Renewal

Chapters

A Wonderful New Day!
The Visitor
Chasing History

A Wonderful New Day!

Equestria's known as a magical land; a country teeming with life of all kinds from bears to donkeys, griffons to mules, and most of all, ponies. Pegasi, Unicorns, and Earth ponies; each breed peacefully coexists with the other two, working together in harmony through the best and the worst of times. From the town of Apploosa and its desert stretches to the cosmopolitan megacity of Manehattan, Equestria hosts environments as diverse as the life within it. Blessed with a near unlimited variety of natural resources, water and farmland, ponies could pursue their passions and enjoy what life could offer them. And the citizens of Ponyville were no different.

Walled off by mountain ranges and forests, Ponyville is a sleepy little village most of the time. Simple yet well built, the resident ponies lead a modest and slow-paced life, a sharp contrast to the high strung and high fashion Equestrian capital Canterlot just next door. Ponyville finds itself overshadowed by its neighboring Royal City and visitors are hard to find as a result. Nevertheless, its solid construction and friendly community leave its inhabitants wanting for little. The perfect picture of a quiet and idyllic village...most of the time.

Only two weeks ago all of Equestria, including Ponyville, celebrated the most famous wedding of its recent history. The union of Princess Cadance, niece to the ruling Princess Celestia, and guard captain Shining Armor caused quite a stir for the nation. It was an event nopony would forget as the interruption of the wedding by the Changeling race marked the wedding as the most chaotic event in modern times, second only to the Lord of Chaos, Discord's, release months prior. Despite the upheaval, the wedding continued on and filled Equestrians all over with joy upon the lovely couple's wedding kiss. Even two weeks later cities and villages are still swimming in the excitement of the event. A beautiful mare and her lucky stallion. A stallion whose vigilance and temperance won him the hearts and minds of his fellow ponies. A stallion who is the captain of the Royal Canterlot Guard. A stallion who just so happens to be the brother of a certain librarian living in a tree in Ponyville.

*******

Twilight Sparkle lay sound asleep in her bed. Her eyes stirred behind her lids, hooves gently reaching out as she dreamed. She mumbled incoherently and her whole body twitched furiously before settling down again, wrapping herself snuggly in her blanket. A soft sigh escaped her and caressed the lavender coat on her hooves, her nose twitching as the unicorn enjoyed her fantasy world.

An ear shattering crash caused Twilight's eyes to flare open, just in time to see something hit her straight in the face. Immediately she thrust herself up from the bed, screeching in fright as she threw the object at the wall across from her. Another terrified scream rang out through the library. The purple baby dragon at the foot of the bed fell straight to the floor and scrambled to this feet. In a mad sprint he smashed his head against the same wall and fell flat.

"Spike!" Twilight yelled, leaping from the bed to her dragon's side. The number one assistant lay dazed, but seemingly unhurt, on the ground. With Spike not in any immediate danger, Twilight looked down at the floor next to him. A pile of papers caught her attention and the words "Ponyville Express" told her it was the town newspaper. She whipped around and saw her broken window. Twilight rushed to find the one who threw the paper at her home, eyes darting through the earth and sky outside.

"Good morning Ponyville!" a cheery, high-pitched voice shouted. A grey pegasus cruised through the sky carrying two brown saddlebags over her back.

"Ditzy..." Twilight groaned exhaustedly, instantly recognizing the flying mailmare. She began to wonder if the pegasus somehow had it in for her. The last time she trailed a friend of hers Ditzy accidently dropped an entire carriage load of furniture on her head. Now she saw fit to drop a newspaper on her as well. Through her window. At four in the morning. A spark of fury surged through Twilight and she snarled briefly before calming down. Twice the clumsy mare had dropped something on her face now, but she was willing to overlook these accidents. Anymore though and she might seriously doubt these were "accidents".

"Wake up Twilight! It's a brand new day!" the wall-eyed mare sang cheerfully, the wind blowing through her blonde mane as she flew toward the rest of Ponyville.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," Spike groaned sarcastically behind Twilight.

"Sorry Spike," she offered softly and looked over to him, "How's your head? Do you need a bandage?"

"No, it just hurts a bit," he lazily replied and jumped back onto the foot of the bed.

Still concerned, Twilight gently massaged a hoof on his head. He didn't react beyond a slight wince of pain. There was no squishy feeling, so his skull was still intact. Twilight was surprised, hitting a wall that hard would seriously injure a pony. It had to be the scales; even a baby dragon's scales seemed thick enough to cushion him.

Not wanting to think anymore, Twilight let out another groan as she turned back to the bed. Crawling back in, she eagerly closed her eyes and tried to sleep. However her heart still pounded in her chest and she soon found herself staring at the ceiling in frustration. Realizing she wouldn't be getting any sleep after nearly being scared to death, she climbed out of bed and trotted down the stairs to the lower floor. While her day wouldn't begin for another two hours, she could still use the time to freshen up before then.

*******

Just outside of Ponyville the trees of the Everfree Forest slept in the morning air. An eerie silence sat over the forest, not a creature stirred within its shadows. A cool breeze suddenly passed through and the trees seemed to let an agonizing moan haunt the air. Bushes restled as a pale blue stallion emerged from the forest's depths. He leaned against a nearby trunk and let his head slump towards the ground, closing his eyes in exhaustion.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I absolutely hate trees now," he rasped, half smiling as he patted a hoof against the roots.

