The Secret of Her Past

Chapters

Prologue: The Music Box
Chapter One: Rumor in Canterlot
Chapter Two: Journey to The Past
Chapter Three: Once Upon A December
Chapter Four: In The Dark Of The Night
Chapter Five: Derailed

Prologue: The Music Box

The only sounds in the room were the quiet sobs emitting from the young mare sprawled on the oriental sofa. There was very little light in the room, a fireplace providing the only light. The mare's white coat was tear stained and matted, her aura-like mane fairing the same conditions. She tucked her wings tighter to her sides, flaring her horn to grab a blanket. She refused to rise from her spot, even to move closer to the fire, no matter how cold she got. She barely even opened her red-rimmed eyes when the door opened, preferring to pull the blanket over her eyes as if hiding from the outside light. She only came out when a gentle hoof was laid against her head.

She glanced up at the pony who had walked into the room, a light green Unicorn mare, her pale blue mane tied into a bun. The mare was in her late thirties. Most ponies knew her as Mrs. Smith, Black Smith's wife , yet she knew her as Mrs. Smith, her foalhood nanny.

"Celestia?" Mrs. Smith said gently

The said mare pulled the cover back slightly. "I didn't know you would be coming."

"I figured you could use someone with their head screwed on straight, and it appears I was right. I know it hurts, but it's been two weeks since you've left your room. It's not healthy."

"You don't know..." the younger mare whimpered "How could you possibly know what it's like to have...." she broke into sobs. The older mare sat next to the sofa, fore legs wrapped around her past charge, who buried her head into her past nanny's chest, tears staining the light green coat.

"Shh, it's alright. It'll get easier over time, but for now, just keep your chin up." Celestia sniffled, and Mrs. Smith levitated a handkerchief over to the younger mare. "Now, there's no need to hide in your room like a scared foal. You're a grown mare; you need to make the best of a bad situation."

"What good could possibly come from this?" Celestia waved a hoof dramatically. Mrs. Smith shrugged, standing up.

"That's what you need to find out! Now, get up."

"You always were very stubborn."

"I had to be to keep you in line."

Celestia sniffed, sitting up. "And strict."

The older mare chuckled, her skirts swishing as she walked towards the worn out saddle bags she'd left near the door. "Hey, now, tough love is still love." she opened the bags " By the way, I brought you something." She pulled out a leather-bound book and levitated it across the room. Half way across, the book changed auras, and Celestia brought the book closer to herself to examine it.

"What is it?" she asked.

"A diary. I figure writing it down will help." the younger mare nodded "Right then, I'll go see if I can scrounge up a decent meal for you." with that, Mrs. Smith left Celestia to herself. Celestia watched her past nanny leave the room, the glanced down at the book suspended in front of her. She sighed, forcing herself to her hooves before walking over to the desk on the other side of the room. Sitting down, she opened the book, lifted a quill and dipped it in the inkwell. She then let it move across the paper, letting the words flow along the page.

Dear Diary,

My name is Celestia Galaxianov, Solar Heir of Equestria. I was raised in the Canterlot Palace. When I turned eighteen, the age I am now, my parents, King Eclipse of the Night and Queen Sunniva of the Day, permitted me to move to Maris until the day I became Queen. I had been there for six months when winter rolled around, and I was returning home for Hearths Warming. I arrived on Hearths Warming Eve, just in time for the ball my family hosted each year.

She paused in her writing for a moment, letting the memories flow into her mind.

Celestia entered the palace ballroom. No one had yet noticed her arrival, apart from the few cousins and few members of non-related royalty she had bumped into. Sitting on her throne, she glanced about the large room, watching everypony dancing and talking. Every filly and mare with wings in the room, including herself, sported painted wings; a traditional part of formal wear, the paint was made with cloud and expensive dyes, so as not to harm or permanently color a mare's delicate feathers.

Presently, she saw two young colts, presumably princes from some other kingdom, fawning over two of her sisters, the fifteen-year-old twins, Princess Flora, of all things Green, and Princess Fauna, of the Animals.

I may sound biased, but they were beautiful. Their dresses, floor length skirts with a tight bodice and golden trim, were the same, apart from color. Flora's was a pale yellow to complement her lime coat, while Fauna's was a deep red against her purple coat. Flora's golden hair was tied into a tight braid, and Fauna's reddish-brown mane was tied into a high ponytail. They each had sparkling green eyes.

Two young colts, each in matching royal robes chased each other around the ballroom, raising havoc among the guests. Celestia merely laughed at her brother's antics.

My brothers, Stormy and Blaze, were running around, terrorizing everypony in the room. Blaze, red coat with an orange mane, was three and idolized Stormy, light grey with a black mane, who was five.

Soon, she caught the gaze of the pony she had been looking for. The pony was dancing wildly around her parents.

My father had put extra work into the sky that night, but no star burned brighter than Princess Luna, my youngest sister.

The eight-year-old filly grinned and waved at her sister. She ran around her father, going cross-eyed and sticking her tongue out at Celestia. Eclipse grabbed her from behind, holding her high and twirling her around.

"Papa!" she squealed, her crown falling from her head. He laughed, setting her down. Luna ran to Celestia, tripping over her midnight blue gown along the way. She grabbed something from her throne as she passed it. Upon reaching her sister, she gave her a crude, childish drawing of a foal sitting on a sofa. Celestia smiled, holding the drawing close to her chest, careful not to wrinkle it as she hugged Luna. Neither of them noticed the Unicorn colt sneaking from the kitchen, levitating an apple in front of himself. He watched the two in fascination

I loved each of my siblings, but Luna and I were closer to each other than we were to the others. She was the Lunar Heir, and we would one day rule Equestria together. She begged me not to return to Maris, as I expected she would, so I had a gift made for her to make the separation easier for both of us.

Celestia lit her horn, reaching into the pocket of her light pink dress. She pulled out a beautifully decorated box. Luna gasped in awe.

"For me?" she asked, reaching a hoof out to touch it "Is it a jewelry box?" They faintly heard somepony shout at someone behind them.

"Comet!" a butler shouted, dragging the colt towards a door "You belong in the kitchen!" Celestia pulled out a golden chain with a silver star-shaped charm hanging from it. She placed the star in a slot on the side of the box, turning it gently. It opened, two miniature ponies twirling to the calming instrumental emitting from the box. Luna squealed in excitement, recognizing the tune.

"It plays the the lullaby! The one you wrote for me!" Celestia nodded, placing the chain around her sister's neck.

"You can play it whenever you feel lonely, and pretend I'm singing it to you." Smiling, the elder began to sing.

"On the wind, across the sea, hear this song and remember," Luna joined in, the sisters harmonizing beautifully "Soon you'll be home with me. Once upon a December!" The girls laughed.

"Read what it says." Celestia gestured towards the charm. Luna used her magic to lift the charm so she could read the back.

"Together...." she squinted "in Maris." Luna gasped "Really!? Oh, Tia!" the filly leaped at her older sister, grasping her in a crushing hug. Both girls laughed.

