An Alicorn by Any Other Name

by Silver Thread

Rating: teen
Tags: Discord, Slice of Life, Dark, Sad, Changelings, Original Character
Length: 5551

An adept magic student hopes to achieve the ascension she was denied through other means.

In the days of Harmony, a unicorn student by the name of Firefly excels in her classes. But when the ultimate test comes, Harmony turns away. Denied her life's hope of ascension to Alicornhood, she seeks an alternate path to reach that which she does not deserve.

---

Added tags for Sad and Dark because I'm not sure exactly how this will turn out yet, and I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Published 2015-06-30 18:30:01 UTC
Last updated 2015-08-12 13:18:47 UTC

Harmony's Blessing

"You must be so excited!"

Firefly turned her head to her colleague, nodding with a smile. She didn't even have to fake the smile this time, she really was happy that her time had come. Lady Stratus had finally sent word that she would be permitted a trial before the Elements. Her entire life's calling-...

"So whatcha think is gonna happen?" her thought process was cut off by Cherry Springs, and Firefly grumbled in her head.

"What do you think?" Cherry was non-stop. The only reason she kept her around was because Friendship was literally a requirement at the University of Magic, even with her tutor being Lady Stratus. She didn't understand why, nor did she care, but she made sure not to gain the ire of her teachers and peers by avoiding everypony.

"I dunno! I'm not even sure if I'll get called up anymore, what with my Cutie Mark and all." Cherry Springs looked back at her mark, a fountain filled with red water. She had discovered her talent not long ago when trying to use water with healing magic. Her red aura infused itself into the water, and remained even after she let go. Upon further testing, the water appeared to be drinkable, and quite tasty. It took a bit to realize this magical water worked as a catalyst with healing magic, speeding up the process of healing in the ponies. She was so surprised and happy to be able to help other ponies, that when her mark appeared with a flash, she barely noticed.

Ignoring her "friend"'s frustrating outburst, she said, "I'll be one of Harmony's Blessed before the end of the day." Firefly was incapable of shaking the smug smile from her face. She was certain that her talent was immense, and would show only reveal itself before the Greatness that was the Elements.

Cherry continued on talking, but about what, Firefly was blissfully unaware. All that mattered to her was the coming afternoon, and the test that would change her life.

For better or worse.

As Firefly ascended the marbled stairs to the Seat of Harmony, she briefly took the time to marvel in its beauty. It was said that each temple was build the same, carefully crafted by all three pony tribes, to house the Elements when they arrived. The marbled stairs met with a gleaming crystal floor, reminiscent of Faust's Willow. The blinding glare of it appeared to turn Firefly's orange coat a rich gold. She shook her head to move some of her hair before her electric yellow eyes, the charcoal of doing well to block the light. The yellow streaks, however, did her no such favors.

Upon reaching the top, a familiar sight awaited her. Hiding within the gleam of the crystal was Lady Stratus, looking down with waiting eyes upon her pupil. No words needed be spoken; Firefly took up pace behind the sky blue mare, curling tail and mane wafting as though no different than the clouds themselves. She was tall, and the most graceful pony she'd ever seen, even for an alicorn. Her steps were light and practiced, barely making a sound on the crystalline hallway before them.

After what seemed like forever, they arrived. Before them, six gemstones encircled a pillar of light. She knew this light for what it really was --- Harmony in its purest form. Spectral colors bled from the pillar and danced on the surfaces of the gemstones, which seemed to create a lightshow all of their own.

"Harmony, you are with all of us, and you grace us with your presence each and every day

We begin with you and end with you, and keep the dark at bay

And now, I humbly request you look into the heart of this mare, who has toiled endlessly under our tutelage in Harmony's teachings, and reveal what part she is to play in the future to come."

Lady Stratus' voice was light, and yet deep, and dark. She spoke as all Children of Harmony did, with a gentle touch. Still, her voice thundered deep as a storm cloud, reverberating throughout the room.

