Equestria Chronicles: How Pinkie got her Cutie Mark and Other Stories

by Nom dePlume

Rating: everyone
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Original Character
Length: 2853

A collection of the legends and histories of Equestria.

Equestria. A land with a mysterious, misty history. Or so it was.

A young historian has collected the stories and accounts of ponies all over Equestria, from the old sages of the Unicorn Range to the village elders of the mountain clans to the ancient tomes of the Royal Library. Here is a (mostly) non-conflicting account of Equestria's history, from the Reign of The Four to modern day.

Much thanks to Warren Hutch's Book of Days for formatting inspiration.

This one will update semi-randomly, filling in background headcannons for my personal writing universe, explaining the stories I can't work in, but are part of the world.

Published 2014-02-02 17:10:06 UTC
Last updated 2014-08-17 15:23:49 UTC

A Guide to the Royals Named

High King Vaccuss -- High Queen Omnia

/ / \ \

Queen Harmonia Empress Adoria Princess Phota Princess Nebula
Empress Crystoria Princess Lumia Princess Nocte
Empress Aphrosia Princess Aurora Princess Nyxia
Empress Venutia Princess Aesta Princess Umbria
Empress Cupa Princess Ignia Princess Tranquis
Empress Narcissa Princess Radia Princess Morphia
Empress Erosia Queen Solaira Princess Prenumbra
Empress Amora Princess Celestia Princess Luna
Queen Twilight Sparkle Empress Cadence
Princess Helia Princess Stella

Prolouge: Creation

Or: How Pinkie Pie got her Cutie Mark

In the beginning, there was nothing. A deep, colorless Void was all that existed. Then, in the depths of the emptiness, the High Queen Omnia and the High King Vaccuss sprang into being. [1]

The void cried out in pain, for now there was Something invading its beautiful Nothingness. "Begone," the void cried, "begone and fall back into the Nothingness!"

Rather than be absorbed back into the Void, the fledgling Alicorns knew they had to fight it somehow. "We must do something," Omnia insisted.

"But what?" Vaccuss was unsure, and he could already feel the Void pulling at his feathers. "What do we have the power to do?"

Omnia closed her eyes and reached deep inside herself. "Everything."

Together, Omnia and Vaccuss created the universe. They wove stars and molded planets to fill the Void, and shaped people to live on them. They spun bits of starstuff into comets, delighting their stargazing children. Asteroids and black holes and other, unknown things were built to help their peoples grow stronger when they reached the stars. Equestria was one such planet, woven of harmony and song into a wide, spinning disc.

To hold the balance of our magical world together, Vacuss and Omnia created four pony races to guard the Basic Elements and keep them from dying out or growing too powerful.

To guard the element of Fire, that formed the core of the planet and pushed back the deadly cold of the Void, the Unicorns were born.

To govern the Water, upon which all things depended for nourishment and life, Seaponies were created.

To watch over the Air, needed for the spread of seeds and movement of weather patterns, Pegasai took shape.

To hold dominion over Land, from which all ponies took food and shelter, the Earth-Ponies came to exist.

But each of these separate pony tribes, in their infancy, were going to need someone to watch over them. As King Vaccuss and Queen Omnia would soon need to move on to other worlds, they granted this world to their four daughters.

Harmonia was the eldest, and named Queen of all Equestria. Hers was the Gift of Magic, and the Element of Fire.

Princess Adoria was next, with the Gift of Love, and the Element of Land.

Then came Princess Phota, who claimed the Gift of Day and the Element of Air.

Youngest and last in line was Princess Nebula. To her went the Gift of Night and the Element of Water.

These four were how Equestria began. None of them were prepared for the tragedies that would follow.

[1] This is where many historians disagree. Some say that Vaccuss was the Void, and created Omnia to ease his loneliness. Others claim that Omnia, (who was composed of all that ever was, would be, and might be), was the void, and created Vaccuss to share the burden. Yet another version insists the Void collapsed in on itself and split into the two entities.

Author's Note

Sorry for the shortness here, I didn't have a lot of room for dialogue to flesh it out.

Disharmony

Harmonia, Queen of Equestria and Guardian of Magic, disliked what she saw happening within Her realm. It was her job, her role as Queen, to maintain peace and order throughout Equestria. To facilitate this, she often wandered the world in pony guise. As she walked through Her lands, however, all she saw was arguing and chaos. One incident in particular was the final straw.

In the market of a small city, a unicorn noble rode through the streets in a gilded chariot, pulled by a pair of earth-ponies and flanked by two pegasus guards. Suddenly, an overripe tomato whizzed out of the crowd and struck the stallion's shoulder, staining his pale blue coat and purple cape with dark red.

A earth-pony, smudged with dirt to the point where one wasn't sure what color her coat was, pushed through the crowd A pair of tomatoes still on the vine marked her flank, and hatred blazed in her orange eyes. "You monster," she screamed, "taxing us to the point of poverty, parading your wealth in our faces!" She advanced on the stunned lord, teeth bared in a snarl. "You treat the earth-ponies like we're dirt, like we're animals, and there's nothing we can do about it! Everywhere you go, those stupid featherfaces are guarding you. Well, I'm done with it! It's time someone ran the risk and stood up to a bully like you!"