A crippling pain in his gut almost caused him to fall over. Gently massaging his gnawing stomach with a foreleg the stallion slowly opened his eyes as the pain subsided. What he saw before him left him speechless. His jaw dropped in awe at such a vibrant display of life. The sky was lit up in a glorious blaze of orange fire. Endless fields of green, rolling up and down over hilltops, and a small dotting of clear blue lakes covered the countryside. All of it bathing in a sun just waiting to peak over the horizon. The idea that there was a land that could harbor such a rich ecosystem and breadth of life was almost impossible to fathom had he not been staring at it now.

It was a sight his own home sorely lacked.

As he looked out over the rolling fields, a set of buildings caught his eye. From the looks of it the buildings were part of a settlement or village of some sort, resting peacefully in the dawn's light. He allowed himself a sigh of relief before pushing off from the tree trunk.

"I think that's it," he said to himself as he limped towards his goal. Suddenly his legs collapsed under him, his chest thumping against the dirt below, and he let out a painful bark as the wind was knocked out of him. His vision blurred as he stood up, a warm sensation flooding his head for a moment before subsiding.

"Ok, let's just hope I can make it to the village," he rasped again, "then I'll go from there."

With that he slowly trotted along fully aware that, despite journeying through that bloody forest and not having eaten or drank anything for days, the hardest part of his trip was fast approaching.

*******

"Hi Pinkie Pie!" a yellow pony with a red mane called out, waving to the pink mare bouncing excitedly down the street.

"Hello Rose!" Pinkie called back.

"Where're you off to?"

"To Twilight's! She invited me to join her on a morning stroll before we go to Sugarcube Corner! I'm going to show her my new 'Choco-Cardiac Arrest!'" Pinkie replied, acting out the last bit in a mock Iron Will fashion before giggling hysterically, "See ya later!"

After waving goodbye Rose resumed opening her flower stand and Pinkie hopped off. After a few minutes Pinkie stopped in front of the Ponyville Library. Knocking on the wooden door twice, Pinkie hummed to herself as she awaited a response. The door opened soon after, revealing Spike with a sizable bump on his head.

"Woah," Pinkie's eyes widened in shock, "I guess those books finally hit back huh?"

"What?"

A delightful smile crossed her face, "Never mind. Where's Twilight? She's usually so punctual."

"I'm right here!" the purple mare sang happily. After looking herself over in the mirror one final time Twilight galloped over to the door. She smiled as Pinkie's big blue eyes and curly pink mane came into view.

"Ready to go?" Twilight asked casually. Pinkie responded with a big smile and Twilight giggled before leaving her library, shutting the door on her way out.

As the sun rose over the horizon Pinkie and Twilight began their walk through the village. Twilight had been living here for over two years now and yet each sight still seemed as beautiful as the first day she saw them. The grass fields on the outskirts stretched for kilometers. Twilight took a long sniff, letting the smell of freshly cut grass fill her lungs as they passed through the meadows.

The pair then came upon the largest of Ponyville's peripheral lakes. Pinkie broke out into a run and dove into the cool water, resurfacing a few moments later and gave a relaxing sigh as she whipped her wet mane back. Twilight simply sat at the lake's edge, content to take a few sips of the refreshing liquid while Pinkie enjoyed herself. She looked out over the sapphire waters, taking in its bright shine before shutting her eyes to bask in the morning sun.

A splashing sound drew her attention back to the lake. Pinkie sat near the shore in front of her, gently treading water. Twilight tilted her head curiously and stared at Pinkie, to which Pinkie returned an eager grin. She quickly thrust out a hoof, soaking the purple mare in a splash. Shielding her face from the wall of water, Twilight squealed in delight and returned the favor. Playfully laughing, both mares dived into the lake and splashed each other to their heart's content. After a few minutes the two breathless ladies called it quits and sat down to dry off.

As they sat in the sun admiring the water again Twilight noticed the custodian, or "The Warden" as he liked to be called, of the lake come out for his twice-a-day cleaning routine of its waters. Briefly looking up from the other shore he waved to the guests of his lake, specifically to Twilight. Pinkie watched as her friend waved back with a smile and a rather interesting glow about her. With a sly smile Pinkie got up to resume their walk and Twilight followed behind her.

"Now that was fun," Twilight sighed in relief, "Thanks Pinkie."

"No problem! Say, wanna head over to Sugarcube Corner now?"

"Sure! You indulged me, it's only fair that I indulge you!"

The ecstatic mare leapt into the air. "Alright! You've got to try my new cake! it's a chocolate cake with chocolate fudge inside, sprinkled with chocolate chips, and all drowning in hot, sticky chocolate syrup!"

Twilight watched as her friend literally drooled over the words. If anything could send Pinkie's heart throbbing it was dessert.

"We're eating chocolate? At eight in the morning?" Twilight asked quizzically.

"Why not?" she asked back, "Your stomach doesn't know what time it is!"

Twilight couldn't argue with that, though there were plenty of older ponies who would contest it. Moving off from the lake they came back to the road to Ponyville when Pinkie noticed something lying in the grass by the roadside. As they drew closer, it became clear this object in the grass was actually a stallion.

"Hello there-" Pinkie shouted before carefully pausing.

"Um...uh oh," her eyes widened in horror, "Twilight! What's his name? Do you remember his name? I can't remember his name! A simple NAME!"

