The Bigger Picture

by MidnightBloom

Rating: teen
Tags: Other, Adventure, Tragedy, Twilight Sparkle, Discord, Gore, Dark, Alternate Universe, Sad, Nightmare Moon, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1329

Twilight finally sees the entirety of the globe she lives on. Equestria is simply a small part of a bigger picture. The trees of Harmony and the Vines of Chaos ever spinning. But their balance is off set, and Twilight must find a way to fix it.

Before the tree, before Discord, before the sisters, and before the old Equestria, there was a civilization in what is now known as the 'Bad Lands'.
Nopony fully realizes the potential of the land they regard as useless. Within its borders, lies unimaginable power sources and forces with no need for elements to aid them.
Even so, the ponies that still dwel there are confused by the new arrival who has a strange marking on her flank.
Will Princess Twilight understand how important these ponies actually are, or will she be kept in the dark?

Published 2014-09-28 01:40:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-09-28 01:40:05 UTC

The Very Beginning of The Beginning

Author's Note

English is not my first language, so please excuse typos and skipped words.
If you can find them, point them out to me in the comments please. I try to keep everything as correct as possible so if you can, show me my mistakes.
Thank you.
((This is all the Head-cannon I managed to think up about before all the events that are cannon. If you disagree with whatever I have thought up, remember this is just my own speculation and that I could not give any fucks about what you think, but I will listen to your opinion anyways.))

The Very Beginning of The Beginning

Before all the events shown in the show, before the birth of Equestria, before Discord could even come into existence, and before nature could be controlled by ponies with no regard for the ways of the world, there was a civilization of Democracy. Ponies held no cutie-marks, there was no need for them. Chaos and Harmony were both balanced forces, always fighting and always at a draw. Both of them co-existing in a circular motion. Each of them had seeds of their labor, Harmony had planted the trees of Hope and Chaos planted the vines of Despair. Neither could exist without one another, which is why the trees are surrounded by the vines. Towns and Cities were built around these prospects, and a peaceful nation arose from the rules set up by the two entities. Even so, Harmony had to find a way to educate the ponies untouched by the light of her trees.

On the other side of the world, a single tree of harmony was grown, along with the vines of Chaos. Each had that regions destiny written into its core. Harmony gave two earth ponies the enlightenment of the two sides of her. Light Harmony, which took its role in what you know as Celestia, and Dark Harmony, which Luna represents. Each of them grew into the roles chosen by Harmony to rival Chaos and Discord.

Although the lore of that land says differently, there is always Chaos in Harmony, and vice versa. This is shown well in Luna, as she made the transformation into Nightmare Moon. Even if it was her own personal feelings that drove her to be Nightmare Moon, the Dark Harmony made her feel that way by sensing the extreme amounts of Chaos between the Dark and the Light. Both were made as equals, and the power Light was gaining from too much praise showed that. When Chaos inside the Dark Harmony took control to show Light's error, Light only made it worse by banishing the darkness. And so began the Thousand Year Despair across the seas. The error of Light condemned many races to death and forced them to move across the seas, where they were hunted and persecuted and banished to the Everfree Forest.

There is a reason these creatures despise ponies with markings upon their hides, and there is a reason the zebras live far to the South with many other beings. They originated across the ocean, along with dragons. The mistakes of the Eastern Civilizations forced them to near extinction, and to this day, they search for a way back. To this day, they search for the Harmony and the Chaos that created them. Most have lost all hope of that, and have given into despair, but a very few, like Zecora, understand it exists. Harmony had given hints that she would return within another, along with Chaos.

Any guesses on who that is reader?

The Night of Hope

Princess Luna's POV

Even if Princess Twilight Sparkle understood her role, I doubt she would own up to it with the way Celestia rules. I feel I must take orders into my own hand. The creatures that live in the Forest by her new Kingdom talk of her animately. Im one of the few ponies able to talk freely with them, although they feel angry still, I can still reason with them. There is too much harmony, if that makes any sense. Every attack on Canterlot shows it more clearly to me. There is too much harmony. There needs to be a healthy balance.

I dont know how I never saw it before but, Twilight holds the position Chaos told me about while I was on the moon. I saw the whole world from that angle, and saw how Light chased entire ecosystems away from their natural homes. We never considered the implications our region would have on the others. All the influx of vicious creatures and supernatural beings, were at the fault of our mistakes.

When I had returned from the thousand years solitude, I tried to warn Celestia of everything we have brought upon ourselves. She disregarded me, said a celebration was in order for my return and we would discuss it late. But we never discussed it. In fact, whenever I tried to bring it up, she would instantly glare at me and change the subject. Over the years, Ive found that I can not trust the deity of the sun. Within the reaches of my power, I have thought up a plan along with Cadence. We can not let this go idly by, only to consume us later. Something must be done. And now. Before the entire world is consumed by the Melody of Despair.

~~~~~~~~

Twilight stood upon the ship of iron and obsidian. Princess Luna told her about a dire situation across the ocean, but never specified what exactly it was. Luna stood next to her, along with Cadence. Poor innocent, Twilight knew nothing of the turmoil ahead, nor of the power inside.

The sun rose upon Equestria, putting this side of the sphere in darkness. Luna moved her moon in place, lighting this side with a soft glow. The first moon to rise in over one thousand years. Twilight stared out at the desert ahead. Sailing for over two months made her feel a little restless and homesick, but even more curious than before the journey. Neither Luna or Cadence would give her the details she so desired.

Meanwhile, on the Bad Lands Continent;

A mare looks up at the sky in wonder. Her pale white muzzle contrasts from the light brown the rest of her pelt is decorated with. She gasps as the grand circle rises from the ocean. Her dark brown mane flips over her head as she turns around and makes a mad dash for a string of huts upon a hill. She barges in with an expression of glee on her face.
"The Moon is real! Its out right now! I saw it! I saw it glow! Come one, come on, come on!"
"Impossible! Its just an old story,Kayana, passed down by the elders to bring childish hope!" a black stallion exclaims, huffing a bit.
"But its out right now! Just look!" Kayana whispers animately and points to the sky.

A chorus of shouts and gasps of disbelief spreads throughout the group as they emerge from the hut. Word spreads fast and soon every being in the camp observes the event. The circular lantern shines brightly across the night tapestry. The awed silence quickly turns into a joyous whooping. Diamond dogs, dragons, zebras, chimeras, ponies, almost every creature nearly cries in happiness.
"There's still hope for us then? We're not abandoned by Harmony and Chaos?" Shinyo , a brown and white dappled filly, asks through her tears.
"Yes Shinyo, we are not forsaken." Kayana replies, grinning from ear to ear.

They celebrated that night, around a wilting tree of harmony, and the already dead vines of chaos. That night, the vines looked less dead, that night the tree started shimmering like it used to. That night, they had hope.

Author's Note

So.....
Yeah.
I tried my best here.
Gimme feedback and constructive judgement. I need new ideas and stuff so just do whatever. 8luh