Chapters I continued trotting upon the damp, cracked pavement as tears galloped down my royal purple cheeks. My pale green eyes stood prominent on the ground, playing my game of Search-For-The-Next-Plant-In-Between-The-Cracks. I shivered slightly as my mind darted off to another planet.
BASH
I clutched my aching head, opening one emerald eye. As my blurry vision of tears returned to norm, I shrieked, noticing I had hit a carapace. A black, hard carapace.
The creature stared at me with insect-like eyes, it's translucent wing unfolded. It's gnarled, slender legs bent as it took a better view of me. It opened it's mouth, fangs bared, and let out an ear-piercing shriek. Slowly, I was a twisted, malicious grin. In response to the call of this... This creature of which i later identified as a changeling, a group followed the noise. They circled around me, and finally it hung it's jaw open, and a pink, shimmering 'gas' drifted out and entered it as it swallowed. Soon, all of them hissed and repeated.
Lullay, Dear Aurora,
My shining little star, You will brighten our tomorrow, just remember that. You may not possess a crown, nor the wings of an angelic alicorn, but you are most certainly the princess of my heart. Now rest now, Lullay. Lullay, Darling Aurora.
That was the same lullaby Princess Luna had sung to me five years before and every day since then. She had adopted me after discovering eye the darkness of her old and ruined castle. I still believe all this to be a dream, and I would wake up to being a homeless unicorn again. But now I had family, and love. No source of magic was anywhere near as powerful. Mother- Princess Luna- Oh forget it, Mother has explained to me I must stay in my chamber for most of my life. For if not, the ponies will identify me as her daughter, and due to some still disliking her due to her past experiences as Nightmare Moon... They would make me perish. Aunt Celestia has been thought to be too merciful to her sister. Ponies want Mother banished once again, but Aunt Celestia shan't ever let it happen. I haven't actually met Auntie Celestia, but Mother tells me she's the most perfect pony Anypony would ever meet. She's kind, forgiving, and protective. Mother cannot spend all day with me, so it does get slightly lonely here, but there Is one pony that knows of me.
Or should I say, one bird.
Philomena has taken a large liking to mother, she follows her everywhere. Apparently, Auntie is slightly jealous. Philomena learnt about me after she followed mother into the hidden chamber inside her own chambers.
Today was different than all the other days. I usually just read a book with Philomena hunching over me, but no. Today, I awoke within the stroke of Dawn. As I pushed the sheets off of my body, my eyes darted around frantically. For mother was not there to greet me. "Caught up in one of her royal duties, I suppose." I mumbled as I got up and levitated a toothbrush. Philomena flew and fell onto my back and stared at a parchment stuck to the wall. I walked closer, tears swelling up in my eyes as I learnt what it said.
EVICTION NOTICE
Dearest Aurora,
It is time for you to go and spread your wings. I am certain you know of the war spreading throughout Equestria, and we are vulnerable for attack at all times. For this reason I must sacrifice my little star for the sole reason of protecting her. Pack your bags, a Royal Night Guard named Vespere will assist you and care for you in my absence.
I love you and always will, my most precious constellation.
Luna
My heart sank, mother was leaving me. She didn't even end it with the words 'Mother'. She didn't love me anymore... I didn't know what I did. Maybe she felt bad, thrusting me underground with nopony noticing and making me hide for half a decade. I fell to the floor, my eyes closed. I couldn't believe my own mother had abandoned me. But she wasn't my mother, I knew it. So I was abandoned twice. I sighed, if only I had a better connection with Mo- Princess Luna. She wouldn't leave me then. There was three knocks, and a magical outburst through a small hole. Soon, a stallion dressed in Obsidian Armor and bat-like wings stared at me cheerily.
"Ready to go?"
"Not really." A blue aura enveloped my horn, and soon the objects I needed were packed inside.
"Where are we going?"
"Ponyville."
"Wait... We are leaving the chamber?"
"Well... Yes." I gave a gasp. I wasn't sure to be anxious or excited, for I has always dreamed of leaving the chamber and discovering the Equestria Princess Luna talked so much about. Even so, she had always told me stories of how they would capture and torture me if they knew and had the chance. Wearily, I trotted to the door. Vespere smiled encouragingly, nodding too. His grey coat was magnificent and elegant, his bright yellow eyes which were slit, like a dagger, and his black mane that tumbled through his helmet. Even though his looks were slightly intimidating, I felt kindness and warmth in himself, so I stepped forwards once more. Once he was close enough, he threw a leathery wing upon me, pushing me closer to the chamber exit.
Then I saw her.