Once she had finished her short speech, the traditional words spoken and request made, there was silence. A few moments later, the Elements began to move. Slowly at first, but soon, they were hard to keep track of. Aware of what was happening, Lady Stratus nodded towards Firefly to come up, to accept Harmony's gift.

Few knew what to expect up here. It was rare the Elements chose to rest here, and rarer still for a pony to reach the point where they would gain an audience with them. It was said, though, that the Elements knew all, could peer into a pony's soul and reveal things they themselves didn't know. Lady Stratus was one of them, so very long ago.

The Elements blended into each other as they reached an incomprehensible speed, causing Firefly to barely hesitate. She knew she was destined for greatness, for power. She simply had to touch the Elements, and all would be known.

With a trembling hoof, she slowly reached for the Elements. They seemed almost as one now, the light they encircled now blinding. She closed her eyes, and felt herself touch something...

And time stopped.

...

...

...

And then, the Elements stopped. Abruptly. Their glow faded, Harmony darkening considerably. A pulse came, making Firefly stumble, nearly falling to the ground. Another pulse, this time she wasn't as lucky. Pulse after pulse, like a heartbeat. After a time, far too long in her opinion...they simply stopped. They returned to their stagnant position, and regained their glow.

Firefly stood up, blinking lethargically. Eventually she got a hold on herself, and began to feel...nothing. She felt nothing. It was as though any happiness she had was stripped away, replaced by this sense of foreboding. She turned back to Stratus, who had a look upon her face that almost seemed...betrayed?

Before she could question it, Lady Stratus turned, and began to walk away.

"Wait!!" She shouted, her voice wavering, confusion covering her features.

The alicorn stopped. But only for a moment.

Only to say, "You are no longer my Student. I'm...sorry." Her hoofsteps were soft, and broken, as she made her way to the edge and down the steps. Firefly was frozen in place, her mind trying to grasp something, anything, to make sense of what just happened.

It grasped but a few slivers, from a voice that she did not recognize...

"...heart...locked...

hunger...power to betray...never...love.

...threat...undoing..."

She realized it was whispers of Harmony. She could barely hear it, it was so faint...but she knew.

Harmony had betrayed her. Lady Stratus had turned on her. She was alone now, her goal shattered and bleeding, ice under the sun. But she knew, somewhere deep inside of her, in her Heart, that she would find a way to regain her destiny.

No matter what she had to do.

A Vacant Heart

A nervous knocking came upon the door of the ramshackle house. Cherry Springs stood outside the door, eyes taking in the decrepit nature of the wood the house was built of. Steeling herself, she knocked again --- this time louder.

"Firey...Firefly, are you there?" the unicorn hesitantly asked. In the past, intruding upon the mare was nearly a death wish. A mere inquiry would generally earn her ire for an entire day. Cherry knew better than to think little of that fact.

Still, her worry persisted, goading her into continuing with her mission, "Firefly, I know you're in here, your neighbor said--"

"GO AWAY." The voice shook Cherry from hoof to ear, and made her eyes widen with worry.

"Firefly, what's wr-"

"I said...GO. AWAY.**" The voice belted, enunciating the two words, as though her point was not made clear enough. And yet...

"Firefly, PLEASE!!! Everypony's worried about you, we haven't seen you in a week!!! I just..." She trailed off, unsure of what else to add. She was worried, of course. Who wouldn't worry when their perfect attendance friend suddenly stopped showing up to school? Sure, she had the thing with the Harmo--wait.

"Did...something happen with the--"

***CRASH***

Shattered porcelain sounded against the door, and Cherry, regretfully, backed away. Something DID happen...

As worried as she was for her friend, she knew better than to risk her life. And if this was about what she thought it was...then her livelihood being at stake was not that far off.