Celestia smiled at the memory, but her face soon fell at what came next. She turned back to the page and continued to write.

But...we would never be together in Maris. A dark shadow had descended upon the house of the Galaxianovs. A Unicorn who had succumbed to the darkness of his heart. A stallion who I regret to say that I had been engaged to. His name was Sombra. He had worked as my father's assistant until he proposed to me. We thought he was a good stallion, but he was a fraud; power mad and dangerous. He tried to over throw my cousin, Princess Amore, and take over her kingdom, the Crystal Empire. He was foiled, banished, and the engagement was broken. Bent on his desire for revenge, he sold his soul for the power to destroy us. He became a literal pony of shadows.

Everypony parted as a dark stallion walked towards the royal family. Nopony noticed Comet returning from the kitchen, dropping the tray of food he'd been carrying. Eclipse stepped forward.

"How dare you return to the Palace?" he growled.

"But, I am your assistant!" Sombra jeered.

"Assistant? Ha! You're a traitor! Get out!"

"You think you can banish me so easily?" He gripped a black lantern around his neck with his magic "I banish you! All of you! With a curse. Heed my words, the entire Galaxianov shall die within the fortnight!" he smiled evilly, flashing his horn, then appearing next to Celestia. "Except for you, deary. You'll regret breaking the engagement, as you'll be the only survivor." With that he disappeared.

Celestia shuddered, remembering the stallion's threat, before continuing to write.

After that, the spark of his darkness was fanned into a monstrous flame that would destroy our lives forever.

Three days later, Sombra, using the power of his Lantern of Shadow, created an army; hundreds of ponies made of black crystals. He sent them to the palace, then sent shadow bats to unlock the gates. The army rushed into the courtyard, smashing everything in sight.

Inside the palace, ponies were frantic, running around, most still in their sleep wear, trying to escape.

"Hurry, everypony!" Eclipse yelled, ushering everyone down a hallway. Luna and Celestia ran alongside each other. Suddenly, Luna gasped and turned around.

"My music box!" she cried, running down a corridor. Celestia galloped after her.

"Luna! Come Back! Come back!" the girls raced into a playroom. Luna rushed to a doll house, shoving dolls aside to grab the music box. Celestia came up beside her, ushering her back towards the door. Suddenly, a door in the wall opened, and a colt rushed out.

"Hurry, this way, please, out the servants quarters!" he ushered them through the door, Luna dropping the box in the process.

"Sombra, they're getting away!" a crystal bat yelled from outside the window.

"But, my music bo-" Luna started. The colt shoved her.

"Go, now!" he slammed the door just as two crystallized stallions rushed into the room.

"Where are they, boy!?" one growled. Looking around, the foal grabbed an empty oil lantern and threw it at one of the stallions. The other rammed his hoof into the back of the colt's head, knocking him out cold.

"Run, Luna! Keep up with me, darling!" Celestia and Luna galloped underneath a bridge, running across the ice. There was a growl as Sombra threw himself off of the bridge, ice cracking under his weight. He grabbed Luna's back legs. The filly crashed onto the ice, her head snapping onto the ground. There was a loud crack, and her horn rolled to the side.

"Sombra!" Celestia yelled, trying to pry her sister from the Stallion of Shadow's grasp.

"Lemme go!" Luna sobbed, terrified "Please!"

"You'll never escape me, child!" he chuckled wickedly "Never!" Celestia stepped back, wings spread and eyes glowing white.

"Let. Her. Go.," she growled "NOW!" She fired a beam of light at Sombra. He was pushed into the air, flying far off into the direction of the Frozen North. Luna pulled herself onto her hooves. Her horn lay to the side, a scar and few drops of blood being the only indicator that it had ever been attached to her head.

"When my magic has built back up, I can grow you a new horn." Celestia promised "Sombra may be gone for now, but his army will be here any moment. We have to go. Run, Luna, and don't look back!"

The filly and mare neared the train station. Leaping onto the tracks, they ran after the train.

"Faster, Luna!" Celestia called out as she jumped onto the platform at the back of the caboose. She turned around, reaching a hoof out to her sister.

"Tia!" the filly yelled, running on three legs, reaching out to her sister.

"Take my hoof!" their hooves touched, and they held on for dear life "Hold on!"

"Don't let go!" Luna begged, running behind the train. Celestia tried to teleport her sister onto the train, but her magic had yet to replenish enough to cast any spell. It was so crowded that Luna could barely run, let alone try to fly. Both girls screamed as their hooves slipped. The ponies standing next to Celestia tried to help by reaching out in vain attempts to grab the filly.

"LUNA!" Celestia screamed in horror as her sister crashed onto the tracks. Her head made contact with the steel, her eyes rolling back into her head. Celestia tried to jump off the train, but someone grabbed her, pulling her back before she hurt herself. "Luna!" she wailed, tears streaming down her face.

Celestia cried silently as she wrote, tears staining the paper.

That was two weeks ago. So many lives were destroyed that night. I later found out that no one else in my family had even made it past the palace walls. What had always been...now gone forever. And the filly who did escape with me, I don't know what became of her. Oh Luna, my dear, sweet sister...I fear I'll never see her again.

Author's Note

Hope everypony will enjoy this ponified version of one of history's greatest mysteries!

Chapter One: Rumor in Canterlot

It had been ten years since the death of the Galaxianov family. Celestia had returned to Maris, to work through her grief. In this time, a distant relative, Silk Stocking, had stepped forward to 'take care' of Canterlot, yet he was a stallion who cared only for his title, and Canterlot had quickly fallen on hard times. Snow was falling heavily on the capital city. Ponies all over the town were tightening scarves and jackets, trying to block out the relentless wind as they walked to where ever they were employed. Everywhere, stallions and mares alike clocked it, ready to start another day. Many began to sing.*

"Canterlot is gloomy!" a stallion lugging bags of grain sang out, starting up everypony else.

"Canterlot is bleak!" somepony else added.

"Ugh, you'd be crazy to stay here," a tourist snapped, heading for the train station, "even for a week!" Suddenly, it seemed that the whole city was singing with one breath.

"Oh, since their execution, our lives have been so grey! Thank goodness for the gossip that gets us through the day. Hey! Nopony ever forgot 'bout the rumor here in Canterlot. Have you heard what they're saying on the streets?" Everypony crowded around a newspaper stand, where a smiling stallion held up a paper, featuring a picture of one of the princesses on the front page.

"Though the king and queen did not survive, one daughter may be still alive!" he sang in a hushed tone, earning smiles from the crowd.

"Yes, the Princess Luna!" everypony sang out, before glancing worriedly up at the manor where Silk Stocking currently resided. It was no secret that he hoped that Princess Celestia wouldn't ever be returning to Canterlot. The newsie bit his lip before turning to the worried crowd.

"But, please, do not repeat!"