In an instant the cheery mare was replaced by a sobbing, panic-stricken train wreck as the mare who knew everypony in Ponyville had forgotten somepony's name.

"Pinkie," Twilight observed distantly, "I don't remember him being from Ponyville at all."

"Really?!" the mare perked up with enthusiasm, "Then he's new! You know what that means! I'll get the Welcome Wagon!"

"Pinkie wait," Twilight held a hoof in front of her excitable friend. She carefully watched the stallion lying in front of them. She found it puzzling that, despite Pinkie's overly dramatic performance, he had not moved at all to react to the commotion. Any other pony would have at least looked up to see what was happening.

"Hello sir!" Twilight called out, "It's a wonderful day to enjoy the sun, isn't it?"

Her greeting was met with silence. Normally she would have thought nothing of it: many ponies take a morning sunbath before it becomes too hot midday. However they usually lay down in the middle of the field, not by the side of the road. And he looked as though he tripped or fell over instead of lying down comfortably.

"Sir? Are you alright?" Twilight asked as she approached the stallion.

No response. Twilight lightly tapped him on the shoulder and his eyes fluttered. A dark golden eye starred out from his half open lid. He looked around, almost uncertain of where he was. His gaze settled on Twilight briefly before his eyes closed again. Looking him over she noticed his pale blue coat seemed to be withering. Where once there was merely curiosity, genuine concern now set in.

Gently she placed a hoof over his neck, feeling for a heartbeat. She found it pounding in his neck, throbbing far too fast to simply be asleep. His breathing came in sharp, quick gasps. Twilight might not be an expert in the medical arena, but she read enough books on the topic to know a problem when she saw one.

"Pinkie! Get to the hospital and tell the doctor's there's a stallion here that needs their help!"

"O-ok, be right back!"

Twilight watched Pinkie race into town, then turned back to the stallion.

"Hang on, help's on the way."

The Visitor

"Is he going to be alright Nurse Redheart?" Twilight asked uneasily.

Twilight watched the nurse as she tended to Ponyville's newest guest. The fur of the earth pony's white coat glistened in the overhead lights, complemented by a beautiful pale pink mane that she kept tied back in a bun. Redheart brushed a lock from her face, letting out a tired sigh as she wrote down a few notes on her clipboard.

"Yes he'll be fine," she answered, "but it's a good thing you brought him here when you did. He was suffering from severe dehydration. He lost twelve percent of the water from his body, his pulse was out of control and his temperature spiked to 39 degrees. If he lost any more water it could have been fatal."

Redheart turned away from the bedside and slowly trotted towards the unicorn. When she reached the couch Twilight sat on she placed her clipboard on a small wooden table nearby and took a seat alongside her.

"Fortunately his condition's stable now. We're giving him water intravenously, though he'll probably be unconscious for a little while longer."

For a long while the two mares sat in silence, watching the young stallion lying in bed. The four white walls and tile floor around them provided Twilight little in the way of distraction. Neither did the vase of flowers on any of the coffee tables dotting the room. There were no pictures to look at, no music to listen to, not even a roommate to talk to. The whole place was bland and sterile. Aside from the occasional good book nothing grabbed her attention.

"Do you know him?" Redheart suddenly asked, breaking the silence.

"I've never seen him before. We found him lying on the side of the road a little while ago. I asked Pinkie to come here for help and we brought him here."

"I see," Redheart stated quietly, "I was hoping you could tell me who he is or where he's from, but I guess I'll ask him about it later. Right now there are other patients to attend to." She stepped up from the couch, grabbed the clipboard and headed for the door.

"Feel free to stay and keep him company if you like," she told Twilight when she reached the door. With that she walked into the hallway outside.

Twilight smiled at the nurse as she left and turned back to face the pale blue unicorn on the bed. However it wasn't long before a familiar voice echoed through the room.

"Howdy Twilight," a deep, distinctly feminine voice greeted her. Twilight could recognize that southern accent in the voice anywhere. She looked over her shoulder to see a strong, fit looking earth pony with a bright, sun kissed orange coat trotting through the door. Her blonde mane was lightly brushed down her neck, all tied together at the end as it hung over her shoulder. The rest lay over her forehead with a slight wave at the tip. It was a simple style, used by one who favored hard work over prim and proper.

Twilight smiled as the earth pony adjusted her Stetson hat; it was good to see Applejack again.

"We searched the place you found that stallion at, just like you asked," another voice started, smooth and cultured, emphasizing each word as she trotted in next.

This one stood in complete contrast to Applejack. The unicorn's gorgeous white coat shined in the lighting, not a single blemish present on her shapely, well-proportioned figure. Her deep blue eyes, unlike Applejack's round green ones, were elegantly curved, highlighted with the faintest touch of black eyeliner and light blue eye shadow. Her dark purple mane, similar in color to Twilight's, was regally brushed over the side of her face and down her shoulder. It was long and straight, but ended in beautiful curls, all without bending a hair out of place. It was a style that took hours to perfect, a style that emphasized her high standards demeanor.

She was a true gem, just as her name described her, a Rarity.

"But all we found was this boring old leather bag!" A high pitched, raspy voice finished.