A burnt orange mare sat at the other end of the pathetic attempt at a house. Her eyes watered, sobs escaping her more often than simple breaths. The darkness of the room, window blinds changing the bright day to the dreariest dead of twilight, hid Firefly from the disgusting light, that thing that oh-so represented Harmony.

Hooves shook and rattled dust from her sides. Hunger pangs echoed in the house from time to time, the only sound other than sobs to escape Firefly. The occasional walk to the bathroom had come less and less often as the mare refused the basic necessities of life. They weren't important right now.

Though they would be, when the tears dried out.

Lady Stratus looked over the letters her students had written for her over the course of the past week. It was both permitted, and encouraged, for the young unicorns to ask the Ascended One questions they did not know the answers to. Some were simple, solely asking about a spell, or about Lady Stratus' beloved Sky. Others, however, demanded her think more deeply; questions about fate, about life; about the choices one must make and how to make the best of one's destiny.

She was so engrossed in one particular letter from one such student that she didn't hear the door to her Quarters open.

As a lanky figure made its way, weakly, towards the Lady, no one batted an eye. There was no one there but the Lady, after all. Harmony's teachings were great, and their protection of those they gifted was not something to take lightly. Even if a foolish pony did stray from Harmony's Light, the teacher could fend for herself, no matter what the opponent. Or who.

Eventually, however, the subtle footsteps upon the marble floor caused Lady Stratus to perk her ears, eventually followed by her eyes. The sight she met sent a chill through her.

Gone was the tidy student she had once known, and in its place walked a pony she could scarcely recognize. Long, unruly, matted hair hung down over Firefly's face, curls tangling around the base of her horn. Her tail was not much better, dragging upon the ground, dull as coal, the electric streaks almost unrecognizable amongst the mess of snarls. Where once was her healthy body, now held a malnourished, skeletal figure, peaking out from past the muscles. Her eyes, however...her eyes were still as shocking as ever, the neon green piercing Lady Stratus through.

Unable to speak, the Lady stared down upon her former student in complete and utter shock. It had been a week and a half now, since the incident occurred before Harmony, and it had seemed that Firefly had given up on the school for good. Now...now, she questioned if the mare was here to beg for her teacher back. Not that it could be done, but...

"You."

The dark tone reverberated off the walls, giving the figure power in her booming voice. Again, she spoke, "You did this. You...You RUINED EVERYTHING!!!" Stratus could feel her mane stand on end. How a mere mortal could scare her, she didn't understand. But scare her she did. Her voice locked in her throat, eyes never leaving the mare, her expression a practiced neutral.

A flash of magic seemed to flutter across the young mare's eyes, and her horn lit with a luminescent yellow glow. Another pony may have feared this as her readying an attack, but Stratus knew of her student's technique to drain off excess magical energy, to prevent backlash. Still, the sight intimidated her. Firefly looked strained, hurt, and betrayed. Stratus felt her heart just barely leap towards the hope that, maybe, the mare just needed to yell. That she would cry, and beg for forgiveness, and all would be well again...

It was hope in vain, as the orange mare raised her eyes. There was no Light in them.

"All..my life...I waited, I TRAINED to be an Ascended, and you RUINED IT!!! The Elements...those pathetic TOYS," she spat, magic sparking from her horn as though to threaten the mere idea of the Elements, "they...they STOLE my LIFE from me...YOU STOLE my LIFE from me..."

Her breathing was frantic, as she looked from side to side, as though recalling some lost thought, before bellowing deeply, "YOU WILL REMEMBER ME, Teacher...and one day, when you see me again, you will fall to your knees...and beg for me to let you come back. This...I promise."

The ambient magical energy around Firefly seemed to pulse, and with nothing more than a flick of her horn...she vanished.

Leaving the alicorn mare to simply stare in shock at the empty, charred marble where her student once stood, and recall these words of Harmony...

"Her heart is locked, and her hunger is vast. She would use our power to betray her own kind...the darkness in her will never allow her to love. We shall spare her, but only because she is no threat without power. Do not train her anymore, for it will be your undoing. Blessed Child, Harmony Protects You."

