed around,the tone soothing and familiar.
"Auntie Luna?W...What?But I'm not asleep! What are you doing here?"Winter gaped at her aunt's presence.
"True that you are not asleep,but I'm here to help you make your choice. Sunset had made hers;to stay in the alternate dimension. And now,it is your turn."Luna solemnly joined her niece's side.
"In this dimension,you could be with me forever and you could be an alicorn ,with powers that surpass your mother and wings that could bring you higher than the clouds or you could return to your original dimension as you had always been in with no change.Choose wisely,Winter."Luna continued,striking a hoof over the smooth surface to reveal the throne room Winter had been in from before.
"Never mind about me,what about Sunset Shimmer?"Winter asked worriedly,earning a tired smile from her aunt.
"Oh,Winter Snow,you and your selfless spirit. In my opinion,Sunset had chosen badly. Sunset had left behind her magic and her old morals for another life beyond the mirror. The world she is in is much more corrupt than yours and I fear it may ultimately lead to her undoing. Other than that,I believe that she will be alright.Now,which do you choose?"Luna replied.
Winter was stuck between the two decisions.
"Will you come back?"Winter asked softly ,making Luna shake her head.
"I will not be able to join you on the other side,but the other me in your dimension will come back eventually,may be in a thousand years,or two."Luna shrugged.
Winter hugged Luna before pulling back to kiss Luna on the cheek,"Auntie Luna,thank you. As much as I love to stay with you forever,my mom needs me,and I have many things ahead of me. Like a partner-No Winter,let me tell you a few things. I can see the future,but I highly doubt you would have anything but a normal life. "
Winter stared at Luna curiously as Luna went on,"Your biological mother and King Sombra has seen to that aspect that you would not be like anypony else. Your power over ice and snow would only grow stronger but fear and anger would be your enemy,since we had managed to interrupt their operation to turn you against us. Both of the ponies,Snowdrop and King Sombra were conspiring to make you a killing machine but you could see that they were unsuccessful. Your time of ascension will come,not now but eventually. The power of turning ponies into alicorns rests on my sister,Princess Celestia and your Destiny."
"My......Destiny?"Winter looked down before glancing at her wings and ethereal mane,"My Destiny to be powerful and all that?"
Luna nodded,"Yes,one Destiny I am sure you would be able to fulfill.You must hurry,the gateway is about to close and I doubt you would want to stay with me and leave Princess Celestia by herself." A twinkle of amusement flashed through Luna's eyes as Winter got ready to go back.
"I'll see you again,won't I?"Winter asked as Luna smiled and nodded.
"Good enough for me.Bye,Auntie Luna!Allon-sy!"Winter smiled as she went back to her dimension and as she made it through the other side,the mirror gave a flash and it was closed.
Author's Note
Yeah,this maybe a little on the short side,but it will have to do. *sigh...** Anyone caught the Doctor Who reference?
Chapter 9 ~Alicorn Darkness~
Years later
Winter looked out of the window of the carriage as it made its way to a jewelry shop.
"Ugh,I don't see why Mom wasn't coming along.She could just take a day off and have some quality time with me."Winter sighed in frustration.
"Winter,your mother has to see to important matters of other ponies.She can't really take the day off. Faust knows what will happen if she ever takes the day off." One of her friends,Moonlight Shimmer,explained as she pulled her hair out of its ponytail.
"I know,I know..."Winter nodded as Moonlight struggled to braid her hair.
"A little help,Winter?"Moonlight winced as a tangle of hair pulled at her scalp.
"Hehehehehehehehehe."Winter chuckled when she saw Moonlight's messy mane,"Come here,you. I'll do more than that.I'll make...you...Fabulous! Oops..."
Winter had tried to use her winter magic to turn Moonlight's mane into an elaborate braid but had ended up freezing the mess into icicles.
"Winter..."Moonlight whined when she saw how her mane looked like.
"I..I'll fix it,no problem!"Winter quickly pulled back the winter magic that was holding the ice together,causing Moonlight's hair to fall limply on her shoulders.
Delicately and much more careful,Winter allowed a small amount of magic to float out. She then manipulated the magic to braid Moonlight's hair and finished it off by bunching it back up and turning it into a snowflake hair tie.
"Amazing...."Moonlight admired the shimmering snowflake in her hair.
Smiling a little,Winter got off the carriage and helped her friend down the steps.
"How does it feel,to help a lowly unicorn down a carriage when you are getting coronated in less than a week's time?"Moonlight smirked.
"C'mon,let's go."Winter rolled her eyes as she made her way to the door.
