Elements of Unity: Motivation

by CowgirlVK

Rating: teen
Tags: Random, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Nightmare Moon, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 5938

Captain Lilly Feathers is young mare hoof-picked by Celestia to represent the pegasus tribe on her secret counsel known as Unity, her title; Motivation.

Captain Lilly Feathers is young mare hoof-picked by Celestia to represent the pegasus tribe on her secret counsel known as Unity, her title; Motivation.

Follow Lilly as she comes to terms with herself, and then uses her gifts and status to lead the descendants of the Children Of The Night into an era of peace, and take their rightful place as citizens of Equestria.

(Note; The Prequel is a companion story about Motivation's Triplet.)

Special thanks to Shadowwolf101 for proofreading. And my two talented cover artists Crystal Melody, and Atlantean.

Published 2016-07-12 02:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-07-12 02:30:01 UTC

The Introduction

A light pink pegasus mare flew through the night sky, her long, silver-streaked, turquoise-blue mane and tail bound tightly into neat braids. In stature, she was short and lanky, but her muscles toned from frequent exercise. The cold north wind bit her muzzle and stung her unprotected gray-blue eyes. Even though she had been told many times to wear flight goggles, she had once again left them at home on her bedside table.

Lilly Feathers basked in Luna's moonlight as she enjoyed the long flight from her home in the Foal Mountains to the grand city of Canterlot. This wasn’t the first time she’d ever been summoned, nor would it be the last.

Another gust of freezing wind blew against her, and she fought to stay on her flight path. She carefully kept her right wing pointed at the north star, flying onwards. Masterfully using the fierce winds to increase her speed.

Lilly didn’t care about the cold. She didn’t care if the wind blew. It was peacefully quiet, something her heart yearned for after the chaos of her daily living. She used his time to reflect, to call to her attention the many simple things in life for which she was thankful. To call to her remembering her past, and the lessons she'd learned along the way.

“We’ve come a long ways, haven’t we Luna?” she sighed.

Lilly could almost see the night princess smiling and nodding down at her. Her wings began to grow heavy. She angled down to make a landing on one of the highest mountain peaks to rest and stop for a drink. She gazed up at the starry sky as she opened her canteen and took a swig of the fresh cool water, her thoughts drifting back to the letter.

Dear Lilly Feathers:

By Royal Decree, you are summoned to Canterlot for a royal meeting. You are ordered to arrive no later than noon at the end of this week.

Princess Celestia.

It was just another way to say that Unity has a mission, and she needed to be at the briefing. She giggled. Lilly didn’t care how many times she had taken this trip; Celestia always made sure she could take the flight during the day. Nope, too hot, not to mention she was flying towards the rising sun. It would be easier for her to fly in the late afternoon. However, due to the snow glare, it made it hard to keep track of where she was and not get off course. With that in mind, she had chosen nighttime to take these flights, with the light of the moon reflecting off the snow-sprinkled peaks of the Foal Mountains.

After a quick break, she took off, once more heading in the direction of Canterlot. From the town she had just passed, Lilly knew it couldn’t be more than an hour out. That would mean that as long as she didn’t take another break, she would arrive just before sunrise. Five minutes to be precise.

Lilly grinned mischievously. She knew that this was one of the hardest times for the guards to stay awake. They were reaching the end of their long night watch and would be tired. The rookies especially had a hard time keeping their eyes open as they lost the fight to staying awake. For one of these sleepy heads, she had a surprise in store that would ensure that they never fell asleep on the job again.

Lilly Feathers, a mare of relatively high, yet secretive stature. She was Motivation. A mare of the mountains, known for her superb flying skills. It was her cutie mark after all—a silver pegasus in a bank of golden, five-pointed stars. She was a member of Celestia’s special force, known as Unity.

Another gust of wind blew against her, ruffling her feathers. She was thankful for her chestnut-colored woolen cloak that protected most of her body from the freezing winds. It had been hoof embroidered by her twin Catstitch with brilliant gold stars that brought it a sort of charm.

