The Beginning before The Beginning
"Push Twilight, PUSH!"
Applejack said, with her usual country voice. Her ear flopping and beads of sweat rolling down her face.
"Ahl go get some water for the princess!" She said again, then turned galloping off through the chambers of Canterlot. Princess Celestia watched and held Twilight's hoof as the younger princess gritted her teeth in pain. Luna was out getting word to Princess Cadence that the time had finally come. Pinkie Pie was a nervous wreck jittering outside the room. Rainbow Dash and Rarity simply couldn't watch. And Fluttershy was trying to help by telling Twilight that everything would be alright. "I don't know.." Twilight said. "I feel lightheaded!" She said again and gritted her teeth, "Twilight," Princess Celestia said, gripping her pupil's hoof tighter. "Hang in there, Twilight..." She said again. Twilight groaned feeling another wave of pain come as Applejack bursted through the door again with a bucket of water locked in her jaws. "Hold on there Honey, Imma comin'!" Applejack rushed to Twilight as Princess Celestia kept a steady eye.
Nurse Redheart was sitting between Twilight's legs. "Its almost out, and it looks like a unicorn!" She said. Twilight gave a faint smile and gave one last push. Then, it was out. Crying and squealing like a tiny baby. It was out. Nurse Redheart held it and Applejack went to get a towel, dropping the water bucket making it spill on the floor. The babe was grey, light grey like her father was. A unicorn with a pure black mane and tail, and bright cherry red eyes. Galloping through the hospital wing's door was Princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Who turned to look at her own daughter Skyla. "Now go run off with Pinkie Pie, OK? I need to see Twilight." Skyla smiled and skipped away as Cadence nearly tripped over herself in a race for Twilight, as Shining Armor followed. "Its a girl." Said Redheart. Handing the baby that was wrapped up in a towel by Applejack who, along with Nurse Redheart, galloped out of the hospital room to spread the good news to the rest of the Elements of Harmony, over to Twilight, still lying panting on the hospital bed. Twilight reached out with magic and gently embraced her daughter in a loving manner and wrapped her hooves around her daughter. Nuzzling her gently on her dark grey fur. She looked like him. The filly giggled and smiled at her mommy, and so Twilight gave an even weaker smile. "Uh.. Uhm.. Umbra..." she said rather hoarsely. "Her name.." she panted. "is.. Umbra."
She said again, feeling tears well up in her eyes. Celestia looked shocked and grim at the sight before her. No, not the baby. But her student. "Twilight, just breathe." She said going and rubbing her hoof across the others forehead, removing sweat from it. "Twilight, can you hear me?" Truly, to Twilight her mentor's voice was fuzzy, fading away. Cadence stepped forward and leaned into Twilight's ear shakily calling her name. "Twilight? Twilight Sparkle?" Applejack quickly exited the room to tell the others what had happened. Shining Armor stepped in and gripped her sister's hoof in his own. "I feel..." Princess Twilight spoke in a cold weak voice. "I feel... I..." She gulped and struggled to stay awake. Only thinking of one thing, her precious daughter. Umbra. It didn't matter who the father was. But Cadence glared at the baby feeling sad about what it made her sister go through. Who its daddy was, it even looked like him.
"J-Just stay awake." Shining Armor said in a shaky voice. That snapped Cadence back to reality, only to see Twilight hanging on the edge of life. Twilight knew that Cadence, even though she was an excellent foal sitter, that she would not be suitable to take care of her little Umbra. If such an accident were to happen, such as death. Alas, Twilight could feel it coming near...Tears welled up in her own eyes as the little fuscha-eyed foal stared down at her mother. Reaching out a light grey hoof and booping it on Twilight's nose. Looking quite sad herself, Umbra was. But mostly confused. She didn't know what was happened, but she could feel something wasn't right.Twilight looked up to her teacher, her mentor, her friend, Princess Celestia and spoke. "T-T-Take c-care of her, please. I don't care who her father is, s-she's my.. little.. pony..." Twilight's lungs filled with air for the last time as her head lulled to the side, her eyes closing shut slowly and her mouth parted slightly. Cadence began to sob and buried her face in her own hooves. Celestia took up the little filly in her magic who squirmed and whined, not liking being taken away from Twilight, not knowing what was happening she didn't want to be taken from her mother. Even Celestia began to weep as the held the filly to her chest and wrapped her hooves around little baby Umbra. Shining Armor stood, shaking in his own fur. Unable to say anything. But then he broke into loud cries nuzzling into his sister's cheek. Just then, Nurse Redheart and the rest of the mane six, including Spike ran through the door. Smiles all plastered on their faces. "Twilight, is it a boy or a-.."
Spike stood silent, unable to finish his sentence. The previous smile on his face faded into a shocked frown and he gulped. "T-Twilight?" Celestia glanced over to the mane six and wearily shook her head. Closing her eyes as she did so and her lip quivered. Still holding Umbra close. "I will protect you as my own. As I did your mother." She said. Blinking tears away from her eyes. The Elements stood there, shocked and horrified, Pinkie Pie stepped forward first, tapping Twilight's body gently with her hoof. The blood on the bedsheets, all the sadness surrounding her made her mane deflate. And began in sobs, and soon the rest followed. Rarity ran from the room. Applejack followed, Fluttershy stood shocked at the sight before her with a quivering lip, and Rainbow Dash sat, questioning herself. Little Umbra, even though she was newly born. Felt pain in her head. All the sadness around her made her want to squirm and flee. Had she done this? She sniffled and began to wail again. Wanting to be in Twilight's embrace not this stranger pony. But, she didn't feel Twilight anymore.