The hero I had loved and admired for my whole lifetime, the tyrant who blinded all with her Sun and lies. The one who was separating my mother and I just because... The one I called my aunt. Princess Celestia's wings firmly stuck to her body, she looked down at me like I was a speck of dust compared to her. Celestia turned away from me, her slender and tall figure towering above all. She looked down at Vespere. Her horn ignited with a golden aura, and Vespere's eyes turned to a normal Pegasus', and his wings transformed to feathers. She placed her horn on his shoulders and smiled, "Thank you for your assistance with the guards. Your service will always be remembered, take care of little Aurora," My eye twitched at the mention of little, "and never show your true identity to anyone. The war against the bat ponies might cause them to go inhumane... They might destroy you. Understood?" He nodded. "Then go." I clenched my teeth as I spoke the words I had kept in my heart.
"You tyrant." I hissed.
"Did you say anything?" Vespere looked at me quietly.
"No..."
Vespere noticed my worried and quite frankly flabbergasted look, I guess that is why he explained all he knew.
"Princess Celestia learnt about Luna taking care of you, she panicked knowing they would remove her sister from the monarchy. They were trying as hard as they could to do so anyway, adding a foal to the problem would surely be nothing but trouble. That is why she sent Luna to make sure all the weaponry and blades were good enough to send to the wars against the Bat Ponies, Griffons and Dragons. Diamond Dogs too. I believe it was a distraction. The note left was not by Luna, but Celestia." By now my bottom jaw was lying on the floor. I could not handle it any longer and charged past him, only to find myself tripping over his tail. He caught me and dragged me backwards.
"Let me go! Let me go! Mother!" I cried sorrowfully, missing the warmth of her embrace. The scent that sticks by her as she enters the chamber. She was a perfect role model, and I longed so much to hear her lullaby. My horn was enveloped with a bright, pale green colour and a small book levitated towards my open hooves.
Vespere was quiet most of the trip on the chariot, and I was too. I watched as the Castle disappeared from my view, and another came. It was small, and most ponies hurriedly trotted to their destination. "I wonder where I'll be staying." I pondered, a grey hoof touching my body.
"Over there." He pointed to a regular, old fashioned but retro cottage, and thanked the guards great fully when landing for the ride. My stomach ached with pain, I wanted to turn and run. Vespere knew that, that was why he stood behind me. "Upstairs is your room. First door to your left." I nodded quietly and climbed the seemingly endless staircase, then through the seemingly endless corridor and finally left. As I thrusted the door open, a cloud of dust drifted swiftly around. I fell onto the bed sheets, already starting to fall asleep. It had been a long day of betrayal, I wanted nothing more than some rest.
My eyes opened, and I found myself in front of Princess Celestia. "Greetings, Aurora." She growled as her lilac eyes lay prominently on me.
"You." Was all I could spit out of my mouth.
"Yes. Me." She circled around me, not speaking. It looked as if she were examining me, until she finally broke the silence, "I'm sure your wondering how I got here in your dreams." She continued circling me. "How I was able to manipulate my sister's power to bring me here."
"I am."
"It's not what i will tell you. I'm here to tell you your a foal. You still are, and you're immature. You know close to nothing of my world... But your power could be an answer to the imbalance of our harmony. Therefore, you will be staying with Vespere and a teacher. I'll send them to you in the morning. Till then, Goodnight."
"Until tomorrow, Tyrant."
~~~
I threw myself off the bed and landed on my hooves. A tear strolled down my cheek, I wanted to be with mother more than ever. I had never felt so home sick I my entire life, and I levitated a book from the shelf. I thrusted the cover off and began to read. "Once upon a time, there was a pony who was more beautiful than any that had ever been. She was a princess, and all who saw her applauded her for her assistance to the realm. She had a sister, and she had done just as much assistance as her yet never received praise. Slowly, she turned bitter and evil, and threatened to never complete the most important royal duty she had. She was banished to the-" I paused, realising this book was called 'The History Of Celestia And Luna'
A steamy odour danced around my room as Vespere pulled open the door. "I cooked breakfast. Here." He handed me an apple pie, it's crust dry and crunchy, it's filling frosting-like and creamy. I couldn't help myself, I dunked myself in.
"Thanks. It was good."
"I know. I was taught by a royal cook. His apple pies were like a piece of heaven." I gave him a small grin, but quickly wiped it away. "You know, since we are going to be together for a while, we may as well get to know each other."
"Fine." I shrugged, as long as nothing else happened. He pulled out a silver, glowing leaf. "What's that?"