Another gust, another town.

Her mind wandered off to Unity; the top secret organization that had been around for eleven generations. The alicorn gene was far more common than anypony knew. Every hundred years an alicorn was born somewhere in Equestria. If the conditions and magic were right, then a true alicorn would be born. However, this was rare indeed, most of the time it would split taking the form of triplets. One would have the magic, the second the strength of will, and the third the physical strength.

The first, Inspiration, gained the magic. She was the unicorn, and her duty would be to serve to the unicorn tribe. Inspiration balanced wisdom and beauty, the arts with knowledge and grace. Lilly smiled, as she thought her sister, Glittering Aristocrat. She always had, and would continue doing an excellent job of this.

Glitter was a dark fuchsia unicorn, with an even darker purple tail, and mane that curled softly over her shoulders. Her body sparkled in the sunlight. In stature, she was tall and artistically shaped, much like the well-known model Fleur de Lis'. Glitter's public duty is writing, and she has a number of works published already. However, this is not her function as Inspiration. Glitter is Equestria’s leading ambassador to the countries round about. This has been Inspiration’s duty throughout the generations, and would be the duty until the day the last of the order passed on.

Lilly represented the second. She was Motivation, receiving the strength of emotional control, and prowess that all alicorns have. She represented the pegasi in Unity. Her duty and privilege was to serve them, and the great nation they are. In times of old, this meant leading them into battle at the head of the mighty force known as the Wonderbolts. For her this meant understanding, and pushing her tribe to their best. If it meant fighting, she would fight, but if a fight could be avoided, she would avoid it at all costs. She took being Motivation with the most solemn of attitudes. Even Stepping back when she realized that there was another pony more physically, and mentally capable than she was to lead in the traditional roll. She opted instead to take a more humble stance in a scientific branch of the pegasi military force.

The third was Dedication; the member of Unity that represented the physical strengths, and the earth-pony tribe. Her name was Catstitch Persimmon. She was almost identical in appearance to Lilly. The only difference is Lilly had wings, was smaller, paler, and wore her hair up. Dedication was usually the one who simply doesn’t get noticed. They were always the quiet ones. Content to spend their time traveling from farm to farm, helping the ponies to establish themselves, and their communities. Ponyville, Canterlot, Manehatten, Fillydelphia were all towns that had been established in part, due to the assistance of the long line of Dedications. Lilly was sure Cat’s name would be forgotten when she was gone, just as all the Dedication’s had before her. This was the mindset of Dedication. Do great things, and don’t let anypony know who did them. Something Lilly admitted she herself, could not do.

A horn echoed through the still air of the early morning. Lilly smiled tiredly. The city was getting closer. The first rays of light could now be seen peeking up over the hills. She pumped her wings, tossing in a burst of speed before pitching hard right, to swing southward around the mountain, to line herself up for a clean landing.

She burst like a comet out from around a cliff she finally saw the city, It's marble walls reflected the light, glowing white. She grinned from ear to ear, she leveled herself and started flying downward slowly, checking her speed so as not to come in too fast and have to fight a crash landing.

Her mind wandered for a moment to the topic of crash landings. A silly grin spread across the mare’s face. She was never known for it, but a dear friend of hers was. A particular rainbow filly who never could pay attention long enough to learn anything. It had been too long since she stopped in to see her.

She shook her head to clear it. The last thing she wanted was to let her mind wonder and end up doing the exact thing she thinking about not doing; crash landing. What would Celestia say? The princess would probably laugh while she reminded the pink pegasus the duty of Unity and the way they were supposed to conduct themselves. Like Royals. Lilly rolled her eyes. She had heard the speech more times than she could count. The upper crust was so picky on how things had to be. They had a way to stand, a way to walk, a way to talk, even a way to flirt. And despite being mostly unicorns, they even had dictated how one was to carry themselves while flying. Royals simply didn’t make sense most days.