Opening the door,the girls were taken by the beauty of the vast amounts of shiny metal and stones.
"Woaaahhh....."Moonlight tried on an elegant looking crown and comically and mockingly posed like a princess.
"Woah is right.I don't have the words.Oooh,what is that!"Winter pointed at a dark looking amulet with a alicorn and a ruby as its center piece.
"May I help you,fillies?"A new voice joined them.Looking behind,they saw another attractive looking mare entering through the back door.
"Uh,yeah.Can we try that one?The one with the ruby gem?"Winter pointed at the amulet.
"But,little lady,it's really dangerous.I don't think-Please,Lady Boss?"Moonlight interrupted,flaring her horn and working her magical compulsion on the shop lady.
Winter watched in fear,horror and fascination as Moonlight forced the mare to pass over the alicorn amulet and placed it into her bag.
"Oh yeah!Got it!Now Winter,make a replica of this,grab that jewelry that you wanted,dump the bits on the counter and let's get outta here!"Moonlight urged.
Reluctantly and scared that the mare may break out of the magic compulsion in any moment,Winter did as she was told.
"You will not remember any of this.You will remember that Winter Snow bought her necklace and left.And you will sleep."Moonlight pressed her horn against the mare's head,causing the mare to nod and faint.
Running out,the two then jumped on a carriage.
"Wow,good taste,Winter. Look how cool this amulet looks."Moonlight admired the amulet.
"Yeah...."Winter agreed,taking it from Moonlight and looked at it admiringly.
"Well?"Moonlight looked expectantly at Winter.
"What?"Winter looked up.
"Ya gonna put that on?"Moonlight asked.
"Well...."Winter felt something was wrong and held it away from her.
"Oi!Did you know how much magic it took for me to work out mental magic?To even erase that mare's memories?It took a hell lot of magic and you are just gonna do all of that attitude on me?"Moonlight flared up.
"Sorry!Sorry!Yeow!Stop..Ugh..pinching me!"Winter shoved away Moonlight,"Alright,I'll put it on!It's just...I got a bad feeling about this."
"It's just an amulet."Moonlight frowned,"What's the worst that could happen?"
"True...."Winter nodded as she struggled to put it on,"A little help here,Moonlight?"
"Sure thing,Wints.."Moonlight moved back and connected the two ends of the amulet around Winter's neck.
"Done!YEARRRRRGHHHH!"Moonlight shrieked as she was slammed against the side of the carriage. A ball of winter magic then secured her neck to the wall,causing Moonlight to choke and splutter.
"Heheheheheheheheheh.Hahahahahahahaha....AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"Winter laughed evilly as she turned to face her friend. Her eyes glowed in a sinister shade of red as she approached Moonlight.
"Win....Ter.....What...Ar..Are..You...Do...Doing?What...Has...Got..Ten..In....to...yo..you?"Moonlight choked,grasping at the cuffs around her neck.
"Oh Moony,it is not what has gotten into me,but it is what is going into you!"Winter pounced with a extremely sharp ice dagger and it was all over for Moonlight.
Winter felt more powerful than ever.She could feel the magic just,positively aching to be released upon the land. As she looked into the remains of what used to be her friend,Winter was suddenly overtaken by guilt and slumped onto the ground.
"What have I done?"Winter whimpered,looking at her bloody hooves and at Moonlight. A tear escaped Winter before another flash of red gleamed through her eyes.
"The first blood of War...And it....Is delicious."Winter's eyes dilated into just as that of a snake,licking the blood off her hooves and relishing the taste of it.
"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"Winter screamed,her eyes returning back to normal before they dilated once more.
"Never!Oh,foolish little foal,did you really think you would escape the clutches of our darkness?"Winter smirked.
"King Sombra and Snowdrop made you..."Winter realized as her pupils turned back to normal before it returned to its corrupted state.
"Of course,little one.This was meant as a backup in case your precious 'Mother' found out and ruined our plans."Winter explained.
"Princess Winter?"The stallions who drove the carriage knocked on her door.
"Oh?We have now reached the point in the conversation where some ponies will die."Winter smiled,her eyes glowing red and dilating into pin pricks.
"No!Stop it!NO!"Winter shouted mentally as her body took over and as the door opened,a volley of icy arrows impaled themselves into the stallions.
"Nooooo..."Winter turned back to normal and fell to the ground,blood staining her hooves and coat.
"Are you happy now?More ponies dead,and for what?Your Empire is gone,your greatest lieutenant and helper dead and you're trapped in ice.Everything is hopeless for you."Winter pulled herself up,snarling before her eyes dilated.