"It's a rumor, a legend, a mystery!" the crowds of ponies in the markets began to sing "Something whispered in an alleyway, or through a crack. It's a rumor that's part of our history!" A young mare dressed as a gypsy lifted a snow globe from her market stall, drawing a crowd.

"They say Princess Celestia will pay a royal sum," Suddenly, ponies grabbed at the snow globes, dropping bits in return. The globes featured a miniature statue of Princess Luna, modeled to look like she was mid flight. They each began to sing.

"To somepony who can bring her sister back!"

A very large cream-colored Unicorn stallion traversed the many shoppers. He wore a heavy read coat over a beige vest, and a thick brown hat. The hat's color matched his mane, which sported sideburns that wrapped around his face to form a mustache. His look was completed by round spectacles and a goatee. He trotted around the city square, seemingly looking for something.

"Psst, Lute! Over here!" the pony, Lute, turned towards the voice's origin, a dark blue Unicorn, much younger than himself, with a brown mane that fell into his eyes. The younger stallion wore a worn brown coat that was missing a few buttons. Lute grinned, hurrying over to him.

"Comet, there you are!" the two stallions whispered to each other for a few moments before trotting off back into the mobs of ponies crowding in the market. The ducked into a group of tents where merchants were trying to sell 'Galaxianov merchandise'.

"Two hundred bits for this painting!" a merchant started the singing back up again "It's Galaxianov, I swear!"

"Queen Sunniva's pajamas," a mare shouted, gesturing to some nightgowns "line up; buy the pair!" another stallion waved a hoof around a small purple saddle, decorated with various Moon phases.

"I got this saddle from the palace. It's lined with real fur!" Comet and Lute both lifted it with their magic, checking it over before singing themselves.

"It could be worth a fortune, if it belonged to her!" Comet tossed over a few bits before he and Lute entered an abandoned house in which they had taken up residence in. They began to pack suitcases.

"Well, Comet, I got us a theater."

"Everything's going like we planned; all we need is the girl! Just think, no more forging papers, or stolen goods! We got three tickets out of here. One for you," He tossed Lute an old shirt "one for me, and one for 'Princess Luna!'"

"Do you think we'll find the real Princess?"

"Nah, somepony just made this rumor up to snap Celestia out of her grief-induced stupor so she'd come back to knock Mr. High-And-Mighty off her throne." He laughed dryly "Lotta good that did; now she won't even start reconstruction on the palace until somebody finds Luna."

"But...there isn't even one part of you that thinks it's true?"

Comet rolled his eyes. "Maybe she is, maybe she ain't. All I know is that, either way, Celestia is offering a ten-million bit reward for her sister's safe return." at the promise of being rich, the con artist grinned before beginning to sing.

"It's the rumor, the legend, the mystery. It's the Princess Luna who will help us fly. You and I, friend, will go down in history!" he dug around in a drawer, pulling out a small purple box with black floral designs etched onto the surface "We'll find a mare to play the part, and we'll teach her what to say. Dress her up, and take her to Maree! Just imagine the reward Celestia's gonna pay! Who else could pull it off but you and me? We'll be rich!"

"We'll be rich!"

"We'll be out!"

"And Canterlot will have some more to talk about!" the stallions sang at the same time, before rushing out into the busy market place. A few ponies were arguing over prices, but the main topic of conversation was the lost princess. Suddenly, the crowds again burst into song.

"No one ever forgot the rumor here in Canterlot! Have you heard? Friends, what do you suppose? A captivating mystery?"

Comet waved a hoof in the air. "The biggest con in history!"

"Yes, it's the Princess Luna!" everypony sang "Alive or dead!?" a brief pause "Who knows? Shh!"

Foals stood pressed against the windows of the top floor of the two-story building. The house was old and run-down. The the paint that hadn't yet peeled off of the sign at the front read 'Clementine Home for Foals'. They were all waving at the young mare outside, letting out various shouts of 'Bye, Niya!' and 'We'll miss you!' A second mare stood in front of the said mare, this one visibly much older. Everything about the hunched-over Earth Pony was bland, light grey coat and a shaggy darker grey mane. She wore an old beige dress and muddy boots.

"I got you a job at the potato farm. Follow the path until you get to the fork in the road. Go left-"

"Good bye!" the younger mare shouted, waving at the foals in the window.

"Are you listening!?" the elderly pony snapped.

"By everypony!" Niya lowered her hoof. The young Pegasus was a solid light blue, her hair an even lighter blue. Her bright eyes were turquoise. She wore ripped gloves, an old green coat with sleeves that came down too long over a tattered faded yellow dress that was a few sizes too big, and a long blue scarf. Her wings stuck out two crudely cut holes in the dress and coat. On her head, she wore a worn-out brown hat in which she had tucked her messy mane. She rolled her eyes before replying. "I'm listening, Miss Clementine."

"That's 'Lady Clementine' to you! You've been a thorn in my side since you were brought here." she snatched the younger mare by her scarf, pulling her towards the rusted iron gate "Acting like the Queen of Sheba, instead of the nameless no-account you are! For the past ten years, I've fed you, I've clothed you," she busied herself with getting the gate open, while Niya, having escaped from the scarf, mouthed each word the mare was saying. The young mare finished the sentence for Clementine.

"You've kept a roof over my head." The grey mare looked at her, still holding the scarf, before walking towards her.

"How is it that you haven't a clue as to who you were before you came to us, yet you can remember all that?" Niya reached a hoof down her collar, hooking her hoof around a golden chain and pulling out a silver, star-shaped charm that rested around her neck.

"Oh, but I do have a clue to-"

"Ack, yes yes, we all know!" Clementine snatched the charm, turning it over, reading the words burned into her memory while rolling her eyes "'Together in Maris' So, you want to go to Prance to find your family, yes?"

"Mmhmm." The younger mare nodded.

"Little miss Niya, it's time you take your place in life." she kicked the iron bars open, "In life and in line." walked behind Niya, "And be grateful, too!" and shoved her past through the gates. She threw the scarf at the surprised mare. "Together in Maris!" she said with a fake smile and a wave before slamming the gate shut in Niya's face. She walked buck up to the path, cackling. "And be grateful!" she shouted over her shoulder as she entered the orphanage.

Author's Note

Okay, I need to set a few things straight. First off, the ponies in the cover art are not Alicorn oc's. The confusion over this was entirely my fault. To make the cover art, I used General Zoi's Pony Generator version three. Specifically V3 because it's the only version that offers a screenshot feature, since I can't take screenshots with my laptop. But, as stated in the description of the generator:

Things this game does not have:
Any copyrighted mane (and matching tail) styles, which means no manes from the MLP show are in this game. This is because the new head turning features requires a lot more art, and I wasn't able to do that art for the copyrighted manes, so they weren't included.

Cutie marks.

Full body costumes, again because of the head turning

I tried to make the first look as much like filly Luna as I could. The second picture is of Niya, and third I cannot tell you because it will spoil later chapters.

Again, sorry for the confusion.

Also,
*Because it's MLP, and 50% of the show is singing.