Lilly landed just on the south side train station, and look around, catching her breath. She turned to face the sunrise, closing her eyes and allowing the warm rays to radiate about her. “Best yet!” She whispered to herself in satisfaction. Lilly glanced off towards the castle; she could see Celestia's horn glowing as the sun continued to rise.

Sun now up, she took off at a gallop, leaping into the sky as she reached the edge of the platform. She tipped to take a quick lap about the palace, hoping to find a worthy victim. Her eyes studied each guard as she passed them. Within minutes, she spotted an unfortunate private; Spear Point. She giggled deviously as she collected a cloud drifting by and set it above his head. Lilly cast a glance at the other guards who stood to watch, their faces expressing varying degrees of fear, confusion, or amusement.

Kathump!

Lilly kicked the cloud as hard as she could. Flurries of snowflakes in blizzard proportions come billowing out of the cloud, coating the snoozing soldier. In a pile of frozen water so only his head stuck out of the icey heap.

She took off for the castle, unwilling to try to explain herself to the angry, and now wide awake youngster. She’d leave that to his superior officer.

“Morning!” she called cheerfully as she flew into the castle Dining Hall, where the royal sisters sat, sipping at their morning cups of tea. Lilly waved at a few glaring guards as she passed them, landing softly on the red carpeted floors.

“We saw that,” Princess Luna snaps.

“Saw what? You need to give me more than just-”

“Motivation! Thou needest to quit freezing the soldiers!” Princess Luna scolded.

The mare giggled. “But Princess!” she whined childishly. “It’s fun, and it’s not like I do it to every sleepy head... just to ones who are out cold. I’m not a silent flyer you know.”

“Alright you two, That’s enough,” Princess Celestia ordered.“How was your flight, Motivation?” she asked calmly, trying to uphold the professional air.

Lilly shrugged. “Oh, Princess! I must say, that sunrise was your best yet! And it was perfectly timed. As if you were waiting for me to get here before bringing it up!” she said with a half teasing tone.

Princess Celestia opened her mouth, then closed it again glancing towards her sister. Luna had her face covered by both hooves, groaning in obvious irritation.

The door creaked open. “Morning Aunt Celestia! Morn-” Princess Cadence paused mid-sentence, glancing about the room. “Motivation Feathers! What did you do?” She tittered; looking between the two irritated princesses.

Right behind her was Lilly’s elder sister; Glitter. “Lilly? Did-did you just arrive?” She asks the pegasus, concern in her eyes.

“About ten minutes ago.” she replied.

“And you flew all night...”

“Yep!”

“No nap?”

“Why would I need a nap?” The pegasus glanced about at the guards who were still watching her with annoyance and caution.

Glitter sighed in irritation and stared at her younger triplet sternly. “Go to bed!”

“I’m not tired!” she growled in return.

Cadence started laughing. “Please!”

“Oh REALLY! A snow cloud! And you know the mountains better than most ponies know their own backyards! I think you planned to come in seconds before the sunrise!” Glitter stomped her hoof, not lowering her stern gaze.

“Did not!” Lilly retorted.

She smirked. “Lilly darling!~ I do believe your nose just grew.” Glitter cooed slyly.

“Oh, it is on!” She growled and flew up into the air, cracking her hooves.

Celestia caught Lilly in her magic before she could make a move. “Inspiration is right. You need to get some sleep.”

“But I’m hungry!” Lilly complained in her typical childlike manner when tired.

“We shall send food up to your suite.” Princess Luna sighed half-heartedly. “We ponies of the night can’t stay awake forever.” She smiled encouragingly at the young mare.

Rolling her eyes, Lilly shook the magic hold, sat down at the table and grabbed a biscuit; daring them with her eyes.

Cadence laid a hoof on her shoulder. “Surrender Lilly, or else you’ll be popping feather jokes during the meeting.”

“Lilly!” Glitter growled. “You have FIVE HOURS before Cat gets here on the train. GO TO BED!”