That raspy voice could only belong to one mare: Rainbow Dash. Flying into the room on a majestic pair of feathered wings, the light blue pegasus pony set herself down in the middle of the room. Like Applejack, Rainbow had a strong figure: sleek and athletic, yet still feminine in form. Her mane, naturally rainbow colored, lay worse than her orange counterpart's. The unruly mane barely followed a general direction as it stretched down her shoulder and over her forehead, strands of hair sticking out as if she hardly brushed it. It was a perfect reflection of her: fiery, competitive, wild, constantly seeking the thrill of the moment.

"Hopefully whatever's in this bag can help you Twilight," a soft, gentle voice offered hopefully.

A second pegasus flew in behind Rainbow Dash, this one with a pale yellow coat. She had a thinner, petite body compared to her friends, though she was still unquestionably beautiful. Her hazel eyes always showed others the kindness in her heart and the compassion of her soul, with none of the excessive flare of Rarity's makeup. Her bright pink mane was brushed to the side of her face. It was straight, yet was just close enough where she could hide behind those curtains if she wanted to. She had a mane style that truly expressed her awkward, shy nature, and a gentle face nopony could ever say no to.

Fluttershy.

As they all entered the room, each pony circled around the stallion. Rarity was the first to speak up.

"I take it this is him?" Rarity asked, looking over the blue unicorn stallion as he lie peacefully in bed. He had a frail build, much like Fluttershy's and Twilight's. His short, dirty blonde mane lie disheveled along the pillow.

"Looks like he had a rough ride," Applejack observed the bony look of his frame, "Ya know who he is?"

"Unfortunately no, and there's no way to find out until he wakes up." Twilight answered.

"Oh yes there is!" Rarity said with a bounce to her voice. She trotted over to the saddle bag they set on the couch. She reached over and unclasped the buckle, sorting through whatever was inside.

"Rarity!" a shocked Pinkie voiced her dismay, "Didn't Sweetie Belle tell you going through somepony else's things is rude?"

"Yes, she did," Rarity acknowledged, "but it did help us find out about her Gabby Gums business! It may help out here! Besides, he's not awake. What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

Twilight shook her head at Rarity's behavior. As Rarity toiled through his bag Twilight turned back to the stallion.

She gasped, nearly jumping out of her skin in shock. One moment his eyes were shut, now they were very much alive. And staring at her.

His large golden eyes met her violet ones, both staring silently as they tried to handle the uncertainty they saw in one another. He broke the stare first, shifting his gaze up to her horn. After a few seconds he began tracing his eyes along the rest of her form. Even confused he looked at her with a clinical eye; every sight meant to teach.

His gaze shifted again to the other side of the room, towards Rarity as she continued rummaging through his bag. He frowned, his brow furrowed as confusion gave way to mild irritation.

"Hey!" he called out sternly, a slight rasp in his otherwise youthful voice.

Rarity barked in surprise as she whipped her head to him at the sound of his voice.

"You're awake!" Fluttershy cheered, smiling across the room. She took off on her wings as she slowly glided to the bedside.

A terrified scream resounded through the room. The blue unicorn grabbed his pillow and flung it at the yellow mare, smacking her square in the face. She dropped to the ground, squealing in fright as she buried her face in her hooves at the sudden outburst.

"You jerk!" Rainbow Dash roared furiously. She flared her wings and bolted at him, crashing down on him with eyes burning in a wildfire. She tried to press a hoof against his throat, but he tucked his hind legs under her and thrust out, tossing her against the door.

All at once the other four jumped on him, struggling to hold the stallion down as he flailed about violently. Twilight threw herself over his chest, holding his shoulder down with her hoof, as he battled against them.

"Easy, easy!" Twilight reassured the stallion. His frantic thrashing slowed at her words.

"Easy," she repeated softly, "it's alright. Nopony's going to hurt you."

He stopped struggling against them, lying still on the bed. Twilight pulled herself up and looked down at him, the others following suit. He looked at each of them, uncertainty still present in his eyes.

"Say you're sorry right now!" Rainbow snarled, glaring at him as she comforted the shy girl. He eyed them suspiciously as the two pegasi recovered. Twilight placed a hoof on his shoulder, bidding him to relax, and his eyes darted back to her. He wasn't angry, he was scared.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle," Twilight offered softly, hoping to break the tension, "This is Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. They're my friends."

"F-friends?" the unicorn studdered as he looked at her.

"Yes. What's your name?"

"Frostbite," he replied, settling back into his hospital bed, "I'm sorry for throwing the pillow at you Fluttershy, you just startled me."

"Scared you is more like it," Rainbow retorted, "What's the matter, never seen a pegasus before?"

"I have. I've seen earth ponies before too, but where I'm from the three tribes don't...coexist very well."

Rarity looked at Twilight quizzically. Tribes? What was he talking about? Twilight shrugged, there were, unfortunately, many regions in the world where friction still existed between the three races, but until Twilight heard more she refrained from answering Rarity's unspoken question.

"And where exactly are ya from?" Applejack asked, voicing Rarity's thoughts for her.

"Far away," Frostbite offered cryptically, his eyes staring into the distance, "I guess you might call me a visitor."

"A visitor who doesn't like other ponies snooping through his bag!" he shot at Rarity, "Is that common here?"

"No," Rarity offered sheepishly, "We had no idea who you were or where you came from. I thought something in your bag could tell us."

Frostbite seemed to consider her reason, mulling over it in his head. If he believed it or not he didn't show it. After a moment he glanced up at her.

"When you looked in my bag, did you find a gold necklace with a small green gem?"