Chapter Two: Journey to The Past

"'Be grateful, Niya!'" the young mare grumbled in a raspy voice, imitating Clementine. She had spent the past hour stumbling through the snow, and had presently appeared in front of a sign. The arrow pointing to the left featured a potato, indicating the farm was that way. The other read, in fancy scrawl, 'Canterlot'. "Well, guess what? I am grateful; grateful to get away!" she glared back in the direction in which she had come from, before stuffing her scarf deeper into her pocket. She continued towards the sign, staring down the path. She could just see the top of a windmill over the hill, turning lazily in the winter breeze.

"'Go left!', she says." the mare rasped, before her voice returned to normal. "Well, I know what's to the left." she straightened her torn glove "I'll be 'Orphan Niya' forever. But..." she backed up towards the other path "if I go right," she turned to face the path "Who knows what I could find!" She glanced up at the sign pointing to the right. She scanned it for a moment, rolling her eyes. "Okay, well, Canterlot obviously, but maybe..." sighing, the blue Pegasus pulled out her necklace, reading the back.

"Who ever gave me this necklace must have loved me." she face hoofed "This is crazy! Me, go to Maris? Send me a sign!" she threw her head towards the sky "A hint...something, anything!" She sat down at the base of one the pine trees surrounding the road. The wind picked up, pulling locks of her mane from her hat. She tucked her wings to her side, shivering as she looked around, waiting for something to appear, when something hit her in the back of the head. She toppled over, getting a muzzlefull of snow. A tiny dark green creature slid off the back of Niya's head, plopping into the soft whiteness. She rubbed her head, shivering.

"What the hay!" Niya growled, spitting out snow and trying to warm her freezing muzzle. She looked around but saw nothing until she looked down. She cocked her head at the tiny, fairy-like animal sitting beside her. She remembered when a retired traveler had come by the orphanage, and told the foals about such creatures. He even had shown them pictures. "You...You're a Breezie!"

"Brrr pfft clkt clkt clkt!" the Breezie let out a series of chirps and whistles.

"Hmm, that's not what that guy said you guys sound like. Outcast?"

"Brrr..." was the response, with the tiny animal nodding sadly, pulling Niya's scarf from her pocket.

"Yeah, me t-hey! I don't have time to play right now. I'm waiting for a sign." she reached out for the scarf "Now give me-" the Breezie darted around her, flying around her legs with Niya turning and twisting, trying in vain to reach the scarf. "Hey, stop that! Give me- ow- Hey, I- OOF!" the mare tripped over the scarf, crashing into the snow. She looked up, snow sliding down her face. The Breezie stood in the middle of the road that lead to Canterlot.

"Great," Niya sat up, brushing off her now wet clothes "a Breezie wants me to go to Canter-wait a second!" she looked from the sign to the Breezie to the sky. "Thank you!" she mouthed to the clouds before turning to the tiny winged pony. "Okay, okay, I can take a hint." She lifted her scarf from the snow, returning it to her pocket but leaving half to drag the snow.

"Pfft, brip burrt clkt!"

"Uhh, yeah I guess you can come, I mean, you are my sign right?" the Breezie settled atop Niya's back, just in between her wings "But you'll need a name. How about...." she glanced about the pine trees "Evergreen?"

"Brip brup brrr!" was the excited response.

"Evergreen it is then." Niya looked down the road, snow beginning to fall. Taking a deep breath, she began to sing.

"Heart, don't fail me now. Courage, don't desert me." she took a step forward, looking back once "Don't turn back," and faced forward again "now that I'm here. Ponies always say 'Life is full of choices'. No one ever mentioned," she shivered "fear. Or how the land can seem so vast...on a journey...to your past!" Niya began walking.

The two girls had been walking for about a mile, with Evergreen having stepped off of Niya's back in favor of taking a moment to stretch her wings.

"Somewhere down this road," Niya continued her song "I know somepony's waiting. Years of dreams just can't be wrong!" she imagined walking up to a group of ponies who looked somewhat like her, telling them her story. In her mind's eye, she could see their eyes widen in shock before brimming with tears as they hugged, welcoming Niya back into her family. "Eyes will open wide. I'll be safe and wanted. Finally home, where I belong!" she reared up, twirling around before slamming back down, kicking up flurries of snow. "Well, starting now, I'm learning fast," she took off at a canter, leaving Evergreen struggling to catch up "on this journey to the past!"

They came to a small clearing. A house stood in the middle and a family could be seen playing together in the snow. When the foals caught sight of Evergreen, the trotted up to Niya.

"Excuse us, miss?" the colt asked "Can we play with yer fairy? We never seen one before."

"Britt! Prrft!" Evergreen leaped onto the filly's head. She glanced up at Niya with pleading eyes. "Hmmm..."

"Sure."

Half an hour later, Niya and Evergreen continued on their way. Standing atop a hill, they waved back at the little family. The foals waved back before tackling their father, wrestling in the snow as their mother watched them with a kind smile. The laughter could be heard even from where Niya and Evergreen stood. Lowering her hoof, Niya frowned with a pang of longing.

"Home...love...family..." she turned, again singing, before quickly walking away, wiping tears from her eyes "there was once a time I must have had them too..." she sighed, keeping her chin up "Home, love, family; I will never be complete until I find you!" She marched towards a river, abandoning the bridge in favor of a log going across.

"One stride at a time; one hoof then another," she jumped on the log. Rearing on her hind legs and using her wings to balance her, she pulled her hat off, revealing that her hair had been tied into a messy ponytail "Who knows where this road may go! Back to who I was," she slammed the hat back onto her head "on to find my future. Things my heart still needs to know!" she jumped off the log, skipping along the path. Evergreen zipped around in the air in attempts to avoid the snow that was getting kicked up.

"Yes, let this be a sign! Let this road be mine! Let it lead me to my past! And bring me home," they reached the peak of a hill, finally overlooking Canterlot. Niya reared up, waving her hat around in triumph. "at last!"

Niya stepped up to one of the ticket windows at the Canterlot Train Station. "One ticket to Maris, please." she said with a smile.

"Travel papers." the stallion reached a hoof out.

"Travel papers?"

"No travel papers, no ticket!" the window shut in her face. Niya jumped back in surprise, and Evergreen shifted beneath her hat.

"Well...that happened..."

"Psst!"

"Huh?" Niya looked around before her eyes rested on an elderly mare waving at her from the shadows. She walked over, and the mare gave her a sympathetic look.

"First day in the city, eh pet?"

"That obvious?"

"Well, you didn't know about Silver Stocking's new rule. No citizen of Canterlot can leave without proper identification."

"What can I do?"

"See Comet. He can help."

"Where can I find him?"

"In the old palace." the older mare looked around fearfully "But you didn't hear that from me!"

"Oh..." Niya nodded, turning and walking away. 'Comet...' Niya thought. She didn't know why, but the name seemed familiar.