"Silence,you.It is time for me to rise once more and I am not letting you ruin the moment."Winter said,mentally shoving away her original personalty to the back of her mind.
Winter trotted for the Castle,using her magic to clean herself up and conceal the amulet. Forcing her eyes to return to its original state,Winter waited in anticipation for her mother to come.
"Winter,my daughter!"Princess Celestia trotted for her daughter but was nearly caught off guard by another volley icy arrows.
"Winter,what has gotten into you?"Princess Celestia raised her voice as she raised a shield around herself.Winter smirked as she froze the shield and shattered it.
"Oh,my dear mother,it is not has gotten into me,but what is going into you!"Winter chuckled as she shot more ice arrows.
"Winter!Ah!"Princess Celestia gasped when she saw the amulet around her daughter's neck,but the realization was too late. Winter went for the kill.
"Ye-Yearghhhhhh!"Winter's eyes gave a flash of blue as the original personality fought back and instead of killing her mother,Winter had frozen her mother into an ice block.
"Haaaaa...Haaaaaa....Ha....."Winter gasped,back to normal. But it wasn't over. As Winter recovered,she noticed the ruby had opened and a black mist escaped morphing and forming into a doppelganger of herself. Except this doppelganger had an evil look in her ruby red eyes with a considerably darker coat and hair.
"Winter Snow.....Are you ready?"The other Winter smiled.
"Re...Ready for what?"Winter asked.
"Ready for your Destiny."
Chapter 11 ~The Sun and The Moon~
Winter unfastened the amulet and flung it into the bushes that was right under the window. Her Destiny had came at last. To defeat the darkness within herself. Anyways,she didn't need any more corruption from the alicorn amulet.
Shooting her other self a smoldering look,Winter managed to deflect away the attack and twirled before encasing her victim into an enclosure of ice. In a magical out burst,the other Winter broke free and let out beams of dark magic.
"Ha!Look at you!Pathetic!Running away like the little foal you are.Come and fight me,if you dare."The other Winter crowed as Winter dodged the beams clumsily.
"Grr...You made me freeze my own mother into ice..."Winter threw a huge ball of winter magic at the other Winter,causing the alternate doppelganger to stumble back and hit her head against the wall,"You made me kill innocent ponies..."
"And you made me kill my friend."Winter stood on guard,"You are the pathetic one."
The other Winter growled and flung a shadow ball at Winter,"Says the mare who's dodging attacks."
Winter yelled as the shadow ball threw her back to a pillar.As other Winter stood up,Winter was quick to push her back. Winter stood up and was about to fire the killing shot when the other Winter smiled evilly and filled her hoof with dark magic and aimed it at Princess Celestia.
"Stop or I will shoot!"Other Winter yelled. Recognizing the danger her mother was in,Winter stood down.
"It seems that we....are at an impasse."Other Winter reached for her bleeding muzzle,messily wiping the blood off.
"What about a trade,Princess?Your Mother's life in exchange for your own ..What do you think?"Other Winter turned into dark mist and materialized beside Winter.
"Better to be dead,than to live a life of suffering....."Other Winter whispered into Winter's ear,"Let Celestia die,and I'll let bygones be bygones.I will spare your miserable life and possibly let you live..As a Queen.And I'll just go off.You wouldn't even know that I even existed."
"Better to be selfless,than to be selfish."Winter uttered,stepping up,"Besides,you wouldn't kill our own mother.You got your love for her from me."
"Ah!Here's the catch.I don't have any love for you."Other Winter smiled,pulling her hoof of dark magic away from Princess Celestia and aimed it for Winter.
Winter cast a sad look at Princess Celestia before steeling herself.Her time had come. Winter whispered,"Go ahead."
Other Winter smirked and released it on Winter,only to scream in pain as Winter took the damage.
"ARGH!"Other Winter screamed,dissipating as Winter died,releasing Princess Celestia from her ice prison.
"Winter!"Princess Celestia stumbled forward and crawled to Winter's side.
"Winter...Nooo...Not you too...."Princess Celestia hugged Winter's body,crying,her fallen tears soon forming a puddle. A bright,shimmering blue light from Winter's body caught her attention.
"What?"Princess Celestia breathed as Winter's body levitated high above the ground
A sort of a magical aura escaped Winter's chest,splitting itself to parts and encircled around Winter before the light intensified.
With a burst of silvery sparkles and snowflakes,Winter landed on the ground,alive.Getting back on her hooves,Winter unfurled her wings for the first time. Opening her eyes,Winter saw that her mother was free. As if to sense that she was conscious,her hair began to flow in ethereal waves.