"Yes!" Rarity perked up at the change of subject. Turning to the bag, Rarity used her magic to reach out to it. Wrapping her spell around the necklace, she levitated it to the unicorn stallion and set it in his hooves. It was nothing more than a simple gold string with a green emerald dangling from it. A gold metal wrapped around the gem in a vine like pattern as it gave off a subtle green glow.

"I must say it's a rather plain little thing," she commented, and then a bright shine surfaced in her eyes, "I have a variety of stylish amulets on display in my shop! If you like jewelry we could drop by when you're up and about!"

"No, thank you," he answered as he clipped the necklace on, much to the white mare's disappointment, "I like my 'plain little thing' the way it is." He held it in his hoof, gazing fondly into it. Obviously this particular necklace was very special to him.

"Now tell me something," he demanded softly as he looked back at the others, "Where exactly am I?"

"Ponyville," Fluttershy offered from the foot of the bed.

"A hospital in Ponyville," Applejack clarified, "Twilight and Pink found ya on the side of the road all passed out. They brought ya here while we went lookin' around for anythin' ya might have lost on the way."

"And where is Ponyville?"

"Just outside the city of Canterlot," Twilight chimed in, "On the eastern coast of Equestria."

"Is that your capital?" he asked. Twilight answered with a nod.

"I guess 'Equestria' is the name of the country. What's it like?" he asked, genuinely curious this time.

*****
For hours they talked, touching on all sorts of things about their wonderful land. They chatted about all the kinds of foods Equestria bore for them, the hearty farmland across the countryside, and the warm and sunny weather Equestria was graced with. They talked about how the three types of ponies were peaceful and accepting of each other, they even talked about the recent wedding and how fun it was to be at the bride's side during the ceremony. Eventually the sun had set and Redheart had to shoo them out so Frostbite could rest. The mares trotted along the street as they reminisced about their conversation with the stallion.

"Well that certainly felt rather one-sided," Rarity mumbled, "He hardly said anything about himself at all!"

"We didn't really give 'im a chance Rarity," Applejack smiled as she defended the stallion, "He sat there and listened to us as we yapped on and on about Equestria!"

"I don't think I've ever seen you so happy to tell somepony else about the farm A.J.!" Pinkie chimed in, "That was a lot of detail on farm life!"

"He was such a good listener," Fluttershy chipped in with a sweet little smile, "and he didn't even interrupt when we went off on our own! Such a polite pony, I like him!"

"Except for when he tossed a pillow in your face!" Rainbow dash quipped as she hovered over them.

"Oh, don't hold that against him! He was just a little scared of me."

Rainbow burst out laughing, eyes watering with tears at the mere thought of it, "Scared of Fluttershy! Imagine that!"

"Careful Dash, even the most delicate rose can have the sharpest of thorns," Rarity warned playfully.

Everypony laughed at the exchange, even Rainbow, but the laughter died down and the six continued their walk into the night. One by one each pony left for their homes until only Twilight was left. Reaching the door to her tree home, Twilight trotted in and ascended to the second floor. Spike was already asleep at the foot of the bed and she crawled in as well, laying her head on the pillow.

Her thoughts briefly returned to Frostbite as she pulled the covers over herself. Fluttershy was right when she said he seemed nice, but Twilight couldn't get this nagging suspicion out of her mind. He felt "dark" somehow, as if the air itself froze over when he was near, though she couldn't explain how or why. Turning in her bed, she put the thought out of her mind. Perhaps, if she talked to him tomorrow, she could learn a little more about him.

With that in mind, the mare closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

*****
Frostbite lay quietly in his bed, alone with the darkness wrapping itself around him. Awake, he patiently waited as it caressed his chest. Soaking into his coat its chilling, yet tender, touch reached into his chest and massaged his heart. Its passionate grasp, once soothing, squeezed in him and held the organ firmly. It changed itself before him, now adopting the form of a dark, but beautiful, mare. His chest tightened, lungs heaved and fear crawled through his head as she slithered up his neck. He shivered as she slowly embraced him, like a lover pressing intimately against her husband in the night.

In his terror, a single tear fell onto the bed.

His eyes slowly opened. Of course there was no darkness, no "demon mare". At least not physically anyway, they were just feelings. Still those feelings were there in his heart, just like the tightness in his chest and the tears on his face. He couldn't help it; they were always there when he thought of home. Of what it once was; what it had become.

Being here only made it worse. The unicorn turned over to look through the window and found himself confronted with the very questions he hoped he would never face. This place, this 'Equestria', was perfect. Food was bountiful, and water too. The weather was warm. The ponies were friendly, with good homes to live in. And their was life here, real life in every measure of the word! The land was good to them, and they to each other.

It was paradise.

It was everything he ever dreamed of. He could be very happy here, couldn't he? Was there room in paradise for him? Would they let him live here? How would they treat him?

And what of his home? How would they see him if he left? They probably wouldn't care. But what he'd learned, what he'd seen, he could help them...right? No, one pony can't help a dead society. He was left with one last question: could he live in his own land still? Not anymore. For the short term, maybe, but not for the long term. He arrived at these answers many years ago. To him they were all but certain.

So why couldn't he do it?

He held the crystal necklace in his hoof, staring into the faint glow, and he knew why he was here. Why she sent him here. He quickly hopped from the bed and grabbed his saddle bag, tying it to his back. Making his way to the window he lifted it open, feeling the cool night air rush in.