"Y-yes, uh, thank you. W-we'll be in touch." Comet scribbled a name off of the paper in front of him, waving the mare off the stage "Next, please!" Another mare sauntered up onto the stage. She sported a patchy-painted cardboard horn, and a pair of wings fairing similar conditions. Her coat, mane, and tail were very obviously dyed blue, but patches of orange and brown peeked through.

"Sister, it's me!" she rasped, giving her hips a shake "Luna!"

"Oh brother..." Comet grumbled, scratching off the name in front of him as Lute just laid his head in defeat on the table.

"That's it! It's all over!" Lute stomped through the snow, ripping up papers in his magic "Slaving through auditions all day, almost running over rental time on the theater, and still no mare to pretend to be the princess." The two stallions were leaving the theater after a long, discouraging day. They headed towards the palace, where they had decided to stay that night.

"Not just yet. Remember, just one look at this jewelry box, and Celestia will think that we've brought the real princess. And by the time she realizes the truth, we'll be far away with the reward money." Comet bumped into a mare as they walked.

"Watch where you're going!" she snapped at him.

"What where you're standing!" he fired back as he and Lute turned down an alleyway.

Niya walked up to a stallion. "Excuse me," she began "I'm new around here, and I-hey!" somepony bumped into her "Watch where you're going!" she yelled at the retreating figures.

"Watch where you're standing!"

"Anyway, I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the palace?"

"That way, but, I must warn you, it's nothing like it used to be." the stallion waved her off towards the palace.

Author's Note

And Niya has now made it to Canterlot, and is one step closer to finding the pony who gave her the necklace.

Chapter Three: Once Upon A December

The Canterlot Palace, once the shining jewel of Equestria, now lay long ago abandoned. The once bight colors now were faded and dull. Doors and windows were boarded up, keeping most unwanted ponies out. They, however, did nothing to stop Evergreen from wriggling herself through an opening between the slats.

"Evergreen, stop!" Niya mumbled. The wind had grown stronger, forcing her to pull her scarf up over her face. She pressed her muzzle against the wooden slats. "Evergreen?" she moved her hat and bangs out of her eyes. "Evergreen, where are you?" The mare pulled on the boards, grunting with the effort. The rotting boards cracked and splintered before finally breaking away. She fell backwards, her scarf and hat falling out of place as she crashed into a snowbank. With a groan, she shoved the boards off of her chest and stood up. Looking around, Niya found her hat halfway buried in the slush. She wrinkled her nose as she wrapped her hoof around the soggy fabric, gently squeezing water out as she shoved it and her scarf into her coat pocket.

The building, despite its homely state, was surprisingly warm inside. Following the rapid chirps, Niya soon found Evergreen. She hadn't really intended to enter the Palace, just wait around for this 'Comet' outside, but evergreen had other plans. She took a moment to glance around the room. Despite lack of care, you could tell it was once a grand foyer. The peeling wallpaper was a deep red with intricate swirls that appeared to once have gold.

"Hello? Anypony there?" she called out. Receiving nothing but an echo in return, she walked forward, leaving hoofprints in the dust as she walked. After a few moments, she came to a room holding various knickknacks, fine china, and baubles, all covered in a layer of dust. Niya walked over to a table as Evergreen flew underneath the off-white tablecloth. She looked down at a silver tray sitting in between two candlestick holders, each containing a few melted nubs of wax. She stared at her reflection in the silver before turning and scanning the room. It seemed so familiar. "This place..." she whispered, as if somepony might overhear her, "I swear I've been her before." She turned to a vanity next to the table. The mirror was coated in dust and had a long crack running down the center, but just could still make out her reflection. Niya then began to sing.

"Dancing mares, with painted wings..." she turned to a wide archway in wall, shedding her coat as she went. Evergreen followed. "Faces I almost remember. And a song somepony sings once upon a December." She entered a stage-like area with a few thrones overlooking a grand staircase that lead down to an elegant ballroom. A large family portrait hung behind the thrones. Niya stood swaying in front of the painting. In the center of the picture, four Alicorn fillies sat with bright smiles, holding onto two considerably younger colts. Their parents stood behind them, wrapping their massive wings around the whole family.

"Sisters held me safe and warm," Niya continued her song, pulling off her gloves. "Brothers pranced through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory!" she twirled around, ending facing the ballroom as she reared up, forelegs and wings outstretched. Ponies in the paintings that surrounded the ballroom twirled out of the frames, shimmering almost like ghosts. All were dressed for a ball. They all smiled and bowed to her. She bowed in turn, and walked out onto the dance floor. The room suddenly seemed brighter, cleaner, and more festive.

She repeated what she sang, much louder this time, her voice strong and pure. "Sisters held me safe and warm! Brothers pranced through a silver storm!" three mares who looked a lot like the ones in the painting rushed towards her. They all embraced her, as the eldest slipped tiara on Niya's head. "Figures dancing gracefully across my memory!" She twirled around, and a grand, purple ballgown replaced her tattered yellow dress, and her hair worked itself into a fancy updo. All four mares then began to dance with various stallions as the two young colts from the portrait ran around them.

"Far away, long ago! Glowing dim as an ember! Things my heart used to know, things I yearn to remember..." she turned, almost ramming straight into a regal looking stallion. The father in the painting. He smiled gently down at her as he took her hoof and slow danced to the final notes of her song. "And a song...somepony sings," they stopped dancing and the stallion placed a gentle kiss on Niya's forehead before stepping away. Niya bowed and curled up on the floor as her song ended. "Once upon a December!"

"Hey!" Niya gasped, jerking her head up. Everything in the room was back as it had been, and she had no memory of what had occurred. She turned to look at the two stallions standing at the top of a stairwell on the opposite side of the room. She leaped to her hooves, rushing back to the staircase she'd descended from. The stallions flashed their horns, teleporting just behind her, giving chase. Reaching the top of the staircase, just beneath the portrait, Niya stopped herself and turned to face the stallions.

The younger stallion caught up first. "Now," he panted, "how did you get in..." his voice trailed of as he looked at the mare. She was next to the painting, almost head-level to Princess Luna's picture. This mare looked almost exactly like the princess. "Lute," he whispered to the puffing stallion, "do you see what I see."

"No."

Surprised, Comet glanced towards his friend before reaching a hoof up and flicking his glasses back to his eyes.

"Yes!" Lute responded with a gasp.

"Are you Comet?" Niya spoke up, rubbing a hoof to her temple. Evergreen buzzed around the stallions.

"Well," the dark blue stallion smirked, "depends on who's looking for him." he walked towards the mare.

"My name is Niya, and I was told you were the one to talk to about travel papers, but I can't tell you who told m-uh-what are you...Would you please stop circling me!? I mean, what, were you a buzzard in another life!?"

"Sorry, Neia-"

"Niya."

"Whatever, just-"

"Ni-ya"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, it's just that you look an awful lot like...never mind." he walked back over to Lute and swung a foreleg around his shoulder. "So, you said something about travel papers?"

"Yes, you see, I wanna go to Maris."

"Maris!" Comet grinned at Lute who was busy cooing at Evergreen before turning back to Niya. "Well, lemme ask you something, Niya was it? There a last name that goes with that?"