Lilly raised an eyebrow. “A soldier knows how to go weeks without sleeping,” she challenged.

“First,” Princess Luna pointed out, “That’s the stallions, second, not the captains!”

She nodded and tore into the biscuit.“Point taken, but still not going to bed,” Lilly declared around a mouthful of the buttery bread.

“Oh really?” Glitter grinned at her wickedly. Her mouth full of biscuit, Lilly was rendered powerless as Glitter’s magic locked onto her, and was teleported to her room.

Lilly blinked and looked around the room before swallowing her bite of biscuit and frowning. “Rats!” she growled.

She sighed and fell back onto the bed, passing out before her head had even hit the pillow. Though to her, it had only felt like a mere thirty minutes, she had slept the full five hours and was still quite tired - more so than she cared to admit.

Glitter and Lilly stood side by side surrounded by guards at the train station, waiting for the train to roll in. Lilly occasionally glanced over at Glitter, studying her with a smirk. “So… Glit… what’s the mission?” she asked, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

“Why do you think I know?” she asked.

Lilly rolled her eyes. “Because you always know! Shoot, Harmony is taking care of the big beasties, and I’m keeping the Wonderbolts... well, somewhat organized.”

“You and Spitty fighting again?” Glitter groaned in displeasure.

“I wouldn’t say fighting, but she does disapprove of my methods,” The younger triplet replied without hesitating.

Glitter threw back her head and laughed. “Lilly, you and Spitfire need to get along!”

“Glitter, we haven’t gotten along since we met fifteen years ago on that first day of school!”

Glitter looked down, shaking her head before she looked back up glaring sternly at her sister. “And you teasing her isn’t helping.”

Lilly flipped her braid back over her shoulder, not flinching under her sister’s glare. “When has fire and ice ever gotten along? Tell me that one. I can’t recall m-”

The train whistle drowned out the rest of her words.

“There’s Cat.” Glitter smiled, thankful for them to have a distraction.

Lilly rolled her eyes playfully but flapped her wings hovering slightly over the heads of the other ponies gathering, grinning from ear to ear. “See her yet?” she called down.

“No, you’ve got the better view!” Glitter giggles up at the pegasus.

“Just checking,” she said, chuckling as well as she watched the train pull up.

Glitter shook her head. “You are funny Lil. I wish we could spend time together like we used to.”

Lilly shrugged. “Not likely, most of the time you are either in Canterlot or not in Equestria at all. I’m flying between Cloudsdale and Fillydelphia, and Cat... Cat could be anywhere, doing anything for any farm in Equestria, making sure we stay running as a nation.”

Glitter nodded. “Oh darling, But it would simply be fabulous to run about Glimmer once more as we did as fillies, causing all kinds of mayhem.”

Lilly giggled. “Those were good times, Or maybe chasing Papaw’s sheep!”

“Or burning down Grandmother’s kitchen?”

Her giggles stopped instantly, she glared at her sister, tossing her braid with a ‘hmph’. Her eyes returned to scanning the crowds exiting the train, searching for any signs of their youngest triplet.

“Don’t be sore! You are a pegasus, you-”

“Being a pegasus, and not being able to cook doesn’t go hoof in hoof!” Lilly quickly cut her off. “I know plenty of pegasi who can, in fact, cook!”

Glitter laughed. “Don’t worry Lilly. You know how to keep yourself fed, that’s what’s important.”

She smiled sadly at the comment then it brightened. “There she is!” she exclaimed, firing towards the cloaked figure with the oversized saddle bags.

Glitter was right behind her. “CAT!” Lilly landed inches in front of her muzzle, tossing both arms about her neck.

“Lass, ya’ better be glad it is meh, or’ else ya woulda’ just hugged ah stranger!” The accent could belong to nopony else. The Highland burr was like music to her ears.

“Catstitch darling!” Glitter cooed dramatically. “It’s been way too long!”