"Featherface?" One of the pegasai guards threw his dark gray head back in indignation. "You think I want to be here, dirt-grubber? I'm only in this idiot's service to get my family out of debt!"

"And as you are in my service," the unicorn growled icily, "I demand you take this loudmouthed fool to the stockades. A week locked in the middle of the square should correct her behavior."

The two pegasai stallions looked at one another and shrugged. "What choice do we have?" the gray one asked his tan companion. "He holds our families captive." Unable to protest, the two pegasai guards picked the struggling mare up and flew away.

Harmonia, disguised as an earth-pony herself, frowned and brushed strands of indigo mane from her violet eyes. This was not the world that Omnia and Vaccuss had intended. She wandered through the streets that led away from the market, and saw that the distraught mare's words were true. The further away from the square she went, the worse the conditions became. Here, a mother wept over a sick child, begging the doctor to lower his fee. There, a pair of foals fought over a scrap of vegetable scrounged from the trash. In one small place, on the edge of the city, a pegasus, hardly more than skin and bones, nibbled at the short-cropped grass that grew stunted in the city's marvelous gardens.

Enraged, Harmonia stormed to the lord's estate, changing herself into a unicorn lady to pass the guards. The nobleman welcomed his mysterious lilac guest warmly, but his warmth was not returned. In an effort to ease the strange mare's mind, he sent his guards away and invited her to sit with him.

Alone in his hall, Harmonia faked a smile as best as she could. "My lord," she grated out, "I see your lands are fine and verdant. The gardens that surround your city are simply beautiful. Yet I saw no food plants. What shall your people do in times of famine?"

The lord laughed and conjured a glass of wine for his guest. "It is simple, fine lady. There will be no famine here. All food can be summoned magically, like this wine here. Everyone will be able to provide for themselves."

Harmonia tensed, but held the ruse. "Everyone? What of the earth-ponies and pegasai, who cannot bring things to their hoof by magic?"

The lord frowned and thought a moment, then waved a dismissive hoof in the air. "Rest easy, my lady. I am sure they will all be fine. The earth-ponies are master growers after all. It is the only thing they are any good for, anyway."

Harmonia took a sip of the wine, fighting to swallow the sour, overspiced brew. "Truly," she murmured. "And what of drought? Outside your city's gardens, the land is barren. What of the farmers, suffering to pull a meager crop from the dust? What shall they do?"

The unicorn lord laughed and refilled his wine glass. "My dear, you worry too much! I will summon a storm to ease their troubles tomorrow."

Harmonia set the glass down gently. "Why can the pegasai not bring a gentle rain? The winds of your storm will blow the dust about in great gusts, and the pounding rain will wash away any planted seeds."

The noble snorted and took another long pull from his drink. "All the city's pegasai of use have fallen deep into debt. They are employed in my guard and nowhere else, lady. You wish the farms to have rain? They will have rain. Magic can accomplish this much faster and easier. After all, magic is much more powerful than physical strength. Why do you think we are the ruling class, my lady? We hold Harmonia's Gift; we are her chosen race. Why not let the worms dig and the birds flutter about? It is their place, just as it is our place to rule."

At that point, Harmonia had had it. The goddess leapt to her hooves, letting the illusion fall as she landed. The whole hall was encased in blinding white light. By the time it had cleared, the lord was shocked to find Harmonia, her purple coat gleaming and white armor sparkling, standing before him.

"You dare to tell me who I chose to rule?" Fire flickered in the Alicorn's brilliant purple eyes, and her mane flared out around her head. "Fool! Once I resolve this faulty distribution of power, your punishment will come. For now, you will live as your people do, but with none of their gifts. You will have no more connection to the aether, and none to the sky or sea or land. You will be alone, completely and totally, with no help but what you can find with your own hooves and head." She turned away and looked over her shoulder. "Good luck," she added with a sneer.

Harmonia locked herself away, and was never seen again. One day, years after the Alicorn had disappeared, a great glittering rainbow exploded across the land. All over Equestria, cities collapsed and fell, destroyed by the torrent of magical energy. Magical beings arose, griffins and dragons and things too numerous and terrible to mention. It is said that the unicorn lord's spirit was collected, and he became the first Wendigo, forever attracted to the hatred he had caused.

Against Harmonia's intentions, the four pony races fell back into themselves, becoming more xenophobic than ever. Disharmony was still brewing, but war would be postponed for many, many years to come.

Crystal

Author's Note

A note from the Historian:

Most of the following chapter is 'historical fiction.' I've had to take a few liberties, as the legends and stories of this adventure are... Missing pieces. But as I felt this was a necessary moment, though it is one often overlooked by fellow chroniclers, I worked at great length to cobble together what I could, and fill in some small gaps to the best of my ability.

Crystal

Adoria, Princess of Equestria, sighed and bowed her head. After decades of searching and helping their ponies recover, she had finally tracked Harmonia down to her hiding place.

And the door was barred.