"Okay, uh," Niya started, rubbing a hoof to the back of her neck "This is gonna sound crazy, but, I don't know my last name. I was found just wandering the street when I was eight years old-"

"Yeah, yeah, and before that?"

"Look, I know it's strange, but I have very few memories of my past." Niya looked down as she fiddled with her necklace.

"Well that's," Comet turned his head, mumbling the end of his sentence "that's perfect."

"But I do have one clue, however, and that is Maris." She let go of the charm "So can you two help me or not?"

"Well, that's interesting, you see 'cause..well, uh,"Comet turned to his friend, waving a hoof towards himself. "The tickets!" he whispered urgently "Lute, gimme the tickets!"

"Oh, uh, here." Comet snatched four golden slips of paper from Lute's magic aura "'Cause we have- well this isn't..." he tossed one of the slips aside. Niya glanced at it as it fell, reading 'Canterlot Circus' in bold, swirling print along the paper's glimmering surface. "Three tickets to Maris." He waved the tickets over Niya's head. The mare reached out for a ticket as it was snatched out of reach.

"But the extra ticket is for her." He waved a hoof at a face in the painting." Princess Luna."

"Huh?" Niya mumbled as the stallions lead her up a second flight of stairs to another room.

"We," Lute started, "are going to reunite Luna and her eldest sister, Princess Celestia!"

"You know," Comet said "you do kinda resemble her..."

"Yes!" Lute nodded excitedly. "She has Eclipse's blue eyes."

"The Galaxianov eyes! And Sunniva's chin..."

"Why, she even has the oldest filly's wing shape!"

"Same age, same physical type!"

"Are you two trying to tell me that you think I am Princess Luna?" Niya scoffed.

Comet stopped her in front of a painting of the said princess and the 'oldest filly'. "All I'm trying to tell you is that I've seen thousands of young mares from all over the kingdom, and not one of them looks as much like the Crown Princess as you do. I mean, just look at her!"

"I thought you two were crazy from the beginning, but now I think you're both mad!" Niya snapped, turning away.

"Think about it!" Comet turned her back around. "You don't remember what happened to you."

"No one knows what happened to her!." Lute joined in.

"You're looking for family in Maris."

"And her only family is in Maris!"

"Have you ever thought about the possibility?"

"That I could be royalty?" she earned a nod from both stallions. "Huh...well, I dunno, kinda hard to think of yourself as the heiress of an entire kingdom when you're with a bunch of scared, crying foals sleeping on a damp, cold, moldy floor...but sure. Yeah, I guess every lonely filly would hope she's a princess."

"And somewhere," Lute added. "One filly is."

"Anyway," Comet swung a foreleg around his friend "really wish we could help, but, like I said, the third ticket belongs to the Princess. Good luck!" and with that, they walked away.

"Why did you not tell her about our plan?!" Lute whispered as they headed into the ballroom.

"All she wants is to go to Maris. Why give up a third of the reward money? Trust me; I've got it all under control. Just, you know,walk a little slower. Give her some time to think."

Niya stared at the painting as Evergreen buzzed over and landed on her head. She reached a hoof over to touch the aged canvas. The image depicted on said painting was a happy one. A teenage filly, whom she assumed was Celestia, smiling down at a younger, laughing foal, Luna, as they clung to each other in a hug. She couldn't deny that the younger filly did look like her.

"Three...two...one..." Comet whispered.

"Comet, wait!" the stallions smirked at each other as Niya rushed towards them.

"Did you call me?" Comet faked innocence as they turned to face the young mare.

"Who's to say I'm not a princess or an heiress or whatever she is, right?"

"Go on..."

"I mean, she disappeared around the same time I was found. And if I'm not, her sister will know right away, and then it's just an honest mistake!"

"Hmm, sounds possible..."

"And if you are the princess," Lute joined in,"You'll finally know who you are, and have your sister back!"

"Hey, either way, it gets you to Maris!" The two then shook on it.

"May I present, The Crown Princess Luna Galaxianov!"

"Evergreen, we are goin' to Prance!"

"Uh," Comet chuckled, "the Breezie stays."

"What are you talking about? She's coming with us."

The two started bickering, nopony noticing a small, crystallized bat watching them from a dusty chandelier. "Luna? Ha! One problem with that, buddy. Luna's dead. ALL the Galaxianov's are dead. They're dead! Dead, dead, dead!" He turned to his side, glancing briefly at the shadow bat that had appeared out of nowhere next to him. "I mean, c'mon, how that be Lu-lun...AHH!" He screamed, tumbling backwards and crashing into a dark, glowing, black lantern.

"You really mean to tell me that old thing lit up again after all these years just because some guy claims she's the Galaxianov?" More angry shadows flowed from the lantern. "Okay, okay, I get it already! Enough with the glowing and shadow people!" He paused, thinking. "If that thing's come back to life that that must mean...Luna's alive!" he whirled around, staring at the figures below him, "And that's her!"

"Just leave the Breezie!" Comet groaned.

"I am not gonna leave the Breezie!"

"Oh my gems!" the bat panicked, snatching the lantern's cord with his feet. "I-I gotta tell the boss!" Taking flight, he rushed out a broken window, speeding north.

Author's Note

Okay, so last day of the month, but it's still up! I think that's good enough! :twilightblush:

Chapter Four: In The Dark Of The Night

The little crystalline bate flapped his wings, weighed down by the lantern hanging from his claws. He grunted, trying to stay in the air against the frigid northern winds. Snow stung his face, and he could hardly breathe. He was starting to doubt himself.

"I don't even know where he is." he told himself, "It's been ten years, if he's even still up here. Is he even still alive? I saw that spell shoot him this way. No one coulda survived that! Oh, this is a bad idea..." Suddenly, the lantern blindingly lit up, jerking toward the ground. The bat struggled against the lantern's pull before plummeting to the solid sheets of ice below him.

There was an earsplitting shatter as he crashed through the surprisingly thin ice. Panic gripped the winged creature, seeing the hole in the ice getting smaller as he fell. He kicked his foot around, trying to rid himself of the lantern. He gave one final flap of his wings before finally allowing himself to fall. He briefly wondered what'd happen to him; where he'd end up. Would he eventually hit something, or spend an eternity falling through a black abyss?

After a few moments, he crashed onto a raised slate of ice, knocking a few shards loose. He groaned, leaning up to rub his temple. The cave he'd fallen into was massive. The walls were ragged, and large jagged pillars rose to the ceiling, holding it up. The space itself almost looked as if it'd been created by a large blast.

"Ow!" He mumbled, rubbing his nose. "I tell ya what, OW!" He froze, hearing someone walk up behind him.

"Who dares to invade on my seclusion!?" There was a crash behind him, and a few ice shards slid past him. He felt a red aura grip him around his neck, cutting of his windpipe and yanking him into the air. "Get out!"