Catstitch rolled her eyes. “Neigh, not long enough lass, ya need ta get out o’ this...” She glances about shivering. “If it er’ up ta meh, Ah’d go find meh a quiet place on me ol’ Foal slopes,” she distastefully declared as she looked around the large, fancy train station.

Glitter smiled. “I’m not you dear, I’m me, and I like the bustle of the city life.”

“And I like the structure of the military,” Lilly added, “Now, girls. Would you two just do me a favor? Let’s get to the castle!”

Catstitch and Glitter looked at Lilly, then to each other and back to the eager pegasus. She rolled her eyes and chuckled as she laid a wing across their backs and guided them out of the station and down the street to the castle. “So Cat, how have ya been?”

The earth pony sighed. “Neigh enough time ta get mah embroidery done. Ah’m ‘shamed ta say ah’ve still got o’ wee bit of work left on yer’ new saddle bags before ah can send them to ya.”

“Take your time. I’ve got liners in the old ones at the moment.” She giggled. “It’s keeping my pencils from falling out.”

“An’ everythin' else? Ach! Lil! Ya need ta take more consideration ta’ yer belongings!”

“Easy come, easy go," she said. “Besides, life isn’t stuff. It’s memories.”

“Says the mare who carries a plushie about with her,” Glitter smirked.

“Sherbet would be lonely if I left him at home!”

“Ah thought Sherbet was a lass!” Cat squeaked.

“Eh, it’s a stuffed pony, It’s more of a... it.” She blushed lightly at the mention of her stuffed toy. “So, how’s Bell?” Lilly asked Cat as she looked away to hide her own blush. Bell was her stuffed pony friend. They’d gotten them both at the same time when they were too young even to remember. They have been the two twins’ constant companions for their entire lives. Rainbow Sherbet was a multicolored earth pony doll, with a white mane and tail. Bell was a brown and white pinto stallion with a brown mane and tail.

“Och,' He’s a doll," She finally spluttered out.

Lilly grinned. “And his tail is sticking out of your saddle bag.”

Catstitch shot her a glare. “Yah.' So, Glitter, how’s yer latest assignment?”

“Peace with the Griffons has been reached,” Glitter sang cheerfully.

“For now,” Lilly smirked.

Her ears laid back for a second, “For now darling, but I am most certain this time, the peace will last.”

“Until another one of them gets stuck, insulted, or given food that they can’t ‘digest,'” Captain Feathers giggled.

Glitter laughed. “Those Griffons are a grumpy bunch.” She sighed. “Though Lilly darling, you know that.”

Lilly nodded. “I did spend time with a bushel of them back in school. Not an experience I wish to repeat.”

Catstitch rolled her eyes, and Glitter nodded. “Pesky, but a necessary evil.” Glitter sighed. “But we should at least try to keep peace with our griffon neighbors. So Lilly, what have you been up to?”

She shrugged. “The same ol.' Flying, battle plans, analyzing our weaknesses, and everypony else's. Currently, I’m working on trying to figure out one of the ancient battle strategies. I can’t crack it for the life of me! It’s hard; that’s why it is no longer used. But I can’t believe it’s impossible! Shoot! I saw a Sonic Rainboom! And that was from the same era. Either we Pegasi have gotten weaker... or they over exaggerated their exploits.”

Lilly’s sisters giggled. “If ye are any indication,” Cat chirped. “Ah say it’s a wee bit o’ both.”

She glared for a minute, then nodded. “I’d say you are right. We do tend to exaggerate.”

“The truth gets larger every time!” Glitter laughed.

“And what is that supposed to mean!” The pegasus snarled.

Her sisters laughed, clapping hooves above Lilly’s head. After a second of pouting, she joined in. “Man, it’s good to be back together again.” She sighed, catching her breath.

“Absolutely!” Glitter chuckled. “It’s been far too long!”

Lilly sighed. “So Cat, how has work been?”

“A wee bit busy,” She replied tiredly.