"Winter?"Princess Celestia couldn't believe her eyes. Winter was an alicorn.
"Mom!"Winter rushed forward and embraced her mother,her mind clear of darkness and immortal. Hugging Winter,Princess Celestia felt relief flood her mind and her soul.
"Winter...I..I thought that you were dead...."Princess Celestia choked.
"I was dead?"Winter stepped back in shock.
"The other you shot a powerful beam of magic....And I..I didn't do my duty to protect you....You...You died.."Princess Celestia hung her head.
"Mom,I'm fine.Look at me now.Don't feel bad.The thing is,I'm still alive and look,I've got the flow-y hair,like yours!"Winter smiled,bringing her mother's eyes up to level with hers and admiring her hair. Smiling through her tears,Princess Celestia pulled Winter in for a hug once more,to assure herself that all of this was real,and not a dream.
Winter waited anxiously behind the doors,listening to her mother who was behind those doors proclaim her deeds to the kingdom before a choir of mares and stallions marched in with banners decorated with her cutie mark and taking cue,Winter walked in and stepped in front of her mother.
"The Princess Winter cometh
Behold, behold
A Princess here before us
Behold, behold, behold
Behold, behold (behold, behold)
The Princess Winter cometh
Behold, behold (behold, behold)
The Princess is
The Princess is here!"
Princess Celestia smiled as she lowered a silver crown bejeweled with diamonds and crystals onto Winter's head,in a design of snowflakes. Blushing a little from the attention,cheers and most of all,a look of pride from Princess Celestia,Winter headed out to the balcony followed closely by her mother.
Winter smiled and waved at the crowd happily before noticing that it...was snowing.Flashing back for a moment,she felt as though Princess Luna,Sweet Tea and Moonlight was by her side.
Winter remembered the song that she sang to the ponies she cared most about. It was another snowy afternoon and Princess Celestia wasn't around. Looking outside,Winter was thrilled to see snow. Jumping about,Winter raced for the door and to the front of Princess Celestia's doors.
Knocking on the doors excitedly,Winter sang,"Mom?
Do you wanna build a snowmare?
C'mon,let's go and play~
I never see you anymore.
Come out the door,
It's like you've gone away-
We used to be best buddies
And now we're not
I wish you would tell me why!-
Do you wanna build a snowman?
It doesn't have to be a snowman.
The doors opened,to reveal a butler.The butler looked at Winter with a ghost of a frown on his face,"Young Lady,your mother is busy right now and she is busy settling business.If you would keep down your noise,we would gladly appreciate it."
Winter returned back to reality,only for more memories to pop up.
Winter approached Sweet's doors a little more tentatively,afraid of being rejected but she knocked the doors nonetheless,"Do you wanna build a snowmare?
Or ride our bikes around the halls
I think some company is overdue
I've started talking to
the pictures on the walls-
It gets a little lonely
Mom and aunt is always busy now,
Just watching the hours tick by-
Do you wanna build a snowmare?
It doesn't always have to be a snowmare.~"
When she received no reply,Winter sadly walked off. And from then on,she didn't want to knock in fear of having doors slammed in her face.
Until Moonlight Shimmer came along.
A day before Moonlight's death,Moonlight had went to Winter's,in hopes that she could help her friend to be more happy.
"Winter?
Please,I know you're in there.
Ponies been asking where you've been
They say,'Have courage',and I'm trying to
Just please let me in~
We only have each other.
For the weekends
No one to care for us~
....Do you wanna build a snowmare..."Moonlight sank in defeat,before an idea,a shopping trip should be held, which led to her death.
Winter snapped out of it as Princess Celestia nudged her to say a few words.
Smiling and waving,Winter managed to speak a few words of thanks before making her way out for the parade.
Repressing her feelings,Winter let out sprinkles of snow,much to the delight of the younger ponies as she continued on the chariot that looped back to the back yard of the Castle.
Finally left alone to her thoughts in the garden,Winter could see that night has fallen and the moonlight shimmering on the bed of roses and on the shrubs of jasmine tea leaves.
Smiling as she shedded tears,Winter whispered as she picked the white rose and held it close to her heart,"Do you want to build a snowmare..."
The End
Author's Note
Woooooowee!Finally done with this fanfic! Gosh,I had been placing this on hiatus for so long.. So sorry!!!! >.< Anyways,I won't be on for..um....quite some time,since school is a b***** and my parents aren't...very.supportive of my,as they call it,'passion',aka the brony fandom.......
On that note,enjoy and if you do,like/comment/follow! They mean soooo much to me!