The Discorded Garden

Years ago...

It was a bright, sunny morning; the noon-time sun grasping desperately forward to its peak. It was on this very day that Lady Stratus had brought her prized student, Firefly, to the Time-locked Thicket.

Before them lie a vast, yet tame, woodland. Clear paths ran through the trees, pony-made and preened for visitors. However, the only visitors that they normally got were Royalty, and their chosen companions. Today was no exception.

As the Lady began to walk down a fairly straight-forward path, Firefly followed in kind. Her eyes wandered between the trees. They all seemed...so perfect. Their leaves shone brightly in the sun, and not an imperfection marred their bark. The wind had no influence here, and even the grass unbent under her hooves. It was unnatural, and the young mare found herself wanting nothing more than to rip free a blade of grass and watch it wither. However, she knew this was impossible.

"I know this may be a bit...unsettling, for you, but there is a purpose for this place," Lady Stratus spoke in an understanding tone, "For what you will see here should never be permitted the freedom of time."

Firefly looked up at her regal mentor with curiosity brimming in her eyes, but she knew better than to inquire further. It was her constant questioning that had urged the Lady to bring her here, to somewhere so nearly forbidden it was almost unheard of. But Firefly, she'd found out about it, through diligent research, and inquired further. Hopefully, she would soon understand what was so special about a forest upon which time had no effect.

After a long time walking, along with occasional flights from her mentor over a river and a gap in the land, they came to the center of the thicket. Before them lay a glade, every perfect blade of grass glinting with the tiring afternoon sun. And among those perfect blades, rose the most imperfect of plants.

It was haphazard, and that was to put it lightly. Large and small plants, the occasional tree, some flowers never before seen by ponykind, and some other objects of questionable nature lay before her. Few of the plants looked like plants, but this was a garden, she knew...so they had to be. Had to.

"Welcome to the Discorded Garden, my dear student."

A time had passed, the sun slowly falling towards the horizon as the pair wandered amidst the strange plants. Each one piqued Firefly's curiosity, and begot a response from her older, wiser mentor.

The Gardens were old, as old as the Elements themselves, some said. Each "plant" was actually a manifestation of the chaotic being imprisoned here. It was said this being was akin to a God, which stunned the young mare. How could a God be held captive in a mere garden? She did not have to do more than speak her question aloud before Lady Stratus began to tell her a story.

"Long ago, the Elements were but the simple fruits of the Willow. Though they held great power, few considered the tree of any worth outside of its great beauty. Many ate the fruits of the Great Willow, but few understood its importance. Over time, the ponies, ever-warring between one another for land and prosperity, began to taint the great tree.

The tree, however, was wise, and knew of the taint, and took action to prevent it. It hardened its blessed fruits, sealing their power inside. No longer were travelers able to eat the gifts of the Willow, and though its beauty was great, fewer ponies came to visit as time went on. The warring, however, continued. High above the Willow, in an empty glade, the Chaotic taint began to emerge from the ground. Tendrils twisted, vines lengthened, and strange creatures took form in the mangled branches of the plants that grew there.

The Great Willow knew the danger above it, and let its roots spread, reaching out over the entirety of the forest in which it dwelt. The ponies, however, took no notice of the coming threat, and continued to kill one another for petty reasons, theft and chaos spreading amongst them. The Chaotic taint gripped tighter to the land above the Willow, and a consciousness formed. It took the name of Discord, and with each passing day, it grew stronger.

A wise Unicorn, by the name of Faust, had heard of the strange occurrences in the forest, and had decided to see it for herself. The Chaos of the world was breaking her, and she could not stand to be around those who wanted nothing but pain in others. A long trek before her, she set out to see the Great Willow.