“A wee? That doesn’t give us much to go on, where were you?”

“Appleloosa helpin’ with an insect infestation,” Cat replied. “Those bloody worms!” she growled.

The pegasus smiled. “Sounds like we’ve all been busy of late.”

Glitter smiled. “Busy of late... that sounds like a good book title.”

Catstitch and Lily rolled their eyes. “Ta ya,' everythin's a book!” The three giggled and continued walking.

Twelve o’clock noon, the three had finally had Cat settled into her room and met in the castle’s dining hall once more.

“Announcing, Unity,” One of the unicorn soldiers called as the trio entered the giant dining hall.

“Greetings, did you have a pleasant journey, Dedication?” Celestia asked Catstitch.

Cat nodded. “Aye, that ah’ did Princess. But Ah wanna’ know why. Ah’ mean, ” She stuttered. “Ah am keepin’ mah stuff done! Ah know ah’m a wee bit behind, but I’ll make up for it!”

Celestia started laughing. “Dedication, you are doing an excellent job of keeping up with your duties. And this isn’t a disciplinary meeting.”

Lilly sighed in relief. “So, why are we here?”

“We want you to write a book,” Luna said, cutting to the chase.

She almost fell over backward out of her chair she was laughing so hard. A guard caught the unruly mare’s chair and tipped back onto all four legs. “Pa-Pardon me,” Lilly snickered. “A book!”

The royal sisters exchanged looks. “Motivation, control yourself,” Celestia ordered sternly.

She glanced to her rump, then felt her head. “As I suspected, I don’t have a horn, and my cutie mark is still a silver pegasus, nothing has changed in the last five minutes.”

“Bad joke Lil,'” Glitter growled. “It was my idea.”

“Why em ah neigh surprised!” Catstitch sighed. “Alright, why da ya want us ta write a book? Ah mean, what type, why, when, where?”

“If you girls would be quiet for a minute. We’d tell you.” Luna snapped in barely contained irritation.

Lilly sat back in her chair, crossing her hind hooves. “Ah’m listenin’” she drawled sarcastically.

“Listening!” Catstitch hissed.

She flashed a smirk at her. “You’re one to talk.” Cat rolled her eyes, but both of them finally turned their attention back to Celestia and Luna.

“As you girls know, your duty as Unity has now reverted back to what it was before Luna was banished.”

Lilly nodded. “Absolutely!”

“Beggin’ yer pardon princess, but what does that have to do with writin’ a book?” Cat inquired curiously.

“Patience girls,” Celestia sighed. “I know you two don’t live here, and would much rather be back at your jobs, but hear me out.”

Lilly placed both hooves over her mouth and sat in silence.

“In the previous generations, we kept Unity a secret. For their duty was to support me and to protect the elements,” Celestia said. “With Harmony back in place the need to keep your existence a secret has passed, but we still want you to stay undercover. Your duty is to support us, and to represent the tribes.”

I nodded, then raised a hoof.

“Motivation?” Celestia smiled, shaking her head.

“I’m doing my best as Moti-”

“Thou art doing an exceptional job Motivation,” Luna giggled. “We wish for you girls to write a book explaining your duties. A true life story as you girls learned your duties.”

Catstitch rolled her eyes. “Then ya canna’ jest count me out. Ah don’t have the time.” She declared defiantly.

Glitter dramatically placed a hoof to her forehead. “Oh but Catstitch! You will have the easiest time out of the three of us! You kept a journal!”

“AND YOU EXPECT ME TO PUBLISH IT!” Cat shouted angrily, losing her accent completely for a moment.

“Cat darling! You can always edit it! I for one am looking forward to telling my story.” Glitter sang dramatically.