The bat wheezed, clawing at his neck as he was brought face-to-face with a slate-grey stallion. The stallion's angered expression quickly turned to one of surprise at the sight of the little bat. He released his aura, quickly finding his voice.

"Cobalt? I-is it really you?"

The bat, Cobalt, again rubbed his head before staring up at the stallion. "M-master? You...you're alive!?"

The stallion's expression turned sour as he glared daggers towards the distance. "That's one way to put it." he grumbled before turning away, pacing back and forth in front of the winged crystalline rodent. "Something...something's happened. I can feel the Darkness billow and stir, and...and oh, how it makes my blood boil!"

The little bat Gave his wings a flap, trying to hover at eye level with the stallion. He nodded briskly, slightly out of breath from overcoming the initial shock of seeing his master after a decade. "It's because I saw her, sir! A mare who calls herself Niya, but she's really Luna! She's-"

"Luna!? As in the Galaxianov's brat!? S-she lives and breathes!?" He whirled around, anger pulsing through him. His eyes glowed with a purple mist as he let his rage come to a boil. "That's why I'm stuck in limbo! My curse is unfulfilled, and will remain so until the wretched foal is six hooves underhoof!" He stomped his hoof like a pouting foal, punctuating his sentence. Before his hoof could touch the ice, however, the bottom half of his leg faded to a shadow. He landed face first onto the solid ice, darkening his vision. He laid there a moment, allowing his head to stop swimming. When he again could see clearly, he let out a wail.

"Look at me, Cobalt. I'm fading away!"

"Oh, c'mon, sir, you look fairly good considering how long ya been dead! You had your old spark for a minute there!"

The stallion shoved himself from the ground, groaning. "If only I hadn't lost...the gift from the Darkness. It was the key to my power."

Cobalt flitted over to the raised ice slab. He lighted down next to it, kicking at the relic that had brought him there. "Oh, ya mean this lantern thingy? I found it back at the palace ruins." He snatched the cord up in his sharp little claws, flying over to his master and dropping it around his silver neck.

The stallion in question stared completely dumbfounded at the shadows that billowed and twisted within the glass casing. Slowly, a purely dark grin spread itself across his features. His mane and tail began to twitch, moving slowly before almost floating behind him from the sheer power that was coursing through his veins. He let out a quiet chuckle which quickly turned to a throaty laugh. "My friend, you've no idea the power you've given back to me! With this, my Dark purpose shall be fulfilled, and the last of the Galaxianovs will die!"

"In the Dark of the Night, I was tossing and turning." he let the song pour from his lungs. "And the Nightmare I had was bad as can be. It's scared me to this very day; a shadow fading away! Then I opened my eyes, and the nightmare was me!" He strutted about the cave, using his magic to fire out his anger. "I was once the most powerful stallion in Equestria. And when Eclipse betrayed me, he made a mistake." His magic surge, forming a screen in the center of the dimly lit ice chamber, allowing him to spy on this 'Niya'. "My curse made each of them pay, yet one little foal got away." he laughed. "Niya, beware, for Sombra's awake!"

"In the Dark of the Night," Cobalt joined in, flitting about his master, "evil will find her! In the Dark of the Night, just before Dawn!"

"Revenge will be sweet, when my curse is complete!"

"In the Dark of the Night-"

"She'll be gone!"

Sombra conjured up a mirror and stood in front of it. He donned silver armor before dragging a brush through his billowing mane. "I can feel my powers slowly returning. Tie a sash, with cologne for a wicked smell! As the pieces fall into place," he threw the brush into the mirror, which shattered before disappearing along with the brush. "I'll see her crawl into place! So long, little Niya, Your Grace! Farewell!"

"In the Dark of the Night, terror will strike her!"

Sombra grinned wickedly as he used his magic to carve a staircase going deeper into the ice, descending it as it grew. "Terror's the least I can do!"

"In the Dark of the Night, evil will brew!"

"Soon, she will feel her Nightmares are real!"

"In the Dark of the Night-"

"She'll be through!"

"In the Dark of the Night, evil will find her!"

"Find her!" Sombra called upon his magic, letting it pull a pedestal of ice.

"In the Dark of the night, terror comes true!"

"Doom her! My dear, here's a sign: It's the end of the line!" With a final twitch of magic, the lantern was placed in a slot atop the pedestal. It's light filled the darkened chamber, shadow bats pouring out is rising to and passing through the top surface of the ice that'd for so long been the stallion's prison. "Come my minions, rise for your master. Let your evil shine! Find her now, yes, fly ever faster!"

Cobalt flitted about, giving directions to the shadows, who all chanted 'In the Dark of the Night'.

Sombra reared on his hind legs, his teeth bared, and head thrown back, a terrifying whinny erupting from him.

"SHE'LL BE MINE!"

Author's Note

Sorry I missed last moth, everypony, but it's here now!

Chapter Five: Derailed

A train barreled down the track, cutting across the snowy landscape. Many passengers filled the train, bound for Maris. Four of those passengers, two Unicorn stallions, a Pegasus mare, and a female Breezie, currently occupied a private seating compartment that was walled off from the rest of the car. Lute held his travel paper along with his companions' and a quill in his magic. A full inkwell rested on the table beside the seat. Niya sat in the seat across from them, next to the window, with her forehead pressed against the glass.

Comet shoved a suitcase into a compartment above Niya's seat. With a yawn, he started to sit down next to Lute only the hear a high-pitched growl come from the seat. He whirled around, startled, to find the Breezie curled on the cushion.

"Huh. Looks like the pest's getting the window seat." he rolled his eyes as he plopped down beside Niya, earning a satisfied chirp from the fairy-like creature. He turned to the mare. She was slumped over, absently fiddling with the charm that hung around her neck. He batted a hoof at the necklace. "Stop fiddling with that thing!" he scolded. "And sit up straight! Remember, you're a Crown Princess!"

Lute looked up from his papers and rolled his eyes at the two ponies in front of him.

Niya glared at the dark blue stallion next to her. Letting her wings droop to the seat, she crossed her forelegs over her chest and slouched even farther down in the seat. "And just how is it that you know what 'Crown Princesses' do and don't do, pray tell?"

"It's my job to know."

Niya cocked her head and sat up a little straighter. Comet smirked, thinking he'd won. "Do you really think I'm royalty?" She asked, batting her eyelashes.

"You know I do." came the reply.

"Okay, then if I'm a princess, you should really stop trying to boss me around!" the mare sneered, turning back to the window.

"Certainly has a mind of her own, doesn't she?" Lute commented.

Comet huffed in return. "Hate that in a mare." he grumbled, earning growl from the Breezie.

Lute pulled another piece of paper from his pocket. On one side of the paper, he'd written Comet's name, and drawn three short lines underneath it. Niya's name was written on the other side. He added another tally mark to the many under Niya's name.

Comet walked into the compartment, taking one last swig of coffee from the Styrofoam cup he'd been levitating before tossing it into a nearby trash can. He glanced up at Niya. She was still sitting in the same seat. A Prench dictionary was propped on her hooves as she read. He sat across from her.