As she arrived, the land appeared dark and broken, directly above the area she knew held the tree. Fearful, she ran down the pony-made path to the Willow, and her eyes widened. The tree pulsated, its fruits vibrating, as dark tendrils of shadow seemed to trace the outline of the line emitted by the ancient tree. Without questioning why, Faust found herself moving towards the Willow, her steps carefully dodging the shadow running like a stream below her.

It was then, upon reaching the tree, that it spoke to her. It said, 'You, of kind and ardent heart. Sincere of intention and charitable love. Your heart wants nothing but joy, and the Spark within you grows with each passing day. Help me, for I cannot help my children without their help as well.'

Taken aback by the crystalline words that tingled through her, Faust could only stare upon the Great Willow as its fruits began to part from its branches, coming to encircle her. Each new fruit filled with with a profound sense of meaning, and once the fifth and final one appeared around her, Faust's eyes began to glow as bright as the Great Willow itself. Her magic sparked, and from her horn, a sixth fruit grew. It encompassed the five others, a perfect, harmonic fusion.

The tree spoke once more, 'These are the Elements of Peace and Harmony. But, without the Magic of my children's Friendship, they are nothing.  May you use them to bring peace to this forest, so tainted by Discord and Chaos, and may you bring their gifts to the World.'"

Lady Stratus looked silently upon a strange, eclectic tree. Her story did not seemed finished, and Firefly grew impatient as the minutes passed.

Firefly spoke up, "So what happened to Faust?"

"Patience, young one. I was simply recalling the day the Elements first spoke to me..." her voice was distant, eyes glazed, and then she looked up.

"Faust, having been given a task by the Willow, set forth to stop the Chaos tainting the land. Wherever she stepped, the land grew lighter, but eventually succumbed to chaos again. She contemplated, and realized that Chaos was not something one could get rid of, only tame. With that in mind, she focused her mind upon the entirety of the tainted land, and thought of the one thing that could stop the spread. Her horn glowed a spectrum of colors as it unleashed a wave of energy over the land, chaotic winds calming in an instant.

As the glow faded, she opened her eyes. The land before her was as it had been, but for the strange plants of Discord. All was frozen in time, not to spread, but always to remain. The Elements swirled around the mare, and she disappeared...only to re-appear with a set of wings, as the first Gifted of Harmony. She would take her gift, as the first Alicorn, and spread it amongst the people. Though some continued warring, most began to accept the Teachings of Harmony. It is because of her that we live as we do today. And Faust's Willow remains a sacred place to our ponies to this day."

Her story ended, the graceful skyborne mare continued to wander between the plants, looking upon each with a delicate eye, observing for the ever-looming threat of change.

Firefly, however, was deep in thought. She was wise beyond her years, almost frighteningly so --- and she had realized the little things that her teacher and mentor would never tell her. And so, she waited. Waited, until her mentor had moved to the other end of the chaotic orchard, as the little glow bugs began their mating dance above the trees. For though the plant-life was frozen in time, still the fauna of Equus roamed free.

She looked up. A single glowing beacon, flickering in and out of existence, made its slow descent into the gardens. Something inside of Firefly...tingled. Urged on by the feeling, she moved betwixt the bushes and plants each time she saw the glow return. Eventually, it settled...upon one of the, admittedly strangest, plants within the garden. A horned rose, vined up the length of a nearly plant, its single bloom a wilted color, but so full of life. The insect upon it began to move, driving Firefly to investigate what could be so intriguing about this plant. And lo and behold, a single, flightless glow bug lay within the petals.

The blossom shifted. It was slight; so slight that it would never be noticed in a standard garden. But in an unmoving orchard, it stood out, and Firefly stepped closer. Her voice seemed to leave her throat as though compelled.

"Discord..." voice frail, she almost lost her courage, but she forced herself to continue, "I know you are still there. I know you are not evil..."

Her voiced wavered, and she took a moment to recall a conversation she had with her mentor some time ago.