For a moment he looked at the ground, only a couple meters below, and hesitated. It was so tempting, staying here, but after working up a small bit of courage he leapt out. Landing, Frostbite concentrated, drawing on his limited magic. He projected his energy outwards, forming a barrier in front of him. He pulled on its edges, struggling to meet the spell's basic requirements as he wrapped it around him. As the edges fused closed he let out a pulse of magic, his thoughts consumed by one word: Haste.

Finished, he looked around and spotted a humming bird. Its wings flapped so slowly, like the wind eroding a mountain. Grateful, Frostbite took off galloping, unaffected by the difference in the flow of time. He knew where he had to go: the city in the distant mountains.

Canterlot.

*****
High above, in the Royal City, Princess Luna sat quietly on the palace balcony. The sister of Celestia closed her eyes and allowed herself to melt into the night air's warm embrace, her night blue coat and glittering blue mane flowing gently in the wind.

As Luna enjoyed the darkness she tapped into the magic of her heart, letting the energy expand her mind's eye outward as she stood guard over the night. Forests, deserts and mountains raced passed as Luna's senses touched every corner of Equestria. As was usually the case the night was quiet and uneventful; every pony already sleeping in their homes.

A sudden spark reverberated through her mind and her eyes shot wide open in shock. Somepony fired off a powerful spell. Somewhere close, too close. Her world fell silent, not even risking a breath as she focused on every sound and detail. Luna quickly snapped her magical gaze back, crossing an entire country in an instant. Taking up an overhead view of the city, she tried to pinpoint the spell's source.

A spark flared through her again. She realized the spell wasn't powerful, it was very small in scale. What she actually felt was an aftershock. That would imply a novice casted the spell, a very dangerous one.

It came from the castle, how is that possible? She should have caught this long before it reached Canterlot! Panic gripped the young alicorn as her gaze penetrated the castle walls. Frantically she search each room in mad desperation, never staying in one place for more than a second. Turning up nothing but empty rooms and patrolling guards, she shifted to the Archives across the courtyard.

A burning pain ripped into her mind. Letting out an agonizing cry, Luna cut her Clairvoyance spell. But even that brief contact with the...disruption...caused fear to roil inside her.

"Luna!" Celestia called out behind her, thrusting the doors open with a loud crash as she ran to the balcony.

"I know! I felt it too!" Luna shouted back. Taking a deep breath she brought the full Royal Canterlot Voice to bear.

"INTRUDER ALERT! ALL GUARDS TO THE ARCHIVES, IMMEDIATELY!"

Chasing History

Frostbite cursed his stupidity under his breath as he ran down the hall. This was supposed to be a simple job: get in, grab what he needed and get out. No noise, no trouble. And simple it would have been had he not been dumb enough to get caught. He just had to turn a corner without looking first and walk straight into a patrol of guards.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. He tried casting a stasis spell, hoping to freeze the guards in time, but he panicked, and allowed his fear to cripple his efforts. The spectacular failure released a time shockwave throughout the city. Now all of Canterlot knew he was here and the would-be thief was running for his life.

The stallion raced past the white marble pillars and decorative tapestries adorning the walls. Turning another corner at the end of the hall he spotted a staircase heading to the lower levels. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs as he readied himself to leap over the stairs to the floor below.

“You three, head up those steps! Get to the upper levels!” a commanding voice blared from below.

Shock ripped the breath from Frostbite’s lungs as he skidded to a halt, the sound of hooves thundering up the steps reached his ears. Terror clouded his senses as he searched desperately for another way out. His only salvation came from another staircase leading further up the tower. He cringed: he couldn’t get out like this; if he kept climbing the tower he’d eventually-

He finally understood what the guards were doing: they were boxing him in, caging him like an animal. He stamped his hooves in anger. You idiot! Why didn’t you think of this?! Frustrated by his stupid mistake, he charged up the winding steps. When he reached the top the unicorn ran through an open door and slammed it shut behind him.

Frostbite allowed himself a moment to catch his breath. As he recovered the stallion took a step inside, his hoofsteps echoing through a large, empty room with a domed ceiling overhead. A few windows looked out to the night, and as he stared outside he realized he reached the final floor. The hunt was over; end of the line.

A sudden shattering sound jolted him from his thoughts. He ducked down and covered his face as dozens of glass shards ripped through the room. Over the noise he could hear massive, powerful wings buffeting the air, and he opened his eyes to a sight that nearly scared him to death.

*****
Princess Celestia landed next to her darker sister, crushing bits of broken glass beneath her hooves as she eyed the intruder. For a moment she was taken aback by the sight: a frightened boy, barely older than Twilight Sparkle, cowering in fear across the room, wearing nothing more than an emerald necklace and a pair of brown saddlebags. He unshielded his face and stood before the mares, his body shaking despite his efforts to control his fear.

“You’ve taken something from us,” Luna barked as she stepped towards him, “The book, return it. Now!”

The room fell silent. The stallion looked back at his bag, eyeing one tentatively as the sisters stared him down. For one fleeting second the thought seemed to cross his mind, but he turned back to the princesses, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

“No,” he challenged, anger seeping into his voice, “I’m taking this book with me.”

Luna’s face twisted in frustration, annoyed at his defiance. “Do you honestly think you can stand up to us?”

“That’s not simply a random tome you’ve taken,” Celestia stepped in, her tone serious as much as concerned, “that book holds some of the most sophisticated and detailed ideas on time ever conceived; written by a mare far more powerful than either of us. The knowledge within its pages is very old; its spells require extreme precision to perform!”