"Look," he started, "I think we got off on the wrong hoof."

"I think we did, too." the mare closed her book. "But, I do appreciate your apology-"

"Apology? I never said anything about a-"

"Stop talking please, okay? I mean, you're only gonna upset me."

Both ponies leaned back in their seats.

"I'll shut up if you will." Comet fired back.

"Okay."

"Fine."

"Fine"

"Fine."

"Fine." The silence lasted for a few seconds. "Think you'll miss it?" the mare questioned.

"The quiet? Duh!" the stallion snapped.

"No!" Niya waved a hoof to the passing landscape. "Canterlot."

There was a pause before Comet answered. "No."

The mare looked confused. "But...it was your home. Or, are you gonna make Maris your home?"

Comet squirmed in his seat, trying to find a way out of the awkward conversation. "What is it with you and 'home' anyway?"

"Well, for one thing, it's something every normal pony wants and..."

"And?" the stallion prompted.

"A-and it...it just...oh just forget it!" she snapped, rising from her seat. At that moment, the door opened as Lute entered with Evergreen perched atop his hat. Niya turned to him, relieved. "Thank Faust it's you! Please, remove him from my sight!" she begged, pointing an accusing hoof at Comet.

Lute let out an exasperated sigh. "Now what have you done?"

"Me!?" Comet whined, "She started it!"

Niya stormed out of the area, slamming the door behind her.

Lute chuckled warmly as he let the Breezie flutter off his hat. "Do I sense an unspoken attraction?" the question was directed at his friend.

Comet's eyes grew wide as saucers. "Attraction!? To that little-have you lost your mind!?" He stomped from the room, mumbling down the corridor.

"I was only asking a simple question." Lute smirked at the Breezie, who flipped in the air, chirping.

Night fell as the train rumbled down the line somewhere near the Rambling Rock Ridge. Nopony noticed the shadow-like bats climbing into the engine. Lute stepped from the compartment he shared with his companions, passports floating in his mystic grip. He got a few steps from the door when he caught some of the conversation between two other ponies. They were talking about the change in the color of ink of important documents; now everything, including passports, was in red. Lute's breath hitched as he ducked back into the compartment. Comet looked up at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I really hate Silver Stocking. Everything's in red." he opened a passport and shoved it in his friend's face.

Comet gripped the paper in his own aura, pulling it back far enough to see the black ink. "Red." he breathed.

"Let's go to the baggage car, quickly, before we're spotted."

"How about, instead, we get off this train!"

Both stallions grabbed the suitcases in their magical grip. Lute rushed out the door. Evergreen chirped at the window, pointing at the shadow bat hovering just outside the pane. The creature growled and bared it's teeth at her. With a sharp squeal, she raced out the door after Lute.

Comet turned to a sleeping Niya. He reached to shake her awake. His hoof grazed her shoulder and her hoof flew up, slamming into his muzzle. His head flew back with a pain-filled grunt. Niya's eyes flew open.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I thought you were-" her eyes focused on the blue stallion, "Oh, it's you. Well, that's okay then."

"C'mon!" he snapped, motioning for the mare to follow. He trotted on three legs, rubbing his nose with his free hoof. "I think you broke my muzzle!"

The mare rolled her eyes, shrugging her coat on and stuffing her hat and scarf into her pocket. "Stallions are such babies!" she muttered. Niya followed the stallions into the baggage car.

Lute shivered in the frigid air. "She'll freeze in here."

"She'll thaw in Maris." Comet smirked.

Niya glanced about the car. "The baggage car?" she earned to sheepish grins. "There wouldn't happen to be a problem with our papers, would there?"

Comet laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Of course not, Your Majesty! We just hate to see you mingle with the common crowd."

They all turned to face Evergreen, who was chirping at the door leading to the engine. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion which ripped the door leading to the rest of the train off it's hinges and destroyed the couple that attached the car to the rest of the train. Everypony was thrown to the floor.

"What the hay was that!?" Comet shouted.

Lute struggled to his hooves. "I don't know, but there goes the dining car!" he pointed a hoof towards the cars behind them as they sped away from the rest of the train.

Comet opened the door leading to the engine. "Something's not right. Wait here; I'm gonna go check the engine!" He jumped across the small gap in between the baggage and coal cars. The stallion shimmied up the ladder and stumbled his way across the sea of coal. He dropped down into the engine, only to find it was void of life, with nothing but a roaring fire that spread across the small room to great him. To avoid getting burned, he crossed back across the coal car and joined his comrades in the baggage car. Upon climbing back into the car, Comet rushed over to a sliding side door.

Niya followed him. "We're going way too fast!"

"Because nopony's driving the train. We gotta jump." he slid the door open to reveal that the train was speeding across a bridge with nothing but a dark ravine below them.

"Niya, do you think you could fly fast enough to get help?" Lute questioned.

"Yeah, about that..." the young mare rubbed the back of her neck. "I can't exactly fly..."

"What!? But you're a...never mind, we'll just uncouple the car." Comet hurried onto the metal links, which for some reason had melted together. Using his magic, he grabbed a wrench and began beating the blob of metal.

Evergreen bounced atop a wooden crate, letting out a series of whistles and chirps. Niya opened the crate. Inside were sticks of dynamite. She dug a hoof in her pocket and found a box of matches. She opened it to find she had a single match left. 'Better make it count.' she thought. Using her teeth, she struck the match against the side of the box before lighting the stick. She ran over to Comet, passing the red tube to him. He wedged it into the metal. They all rushed to the back of the car.

"What do they teach you in those orphanages?" he wondered aloud as the explosion rocked the train. They succeeded in uncoupling the car, along with blowing off the front of the car. "Okay, now we'll just coast to a stop."

Niya tapped his shoulder, pointing outside. He turned to see a bridge not far away. What worried him was that the middle of the bridge was missing. Thinking fast, he grabbed a chain in his magic and secured in under the car at the back. "Lute, come help me with this!"

The beige stallion tripped on his way over to his friend, landing in a pile of suitcases. Niya hurried over to take his place. The two ponies shoved the chain off the edge. Niya turned her head to see a crate sliding towards Comet. Grabbing his hoof, she yanked him from the crate's path, just as in slid off the edge and shattered against the track.

"If we make it outta this," the stallion muttered sarcastically, "remind me to thank you."

The ponies were thrown towards the side door as the end of the chain snagged onto the track, turning the whole car sideways. Without a second thought, they all jumped from the car, landing in a snowy bank just a few feet from the bridge. Both the baggage car and the engine tumbled off the edge, landing with a splash before exploding in the river below.

"I hate trains." Comet deadpanned.

Niya laid on her back, breathing heavily. "Now...what?" she panted. Evergreen lay in the snow next to her.

"Well," Lute answered, "we need to be on the other side of that river, so-"

Comet interrupted his friend. "So, now, we follow it until we find either a hoof bridge or somewhere shallow enough to cross."

Author's Note

Hey, first chapter without a song!