'Harmony without chaos is the night sky with no moon,' spoke the alicorn.

'But would not it be the sky without clouds, as chaos is dark and harmony is light?'

'No, my little one,' the elegant voice spoke, 'For there can be no light without darkness, nor darkness without light. Each relies upon the other, lest the world be left in a darkness none can e'er escape. No matter which power reigns, it is always that the lesser one is the moon that watches over and prevents eternal darkness. Chaos is not evil; it is but the only thing that balances the world, lest Harmony deprive us of all that makes us who we are. For Harmony may lead our lives, but Chaos is free will, and borne us. Do not forget this, little one.'

"Discord, I seek your blessing... So many forget...that without you, we wouldn't be free. We wouldn't be...us. I promise...I'll never forget. Though Harmony guides us, you keep us in check, and you give us our freedom. I ask you...f-for your blessing, great God. And I promise, I will never forget you, and will keep you alive beyond this Garden. It may be sacrilege, but...I-I don't believe even chaos should be forgotten. For you made us...made me...and who would I be, without you?"

Her voice shocked her. She never thought she would renounce Harmony, even if she wasn't, in truth. But, to ask for the blessing of a God...what...what could be so wrong in that? Not even her mentor spoke to Discord. He must be so alone. And if something ever happened...he'd...be forgotten forever.

No one deserves to be forgotten...

Right you are, my dear.

Firefly lept backwards, before cursing under her breath, looking around. Her mentor was still inspecting the gardens, off in a distant corner, no doubt. Looking forward, she squinted, the sunlight having nearly faded, and the twilight invading the time-lost sanctum. A little glow bug...a  firefly, she knew from her name-sake, hovered before her. She took some steps back, before it perched upon the tip of her muzzle, and she heard the voice again.

You mortals are so...fleeting. And I have so little time. Little filly, do you mean what you said? Will you remember me, and spread my gift, despite my prison leaving me forgotten in this...wretched, broken forest I have been cursed to spend eternity in?

Stilling her nerves, she crossed her eyes and looked upon the strange little bug, who had been moving as the voice she heard spoke within her mind. She could barely force herself to nod, but that was enough.

The little bug raised its front legs like arms, Oh, magnificent! Oh, little filly, you will not regret this gift you have given me, nor the gift I shall now give you. The meddling alicorn is nearing me, so I must be quick. You have my blessing, filly Firefly. And this is all I ask of you: Don't forget who you are. You are a light in the darkness, the moon in the sky, the Firefly that lights the still twilight and gathers all eyes. You are a leader of people, a Queen amongst peasants. This is your destiny...but if anyone asks, make something up, alright? Silly ponies and their cutie mark games, it sickens me...oh! That must be her, your...'mentor' awaits. Do not forget, little one!

The firefly knelt and kissed her muzzle, and she felt the tingle again, electric through her body. Just as the sky blue alicorn came into view, a spark flashed, and upon the little filly's flank lay a Firefly. Its features were undefined, not but wings around a circular glow...but it almost seemed to shine in the night. Like a little, winged moon.

Pride swelled in the alicorn's chest, as she walked up and crossed necks with the little filly. She looked curiously at her student, nodding her head to her flank, and the filly simply smiled, and said, "I watched the glow bugs fly and meditated on the story you told me...and it reminded me that though I am small, I am not unimportant. I will be a light in the darkness for everyone around me. Everyone will watch me, and I will spread hope..."

She almost stumbled on her next words, but instead silenced herself. It was enough. Her mentor was proud of her, her wing spread over the young filly, as they made their way to the path out of the thicket.

All the while, little Firefly thought of the words of the God, who had spoken to her, of all ponies, for the first time in ages. Pride engulfed her as she trotted beside Lady Stratus, her steps nearly as regal as the alicorn herself. For she knew her destiny now, and all she had to do was reach it.

A light in the darkness, the Chaos that makes Harmony shine brighter...none could ever know, and none would understand. But now, she walked with purpose.