"A leaf off the Honesty Branch of the Harmony Tree. You can harness its powers and split it for me and you." A sudden gravitational increase made me collapse, but no sooner did I fall did I recover.
"Okay. So, How long have you been in that chamber?"
"Five years. My turn, How long have you been in Princess Luna's service?"
"10 years, I'm not going to return because I've retired. That's why I was picked to care for you. Who is your mother?"
"My mother is a mare named Rose Galaxy." I paused, I didn't know that myself. "Are you aware that you've betrayed Princess Luna."
"No. Who is your father?"
"Vespere Galaxy. Wha..what?" He stared at me in awe, even he didn't know. "No it's Ves... Is your last name-"
"Galaxy."
Luna paced up and down the corridor, she had returned to see her daugter's chamber door wide open and nopony in there. Her blue eyes filled with tears as she went through all the terrible and rather violent explanation to Aurora's absence.
She longed to hold her.
She longed to sing to her.
She longed to see her.
It was no different back in Ponyville, where her mother's image swiftly and gracefully danced in her mind, her lullaby playing in tune with her. I pulled closer to me my album, grinning. It reminded me of oh so much. The pictures were always in the same place, my old chamber. It began five years before, when mother found me, and ended to the current day. I shut the book and pushed it away from me, getting up and trotting to the window. There was a pink earth pony with what looked like a cannon behind her knocking on the door. As Vespere opened it, she pulled the trigger and a tonne of confetti poured down on the startled stallion, who slammed the door out of shock. I galloped down the stairs to see who it was, and was greeted with a squeal.
"HITheremynameisPinkiePiewelcomeToPonyvilleitssoverynicetomeetyouihopeyoulikeithereitssuperfriendlyandOhSugarcubeCorneristhebestokaynoponyhaseversaidotherwisesoitmustbeandisohrightandthisisApplbloomScootalooApplebloomohwaitialreadysaidApplebloomimeanSweetiebelletheyvereallywantedtomeetyouand-" she paused to breathe before fainting. Three yellow, orange and white fillies approached me, wearing a smile.
"Sorry about Pinkie Pie, she's just being Pinkie Pie. I'm Applebloom."
"Scootaloo."
"Sweetie belle."
"Aurora." I beamed.
"You don't have your Cutiemark? Great! You wanna join the Cutiemark Crusaders?"
"It's a group!"
"A club!"
"A... What they said!"
"Dedicated to earning our cutie marks!"
"Oh...okay?"
"Yay!" They laughed, pulling me by the hoof to their clubhouse.
The clubhouse was a wooden extension of a tree. I climbed up the stairs and was suddenly covered in a red garment. Looking closer, it had a blue patch with a pony rearing up on the area of the flank. "You are now a Cutiemark Crusader! We skipped the ceremony cause we have not got good writers!"
"Hey!" Scootaloo protested. They shrugged in response, and now that I had the title of a cmc I realised I had friends.
I realised Friendship was magic.
"Aurora, We are going to show you around and introduce you to ponies. Come on! First stop, my sister's boutique!" The dragged me by the hoof to the large shop. It's design just screamed 'Fashion', and the words 'The Carousel Boutique' was imprinted on the door. As they thrusted me inside the wide entrance, a mare called out from upstairs. "Coming! Welcome to The Carousel Boutique, where everything is chic, sleek, and magnifique!" A white unicorn pranced in, her purple curls resting in her hoof as she puffed if up. "Hello, Miss Aurora!"
"How do you know my name?" I asked her curiously.
"Sweetie belle yelled it out as you entered, remember?"
"Oh. I'm new here and they wanted me to meet you."
"I see! You can assist me in my latest creation, I love your mane by the way!" I smiled, I had really liked my rainbow mane, with its colours and curls. It was my favourite thing I had. "The only pony I know with that is Princess Celestia and Rainbow Dash." My eye twitched at the mention of my aunt.
"Dye it." I quickly squealed.
"Pardon?"
"Please, Miss Rarity, Dye it a different colour." Rarity looked taken aback, and nodded slightly.
"Oh... Alright, I take it I must decide the colour?" I shook my head.
"Brown."
"Wha...what? Brown is simply a very boring colour darling, you must be joking!" She looked at my dim eyes and sighed. "Fine."
~~~
My eyes opened, and I saw my mane no longer had the colour I loved, but a chocolate brown that melted to orange as it tumbled down from a black ribbon that wrapped around my head. It was carefully and tidily placed in a braid, and my side fringe never lost it's curl. I sighed, this wasn't me. Noticing I was in a dark chocolate brown dress myself, I looked around for Rarity. Sure enough, she was there, smiling at my reaction. "Well, Aurora, I was wrong, you look wonderful. It is strange, your fur changed colour to match the colour mane I made you." I looked at my now light brown coat, and nodded.