She screamed louder as Cadence gave the filly a scowl. "YOU!!" She barked. That hushed Umbra up, Who suddenly gripped Celestia. "Cadence, please.." Celestia sniffled. "NO. That THING is EVIL. YOU cannot forget what that monster did! Sombra raped Twilight for bucks sake! How can you cuddle something so, disgusting!" Cadence barked at Celestia. Truly, Cadence was a loving mother. But the blame for her hatred was on Sombra. "I do not blame Twilight nor Umbra for Sombra's deeds, Cadence. I know very well what he did. But Twilight loves Umbra, and asked me to take care of her. I will keep my promise." Cadence stood in an attack position, tears streaming down her face and she collapsed again on the floor, wallowing and sobbing. Little Umbra looked up at Celestia with worried yet curious eyes, and Celestia looked back down with her bright pink eyes. Frowning. Then Celestia glanced over to Luna, standing in the doorway, staring down at her sister with a shared expression. Luna gulped out of fatigue, and said only this in a sad voice: "...Her Highness' funeral will be tomorrow, dear sister. Her rein was short, her efforts and triumphs will forever be remembered as the sixth element. Her life will not be forgotten." Luna gulped again and sagged her head. Shining Armor remained sobbing and nuzzling his sister. Umbra turned to look at Luna, her eyes widened and she turned back and nuzzled into Celestia's chest. Already, Twilight had been replaced. The little foal Umbra smiled and nuzzled into Celestia's chest, blocking out the noises around her and suckled a strand of Celestia's cloudy white fur. And even though she had been surrounded by grief, she eventually drifted off to sleep, in the Elder Princess's embrace.
Umbra had brought all her magic up into focus in her horn. Gritting her teeth she shot the red aura forward, which split into three shots hitting all three targets making them break and burst into flames. Umbra huffed and wiped a sweat bead from her brow with her hoof, and looked over at Celestia for approval. "You've done very well, my student. But that is enough training for today." Umbra huffed again and stood tall. "Return to your chambers for now, Remember you'll be meeting with Skyla again tomorrow for the Gala." Celestia smiled and winked at Umbra, who smiled again. "OH. Yes, I almost forgot about the Gala. Heh." She chimed. And turned and trotted out of the training field to the Royal Gardens, to smell the flowers and enjoy the crystal artwork and statues, of course. When she had done, she had returned to her chambers, The walls decorated with paintings of crystals. She had never actually been to the Crystal Empire, but oh she desperately wanted to visit someday. Something about the empire greatly fascinated her, other than the fact that her best friend Skyla lived there. She was only about a year younger then Skyla, though, Umbra was more muscular, for a mare. And had great magical ability, but still a lot to learn. She trotted up the lavender carpeted stairs and nudged her door open with her muzzle. It gave with a creaking sound. She glanced over at the window and smiled watching Luna's moon arise in the distance. Yawning and stretching, she trotted over to her bed and climbed up on it. Stretching once more, she clutched her pillow beginning to drift into the sweet surrender of sleep.
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Celestia stopped smiling as soon as Umbra's back was turned. Umbra yes had a great magical ability, as her mother and father did. But she sensed something chained down in young Umbra's mind. A deep want, to know. Knowledge. Where she came from, why did she not earn her cutie mark yet? Even Celestia predicted it to be something having to do with magic. But no, no matter what magnificent feats Umbra preformed she had not a cutie mark. This to made Celestia worry. What was Umbra's destiny in this world? Her thoughts were disturbed by her sister, Luna, landing next to her. "Dear sister, why do you worry so about Umbra? I too am aware of her father and her mother. As you would know." Luna looked down and shuffled her hooves in the dirt. "What puzzles me, is why she hasn't earned her cutie mark. She is almost as old as Skyla now, and she has earned her cutie mark. All the magic she has preformed. She is great in skill and talent. Do you think fate has something planned for her?" Asked Celestia to her sister Luna, who pondered on the thought. "I.. hmm. Perhaps, I see what you are getting at. But do not let such things consume you. I've been in her dreams, she shows no signs of becoming her father. I know that is what you fear most about her. But she isn't only Sombra. She is Twilight as well. Twilight was the Element of Magic. I do believe, if Umbra begins to stir in the wrong direction, I'm sure the Elements of Harmony will be able to stop her. Night Bloomer, I think is her name? The current holder of the Element of Magic?" Questioned Luna. "Yes sister. And the rest of her friends remind me so much of Twilight's old friends. . ." Celestia sagged. Luna put a hoof on her sister's shoulder. "We are immortal, dear sister. Ponies come and go. I am sorry for your loss, Twilight was close to me as well. But I must preform my royal duties, night time needs to come for ponies to dream." Celestia looked over at her younger sister and nodded. Luna nodded in return and spread her wings, with a gallop she jumped and gracefully glided along the air currents and spun around a pillar of Canterlot Castle and was then out of sight. Celestia still had a look of worry on her face as she yawned and too took flight. Heading to her own wing of the castle, she flew up into the sky letting the soft clouds brush upon her hooves. She remained like this for some while, just enjoying herself in the clouds. Till she circled around and lowered herself to the balcony on her room. Flapping and stretching her wings one last time she used her magic to open the doors and stepped in, closing them behind her. She removed the necklace with her magic, setting it on the mannequin set for it and the crown as well. Trotting over to her bed she sat on it. Removing her sandals and setting them aside. She yawned and looked through the great clear glass window watching her sister's moon rise. The Sun Princess too, began to drift into sleep.