May Chaos give us life, and Harmony guide our ways.

One Little Filly

It all had to start with a Pegasus pony.

Not just any Pegasus pony; no, it had to be one in the prime of its life...and one that would not be missed.

Jelly Float fit the bill.

Firefly hid in plain sight. That didn't mean anyone knew who she was. Today, she was a pale, minty green unicorn with an apricot mane, and a feather and quill for her cutie mark. If anyone asked her, (and trust me, no one would dare talk to her), she was Lily Life, a reporter. And that was all that needed to be said about her.

On the other hand, Jelly Float was almost unnoticeable, fading into the back of the crowd with her dull grape coat, and foamy lilac mane. Her mane and tail were both frazzled, hooves worn and cracked. Subtle, dark blue eyes peered forward, wings shuffling at her side. And within her right wing was held a pack of all her belongings. She had a certain sadness to her that only Firefly could sense.

This one would not be missed.

Nor would she miss this life.

On a worn bed in the basement apartment that Firefly had come to call her own, a young mare lay still as death. She was sleeping, but it was sleep devoid of the magics of dreams, of nightmares. No, all that was allowed to move within her was her Pegasus magic --- the only magic Firefly had yet to understand.

All ponies had magic, that much was obvious. However, the type of magic was the key to the different races. To each other, they were a vile poison, and in the youngest stages of its life, a filly's body would wage war with itself if foreign magic was present. This weakened the magic somewhat --- hence why pure blood was often coveted, in the darker corners of the world.

Firefly had outdone herself. The purple mare before her was a prime specimen of a Pegasus. What caused this young mare to run away, to come attend the Chalice Festival, was of no concern to her. What was important, was learning this foreign magic...learning how to control it, how to accept it.

Without Harmony's guidance.

She sneered, events many months past still fresh in her mind. It haunted her every day, and tried to break her each night. Still, she persevered.

The nightmares weakened.

In their place, the strangest of dreams had begun.

It was in such a dream that Firefly had come across the glow bug again, but this time, it had a much more recognizable face. Two yellow eyes gleamed on the empty horizon, slivers of scarlet piercing through the dreaming mare. The little fly beckoned her to come, and she did.

Each night, the dream lasted a little longer. A few seconds, a few minutes. Eventually she could enter the dream directly upon sleeping, and would go to sleep simply to meet with her new Mentor. From him, she was learning a strange new magic. His voice, nothing but whispers in the strange dream world, told her that she could never truly master his form of magic, but could, instead, create her own. A magic that defied the others, with different rules and peculiar results.

When in the dream, she could practice until her eyes blinked open. Upon waking, she would find herself no worse for wear.

Upon trying that magic in the waking world, she found herself lethargic, and weak. Strangely, company seemed to help.

"You are tapping into Entropy itself; who knows the source of your magic? Best not to question it and go with it," the little fly with yellow eyes said to her in a dream.

And so she did not question it. Instead, she found ways to utilize it. The Pegasus mare, though in a distant, dreamless sleep, still kept Firefly feeling just strong enough to cast a spell she had learned: Cut off magic at its source.

She first learned it in a dream, and found herself unable to do a thing until next she woke. Upon sleeping again, she used this new-found magic to tap into her own energies. It was a mess --- the magics of the body were not limited to the three tribes, as one might believe. She instead found little annoyances, such as the Cutie Mark, or tiny little trails leading to different body parts with no comprehensible reasoning behind them. She cut these off.

That was another wasted night. Her Cutie Mark was important, it seemed.

But now, she knew what was safe to do, and how to isolate that exotic Pegasus magic from her guest. All unnecessary magics were cut, as links to dreamscapes and destinies all snapped like a brittle twig in Firefly's foreign magic.

Before her was a broken mare.

Before her was the first step to her Ascension.

A grin sliced across her face, "May Entropy set you free..."