"Magic." I smiled. The Cutiemark Crusaders huddled in the corner, debating why I had done it. I debated it to myself too, concluding it with a I didn't want to have the same anything as Celestia. I hated that foal...
Returning home, you can imagine Vespere's reaction to a differently coloured daughter of his. Not good. "Aurora..."
"Do you like it?"
"Uh... Why?"
"Because Celestia's mane looked similar to my old one."
"Don't say that against the princess, Aurora. I was a guard."
"Luna's guard! You betrayed her, your a traitor, you know that."
"Define Traitor for me!"
"Vespere Galaxy is the definition of Traitor!"
"Go to your room! Right now!" He snapped, throwing his hoof onto the floor. I rolled my eyes and entered my room.
Staring at the mirror, I sighed. My horn illuminated with pale green, blue and lilac until all the colours melted off my body and into a large puddle of brown. My royal purple coat returned, with my curly mane falling from a black ribbon with I tugged off. I was back to being me.
~~~
I wrapped myself with the blankets, my eyes closing. The moon's glow poured through my window and into my room. No matter how much i tossed and turned, I just couldn't fall asleep. I walked to the window, sighing as I caught sight of the crescent moon. I lifted my hoof, trying to reach for it. "I miss you, mama." I whispered. I felt something drape over me, something feathered. I turned, hoping for mother to be standing there, her tall alicorn figure smiling back at me, but Vespere was all there was.
"I see you've turned back to normal."
"I guess."
The next morning, I was exhausted but awaken by Sweetiebelle, Applebloom and Scootaloo's calls from my window. I replied to them, pulling my mane into a ponytail as I teleported from my room to in front of the three fillies. They smiled blissfully at me, before pushing me to a large field.
"Ah swear to you, Aurora, Sweet Apple Acres has the best darn apple y'all would have ever tasted! Right, y'all?"
"You betcha, Applebloom!" An unfamiliar voice sung out from behind us, and an orange mare with a cowgirl hat lay on her blonde mane. "Ah'm Applejack! We sure like making new friends, Aurora!" She beamed.
"Heh, I don't doubt it but could I please have my hoof back?" She let go off my hoof, and gave a 'squee'.
"Why don't you have a taste?" She bucked a large tree, and red, juicy apples poured from the sky. I reared up, watching the tumble down. My horn turned lilac, blue and pale green as I caught one in a sphere of magic, pulling it towards me for 'taste inspection'. "You're mighty good in magic for such a lil' filly! I bet you'll become an important talent like Twilight Sparkle. You haven't met 'er?"
"No."
"Then why don't we all go to her castle later? She sure does need company, you should'ah seen what she was doing after Spike left for the Crystal Fair of The Crystal Empire."
"Castle? She is an Alicorn Princess?"
"Yeah." Scootaloo buzzed her wings as much as she could, staring at the bird's in the apple tree. "I sure wish I could fly..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
"Hey! She could help us! She is a crusader too. Scoots can't fly, we don't know why."
"We were wondering if you could use a spell to help teach her."
"I could make one up... Wait a second, I just thought of one! Stand in front of me!" Scootaloo darted in front of me, and as soon as i started the new spell, a magical circle appeared on the floor. My mane blew with an unnoticeable breeze forged from magic, stars began to appear inside it, and it started risting. My eyes were now a bright white, glowing blindingly. My horn ignited what looked like a firework, and suddenly, Scootaloo's orange wings began to flap. She felt energy danced through her wings while it fell and lifted, her very muscles strengthened with the magical boost. As I finished my complicated spell, I collapsed on the floor, my breathing slowly turning into soft gasps for air. My heartbeat turned from a heavy bang to a pat. My eyelids snapped shut, and yet hardly any noticed.
"I'm flying! Look, girls! I... Aurora? Aurora!" Scootaloo landed gracefully before sprinting towards her friend. "Applejack! Applejack, help us!" The orange mare leaped to action, thrusting me onto her back and galloping as fast as she could to get to Princess Twilight Sparkle. What if she didn't know what to do? Applejack's mind kept switching to worries, and her heart sunk with fear.
"Hang in there, Aurora..."
The darkened paths were not helpful in allowing them to identify which direction they needed to take and which they shouldn't. Applejack's bright green eyes frantically darted to the left and right, praying to finally find the castle of her young friend, Twilight Sparkle. Then again, it is hard to miss a tonne of crystal shaped into a crystallised tree-castle. When the castle was at last in sight, Applejack turned to make sure I was still balanced on her back before allowing herself to knock the castle doors.