Celestia took a step closer, “You and I both know you don’t have that level of control over your magic. You’re not ready for what’s in those pages. Return the book.”

“This 'book' can save us!”

“Return it.” Celestia repeated more forcefully, “We won’t hurt you.”

“You abandoned us to die!” he lashed out, “you crippled us, destroyed us, you stripped us of everything when you left us!” His whole body shook with rage, tears falling from his eyes. Celestia turned to her sister in confusion and found Luna staring back at her, a puzzled look over her face as well.

The emerald hanging from his neck gave off a slight green glow as he trembled. The gem drew Celestia’s attention as power began to flow from it into the boy. The energy released from the stone, in a strange way it felt familiar to the white alicorn; like she’d felt it before but couldn’t remember where.

Celestia tried to reach out to him, to calm him down “You feel abandoned, cast off. I understand you’re angry, but we can help you if you let us. Please, return the book.”

“No!” The stallion roared. A bronze light glowed from his horn as his magic sprung to life. An ice needle formed in front of him and flung itself towards the nocturnal mare, but with barely a thought Luna threw up a barrier, blocking the simple spell as the needle shattered on contact. He threw another needle out, this time at Celestia, only to meet the same fate.

He let out a stronger, sustained beam at Luna. As a blue light swelled around her horn, Luna met his spell with one of her own. The midnight blue beam she released cut straight through his spell and struck him in the chest. The blue unicorn screamed and fell backwards against the floor, the spell dancing over his form. The effect lasted only a second before he stood up, his coat slightly burned but otherwise unharmed.

His necklace flared as magical energy bled into him. This time both Luna and Celestia were startled by the burst as his wounds began to heal. The energy began pulsing through his body, beating like a heart, and his eyes sparked with a new fire. Celestia could feel a presence stirring within the stone, protecting him, healing him, making him stronger. Something living was inside that stone.

“We were alive once,” his voice grew heavy as he let his gaze fall to the broken glass below him, “we were a living, breathing, vibrant culture. But when we needed you most, you were gone!”

He clenched his teeth as he looked up “You betrayed us, and we don’t forgive traitors!”

Every muscle in Luna’s body tensed. The stallion’s horn glowed and in one, swift motion he thrust another bronze beam out. With a blue shine of her horn, Luna met his blast full force with a beam of her own. Sparks showered the room as the spells collided, and the effects were felt immediately. A shockwave assaulted the room, the same kind the sisters felt earlier, the same kind that now sent Celestia into a panic: a time shockwave. The boy was casting a time spell.

“Stop, both of you!” Celestia commanded, her mind agonizing over the temporal strain, “You’re ripping time apart!”

Luna didn’t answer, neither did the boy. They continued pushing against each other, each fighting with every bit of effort they had, but the boy faltered and Luna pressed her advantage. All the while time was distorting itself, shredding itself throughout the room as the temporal fabric began to collapse. Celestia tried to contain the damage, but even her magical might could barely keep the distortion from growing.

“Luna, stop!”

*****
It wasn’t enough: his magic, the necklace. Soon the dark alicorn would overpower him and he’d be lost in…whatever came next. He felt surprisingly warm, like a child scared of the dark being comforted by a parent. The anger faded, as did the will, and he quietly closed his eyes.

A loud thump woke him from his slumber. He was surrounded by darkness, nothing to see except a forest of black, gnarled trees. Interesting, no cheesy "pearly white gates", no divine judgement, just...this. A smile crept up on his face: it really was like falling asleep, he didn’t even feel it. And the thumping sounds echoed around him as if he were in some great heart.

An emerald glow stirred behind him. He ignored it at first, but it grew brighter, more insistent. He growled in annoyance; he wasn’t in the mood for a haunting session. He turned to get rid of it, but instead found himself looking upon a familiar face.

A dark green form stood within the trees, a winged pony with a long green mane that curved over her shoulders, tying into a silver bead over her chest. Her mane was complimented with a flowing tail, and a pair of blue eye. She was huge, dwarfing him three fold, a horn jutting out from her head. She was the mare who sent him to Equestria in the first place; his mentor, his teacher, his friend. As she approached him, what could only be described as a mind the size of a mountain rolled over him, buried him. The alicorn held a hoof under his chin and stared tenderly into his eyes.

“I’ll always be there,” her voice echoed in the dark, “when you need me.”

*****
Luna thrust out one more time, shoving his spell back until she was right on top of him. Soon this little skirmish would be finished and she could lock the runt behind bars. She was nearly there, just a few more seconds.

A sudden bright flash came from the necklace and the spells vanished in a puff of smoke. Luna stumbled backwards, stunned as her mind was struck by a seemingly invisible wall. Celestia fared better: shielding the time stream from their conflicting spells helped her partially shield herself as well. Again it was a time spell, stunning the mind with a minor temporal variance between it and its surroundings. A simple spell, but an effective deterrent this time.

A gust of wind circled the room and Celestia looked on, the denial on her face as effective of a stun as the spell itself. His golden eyes were gone, replaced with a vibrant blue that pierced into her very core. On the surface was a boy, but under the skin was so much more: a pony of wisdom, age, and power; an alicorn out of time; a mare Celestia had known long ago.