Catstitch rolled her eyes, “Ah’m still neigh gonna do it!” she huffed. “Ah mean, I have nothing to say. Dedication means doing a job to completion. Getting past it so you can go on to the next-”

Lilly took a deep breath, her eyes diverting to her lap and cutting off Catstitch’s sentence. She closed her eyes tightly as a large knot settled in her stomach. Her past… she didn’t know if she would be able to put her past into words. It was so painful for her even to think about her early years. “I’m... I’m going to have to think about it. If you will excuse me now.” She stood up and darted out of the room, running down the halls to the large exit. She dashed out of the castle and flew up to one of the clouds.

A weight settled into the pit of Lilly's stomach as she flew away, her mixed feelings tearing at her core. She missed the old times, the part of their lives when Unity truly was a unit when the three of them did everything together. When she could glance at them and know every movement, every thought, every word. But her journey to understanding Motivation... that was far different. She was just glad to have put that art of her life behind her.

“Motivation?” A voice spoke suddenly, breaking the young pegasus from her thoughts.

She pretended to be asleep, just hoping for the voice to leave as she absently wrapped her long braid around her left hoof.

“We see that,” The voice spoke again.

The pink mare sighed in defeat. “How could you!” she choked out, half screaming.

“Because thou moved,” Luna stated.

Lilly took a deep breath to calm her shaking nerves. “That is not what I meant! Princess! My entire life, all I’ve heard is ‘don’t try to be your sister!’ I’ve heard it over, and over, and over again! Now you are asking me to write a book!? A book of my life!? Begging your pardon, but I just don’t get it!”

Her head shot up, and she screamed her frustrations. “BLAST IT CLEAN TO THE MOON for all I care!” Tears crept to the corners of her eyes, blurring her vision. “I am Motivation! The element of looking forward, pressing to my best and beyond! And you are asking me to write a story about... about...” She bit her lip, her head falling into her hooves once more.

“Motivation,” Luna sighed. “Thy life hasn’t been easy-”

“Tell me something I don’t know!” she whipped her head around to face the lunar alicorn. “I was full grown before I quit getting poured into molds, and made one for myself! I spent my entire foal hood striving, pushing, running towards a goal. I watched all of my friends getting their cutie marks! I excelled in so much... and it felt like I achieved nothing. I never felt at home anywhere! I lost my respect, I lost my dignity, and lost my good name! I. lost. Everything!” Her eyes were lit with rage as she vented out all of her frustrations.

Luna didn’t flinch. “We know.” She pulled something out from under one of her wings. It was a square piece of wood, on it was three pegs, on one, four wooden blocks from largest on the bottom, to smallest on top. “Doth thou recognize this toy?”

She gulped. “Yes, I do princess.” Lilly cocked her head to the side, confused by the random question. “But I don’t understand. What does this have to do with anything?”

Luna’s horn glowed for a second. She then put the toy on the cloud in front of Lilly. “Thy life has been hard; thou lost a lot. But not everything. Thou ran away from it... thou was not sent.”

Lilly hung her head in shame as Luna blurted the painful truth to her face.

“When thou weren’t a foal, our sister took thou, and thy sisters to the old castle. There she allowed you and your sisters to feel the elements.”

She nodded again in silence.

“Which ones responded to thou?”

“Honesty and kindness,” She said as she looked up at Luna once more.

The princess nodded. “Would it today?”

She rolled my eyes. “Of course not! They wouldn’t respond to anypony except the Bearers of the Elements themselves!”

Luna sighed, shaking her head. “Thou art right, They wouldn’t because they have found their bearers, but if not, would they glow for thou?”

She paused, uncertain. “I don’t know.” Lilly finally sighed. “Honesty maybe... but-”

Luna placed a wing over her back. “Tell me Motivation, how does thou solve this puzzle?”

She looked at the toy. “Well, the goal is to move the blocks over to the final peg, but I can’t put a larger block on top of a smaller one.”

Luna nodded. “Thou dost remember that correctly. But how would thou do that?”

She sighed once more, holding her gaze to the toy. “I’d have to be continuously moving blocks frontwards and backward till they are all where they are supposed to be.” She finally said.