"Just a minute!" A sing-song voice danced out.
"No, Twilight, not a minute! Now!" Snapped the worried Applejack, whom continued to constantly bash her hoof onto the door. Finally, the lavender alicorn threw the door open, and when she noticed that there was a unicorn on her friend's back, one that looked dead, she immediately levitated me into her bedroom, placing me gently on the sheets.
"How did this happen?"
"It's a long story... But I can shorten it to this." Scootaloo flew around the room, feeling the air she forged blow her mane.
"She made up a spell that would give a little bit of her magic to Scoots, a magical boost, I guess. I think that she didn't realise that being a filly, that would take up all her magic. Reading on a book, it said that magic is the life force of a unicorn... So I guess... I g-guess..." Sweetiebelle croaked, trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"But she's mighty strong, Twilight! Ah've never seen anything like it. She made a kinda' shiny glowing circle appear around her when doing this spell, there was some kinda force that pulled most of us down while she was doin' her spell..."
"Impossible! It took me a decade to be able to master such complicated Sphere Spells. Even then, I haven't mastered it. How can a six year old filly be able to do that?"
"It's mystery to me too." A beautiful mare strode in, her rainbow mane swiftly flowing. "But I know who she is. Her name is Aurora Andromeda Galaxy. She was found abandoned by my sister, Luna, of whom adopted her and raised her under her wing for five years. Princess Luna kept the filly, her, in a hidden chamber for all this time and stripped her of the ability to leave. As you know, many republicans have been against my sister for half a decade, trying to get her off the monarchy because of your actions and deeds as Nightmare Moon, a foal added isn't a good idea. Therefore, I freed her and placed her under the care of a bat pony guard, Vespere, who is undercover as a Pegasus." She continued until all had been said, and each pony had tears in their eyes.
"Okay... I'll see what I can do, but I think we should take her to a more advanced hospital... And under the care of Celestia. I don't think the hospitals here have magic to donate, so..."
"Alright, Twilight. I'll take her with me now." She spread her wings and flew through the window and into the bright, sparkling night, myself still unconscious, half dead, in a sphere of golden light.
I awoke with a shriek, noticing Celestia staring at me with immense curiosity. "Good, your alive." She stood up, and allowed herself to walk into the nurse' office, who reluctantly cantered out.
"Thank Celestia!" Tender heart squealed happily, having achieved a new task. She had never been asked to find Somepony willing to donate magic, let alone save a unicorn with hardly any life inside her soul.
"Somepony's been anxiously awaiting your return to us, for three long years."
Wait... What?
"T-three y-years?" I muttered.
"You've been in a coma for three years, Aurora." A dark, shivering bat pony thrusted themselves in, immediately embracing me and hugging me.
"Vespere? Who are they?" A snow- white unicorn stepped out from behind Vespere, next to her a orange and beside her a yellow.
"Aurora! Y'all missed so much! Look, Ah' got ma Cutiemark, ah' got it!" The yellow one showed me the red apple with a painting brush on her flank, grinning.
"Me too! Me too!" The white one's was a musical note decorated with flowers.
"Me three!" The orange's was a scooter with wings.
"It's true! The Cutiemark crusaders are now retired... Almost."
The Cutiemark Crusaders... That sounds familiar-
"Sweetiebelle! Applebloom! Scootaloo! You all look so different!" I smiled, looking at AB's red, braided mane and Sweetie's long curled hair. Scoots was in a ponytail, and they were all taller. I took a moment to examine myself, tall, thin (thinner than most unicorns, seems like I hadn't eaten in three years) and had my rainbow coloured mane. I was rather pale under my royal-pinkish purple fur, and my flank was still blank. I sighed, before turning to my friends. "What's your special talents?"
"Singing!"
"Painting, Building and Apple bucking!"
"Scooters and Flight!"
"Flight? You can fly now?"
"Thanks to you! Remember the spell that made you fall? It worked!"
"You mean..."
"You sacrificed your life for a friend." Celestia nodded elegantly, smiling.
"We made you your CMC cape! It's a little small because I made it three years ago..." Sweetie grinned, but clearly was embarrassed for not being able to find the time to make it, but still hid it with a mask of happiness.
"Hello, Aurora Galaxy." A lavender alicorn smiled at me as she entered, and I gasped.
"H-hello Princess Twilight..."
"You've met two princesses, why so shocked?"
"I'm not shocked at the fact I'm meeting a princess... I'm shocked at that!" I pointed at the familiar, dark object when I remembered something.
It was a crown.