Adoria growled and raised a bright red hoof to pound once more at the heavy oaken gate. "Harmonia? Sister, we need you. The ponies need you. Please come out. Surely you've found what you were looking for by now?" Silence rang on the other side. Adoria, never long on patience, shrugged and glared. "Fine! If that's how you want to play, Sister, I'll play!" Her wings flared as she summoned a burst of magical energy, long pinions spreading as they stretched. With a grunt, a bolt of rose-colored light smashed into the door, shattering the old wood, leaving only a few scraps of wood dangling from the hinges.

Adoria, sheepish, hunched her shoulders and trotted inside, head low. "Whoops... Harmonia? Harmonia, where are you?" Her hoofsteps rang hollowly back off the walls of the cavern, echoed by the steady drip of water from stalactites. "Haarmoooniia? Sister?" Chills crawled up and down Adoria's spine as she peered around in the dark. Taking a deep breath, she called up a faint glow of magic--But the pale red wash only served to amplify the mare's apprehension. "Sister? Where are you?"

Adoria rounded a corner, and stumbled backwards, blinded. When her eyes had finally adjusted, Adoria was left blinking in the pristine white light of a crystalline tree. The long, crooked branches were bare, save for six buds, like new flowers or leaves. The trunk was emblazoned with three symbols-- A sun, a moon-and-star, and Harmonia's own magical starburst. Adoria frowned, childishly wondering why the soft blue heart on her hip was unmentioned.

A breath of air, reminding Adoria of Harmonia's familiar chuckle, stirred the dust of the cave. One of the branches stretched downward, creaking, to present a particularly full bud before the crimson Alicorn. To Adoria's astonishment, the bud bloomed before her eyes, turning into a glittering azure flower, with a heart forged of crystal nestled among the petals.

Adoria lifted the heart and looked at the tree, fear and astonishment in her eyes. "But how...? Harmonia? What... What happened to you?" Then, terrified, the confused Alicorn fled the caverns, bursting out into the forest beyond.

That night, Adoria related her findings to the Princesses Phota and Nebula, her younger sisters. [1]

Phota's pale yellow brow furrowed, and her amber eyes gleamed with skepticism. "You're... You're saying Harmonia turned into a tree?"

Adoria groaned, tossing her flowing, pink-and-white mane back. "No! Well, maybe. The tree's there and she isn't. I know it sounds crazy, but you've gotta believe me! She -- it -- gave me this!" Frantically, Adoria thrust the heart forward. "I don't know what it does, but maybe it holds the key to bringing her back!"

Nebula blinked and prodded the crystal with a navy blue forehoof. "... Addie? It's a rock. Just a rock. And how could Mony turn herself into a tree anyway? You're not making any sense."

"You're not making any sense," Adoria snapped. "Look-- I'll show you, okay? Tomorrow, I'll take you to the cavern and you can see for yourself!" [2]

The next day, the three set off, Phota and Nebula sharing uncertain glances. Adoria led them over miles of untamed wilderness, finally landing in the bottom of a small canyon. Phota and Nebula touched down behind her. All three stared blankly at the smooth stone wall.

"I don't understand," Adoria gasped. "The door was right here! Where did it go?"

Phota snorted and glared at Adoria. "As I thought. Harmonia has disappeared, and we need to hold together until she comes home. Now put your rocks away and let's go home."

Adoria spun on Phota, ready to fight, but a warning gasp from Nebula distracted them. "What," the eldest of the three growled. As she followed the silver-maned filly's gaze, she felt her own cyan eyes widen.

Harmonia, spectral and transparent, stood before them. "I can't stay long, Sisters," she whispered, and the strain in her voice was clear. "I have to return to the Tree soon. The way will open again when the Tree is ready, and not before. I love you all, but I do not believe there is any hope for me. Go, and rule the ponies in my stead. And remember... Six will come one day... Descendants of a Dream..." Harmonia was fading fast, struggling to get the words out as her time ran short. "Six! To... Receive... The... Gifts..."[3] Harmonia's image faded into a wisp of pale purple-gray smoke, and drifted back into the stone.

Adoria still insisted there was some way to put Harmonia back in her own body. She refused to be called 'Queen,' but relented to 'Empress,' and never stopped searching for a way to restore her sister. As a result, she began to neglect her duties to her people, and this led to a split between the Sisters. Adoria took her research, her crystal heart, and her few loyal followers, and turned north. There she founded the Crystal Empire... But that's a story for another time.

[1] And so ends the first large swath of story I could gather. The following conversations is... Heavily ad-libbed, but I tried to stay as true to what I knew of the first Princesses as I could, using ancient writings about and by them as a reference. The Royal Archives were extremely handy for all this.

[2] That's the end of the biggest missing piece in this story; most modern histories completely skip the argument, but I thought it was necessary, to help explain why Her Highness Adoria left her younger sisters.

[3] The full prophecy reads: Six will come, Descended from a Dream, to receive the Gifts I bear and be my Heirs upon the World. It's a little spooky and ominous when you first read it, but this likely refers to the Elements and the six Knights of Harmony (When counting Queen Twilight Sparkle, of course.)