Luna nodded. “Inspiration is the element of looking for possibilities, she helps them discover an ambition in life, then points them to it. Dedication is going towards that goal, without looking either to the left nor right. Motivation," She paused looking the younger mare in the eye, "is getting up every morning so thou can walk that road.”

She sighed and her ears pinned back. “Sometimes, we slip.”

“How dost thou learn Motivation?”

Lilly averted her gaze from the toy at last and looked at the princess, “by not allowing anything to be too hard. But Princess, Writing is Glitter’s gig! I’ve tried writing!”

“Thou write daily. Thou writest reports! Thou write letters to thy friends. Yeah, thou dost write, but not as thy sister writests. Glitter writes for fun. When she writes, she does it to give enjoyment to Equestria. When thou write, thou try to teach a lesson.”

“I look for the moral.”

Luna nodded once more. “Motivation, thou needest release. It is true that for the first time in thy life, thou feelest like thou belongs somewhere. Like thy life hast a purpose. Thou feels like thou art doing things, not because thy family expects it of you, but because thou wished it for thyself.”

“No, it’s my duty, and what I love.”

Luna smiled sadly, “There is but one public display of Unity in all of Equestria. One place, and that is the largest failure Unity hast ever known.”

“The time the first group failed to protect Equestria from Discord.” Lilly recited with ease, remembering clearly the story of it.

The princess nodded. “Thou art correct.”

I gaze towards that stained glass window in the distance. Without thinking, I start maneuvering the blocks. “Failure. Luna, for so long that’s all I felt. Beating Spitfire in that race, helping Kindness and Loyalty to discover themselves, all those foals I tutored in school... even teaching Breeze to talk... or raising Fluffy, none of it... none of it felt satisfying.”

Luna nodded as she held her gaze to the toy, watching the mare solve the simple puzzle. “Empty.”

“Without hope.” The next to the largest block was now on the middle peg.

“In that game, thou always comes to a point, where most of what thou art doing is walking backward. Moving the blocks back to the starting peg.”

Lilly nodded. “But then, you get where you finish, and the blocks are stacked neatly.”

The wise mare smiled. “Lilly.”

She looked up; The princesses only ever used my common name if it was important. “We want thou to write thy story. Not to be like thy sister, but to give closure to that time in thy life. Write it not for Inspiration's readers. Write it not for us. Write it for thyself. Thou hast spent most of thy life alone, isolated from thy sisters, isolating thyself from thy friends and family. Even now, thou hast a stallion, seeking thy approval. Every time he gets close thou run.”

“I’m not ready.” I defend myself.

“No, thou art not.”

“The memory of pain is sometimes worse than the pain itself.”

“The truth only get’s bigger with time,” Luna replied.

Lilly looked up at her, then back to the game. She was now sitting at that point Luna mentioned. Where to finish the game, you had to almost completely undo all of the work you had just completed to win. You have to go all the way back to where you started, moving all but the bottom block back to the starting peg so you could place the largest block on the final one.

She looked up at Luna. “I don’t know how I’m going to do this. I don’t have the time... nor do I wish to remember any of that... but I have one question.”

Luna smiled. “And that would be?”

“Where do I start?”

Author's Note

And we are off! I can't believe I wrote this nearly a year ago. I've kept it on a back burner due to other projects, but with the encouragement of some friends, I finally have it edited and out.

I'm going to try to publish frequently. But no guarantees. My life has gone to chaos at the moment so we will have to see how things work out.

Thank you Shadowwolf101 for proofreading this, and helping me turn it from 1st person, to third. Since in a years time I decide to instead of writing this story first person present tense, to third person past tense. If you guys catch any mistakes, please let me know in the comment section.

I hope you guys enjoy. This is my OC's story; I know I've been asked many times about her. But more than that, this is my interpretation of what happened to the 'Children of the Night' After Luna's banishment to the moon.

So stay tuned, and be sure to hit track so you can see updates.

Cowgirl Out