The blue eyes stared back at Celestia. They softened, recognizing the princess to, but it lasted only an instant. The stallion leapt into the air, a small vortex opening in the ceiling and closing moments later, and he disappeared.

*****
No matter how hard she tried, Twilight could hardly believe what she had just heard. Slowly she sat down on the floor of her Ponyville library as she tried to come to terms with Celestia’s and Luna’s story. It was no secret she took pride in being right, in fact she often enjoyed it, but when it came to Frostbite she had hoped she wasn’t. Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were sitting behind her, all sharing the same disbelieving look as their purple friend. Both princesses were quiet as well. They had essentially dropped an anvil on the girls’ heads; it was going to take time before they fully understood what happened.

“Hold on here,” Applejack broke the silence, “If Frostbite broke into the Archives alone, where’d this ‘other mare’ come from?”

“And what was so important about that book he stole?” Rarity asked.

Luna turned to her pale sister, waiting as an unspoken question passed between them. Celestia nodded to Luna and she turned back to the girls. Luna stared absently at them, seemingly uncertain how to answer them.

“Ponies were not originally from this land, you know this. We came from a very far away country, from a time when the three pony tribes lived in bitter resentment of one another. That country was called Alastria. When the Windigos blanketed it in snow and ice, Commander Hurricane, Princess Platinum, and Chancellor Puddinghead left it to find a new home.”

“What you don’t know,” Luna continued, “What nopony knows, is that very few followed their brave leaders here. Most believed that being asked to journey across thousands of kilometers of ice, with no hope of food or water along the way, was being asked to die. They stayed behind, continuing to fight amongst themselves I assume. All we know is the Windigos’ presence eventually created an impenetrable ice barrier around the country and Alastria hasn’t been heard from for eighteen hundred years…until now.”

“So you mean-” Pinkie began.

“Frostbite’s Alastrian? Yes.” Luna interjected.

“But if there’s an impenetrable barrier around Alastria how did he get here? He wasn’t nearly strong enough to match a Windigo” Twilight observed.

“That’s where the mare Applejack asked about comes in,” Celestia chimed in, “There was a moment when a presence seemed to protect him from us. A second pony emerged from his necklace and helped him. At first I didn’t recognize it, but as they fled I realized what it was. The presence was Lemura. She was known as ‘The Chronarch’ or ‘The Mare of Time’ millennia ago in Alastria.”

The four girls looked at each other quizzically. Nopony had ever heard of this “Lemura” before. Even Twilight, despite all of her reading and her research, had never come across the name.

“I’m not surprised you don’t know her,” Celestia noted the confusion on their faces, “history from before The Migration is sketchy at best. She was an alicorn, perhaps the most powerful one to ever live. She influenced the passage of time in our world. She could predict the future or travel backwards into the past. Her studies formed the foundation of how we understand and perceive time today.”

“She wrote the book Frostbite stole,” Luna continued, “It contains her research on temporal mechanics, spells on manipulating time, even partial equations on how she predicted the future. We… suspect his emerald held some of her power and that he found a way to use it to travel here.”

“I honestly don’t know what he’s planning to do with her book, but there’s a reason time spells are locked away in the Archives,” Celestia explained, “those spells tap directly into the time stream, the fabric of temporal energy that flows through our world. Casting them is a delicate process, and the effects of those spells can spread everywhere. Without precise control over his magic-“

“He could shatter time throughout Equestria, everywhere!” Twilight cried out, horrified at the full gravity of what could happen. Saddle Arabia, Ponyville, Trottingham, The Crystal Empire, Vanhoover, everything could be destroyed in the blink of an eye! “Princess, we have to stop him!”

“And you’re not doing it without me!” a raspy voice shouted as the library door opened. Rainbow Dash galloped inside and stood next to her friends with fire in her eyes and an eager expression on her face. Fluttershy followed Rainbow in, taking a seat next to Pinkie Pie at the back of the group.

“Rainbow, you’re here!” Applejack cheered excitedly, “You two comin’ with us?”

“Are you kidding?” she boldly replied, “I heard it all: a big adventure to catch a dangerous thief, with the fate of the world in my hooves? No way I’d lose out on that! I’m not going to let you four have all the fun. Besides, I still owe him for what he did in the hospital.”

Everypony turned to the yellow mare sitting quietly behind them. She shrank back at the sudden attention, nervous at the expectation tossed her way. She quickly tried to form some kind of excuse.

“Um…Angel and I were planning to visit his family in Whitetail Wood,” Fluttershy sped through her words, “and unfortunately we can’t reschedule. I guess I won’t be able to go with you, I’m sorry!” She bolted from the floor, making a mad dash for the exit, but with a flick of her magic Twilight lifted the timid mare off the ground and back to her seat.

“Fluttershy,” Applejack pleaded, “Ah know it sounds dangerous, and it ain’t gonna be easy, but we have to go after him. If we don’t everything we have could be gone tomorrow, even Angel and all of your little friends. If we’re going to go, we’ll need you too.”

“But-”

“We’re at our best when we’re together dear,” Rarity cut in, sitting next to her pegasus friend. She gently wrapped a foreleg around Fluttershy, looking into her eyes with a caring smile. “Would you really let your friends go alone?”

Fluttershy could only stare back into Rarity’s eyes. Throughout all of the ambivalence, this one constant reminded her of who was most important. She closed her eyes, and with a deep breath she turned to Celestia and her sister.

“Okay…I’ll go,” was all she said. Everypony smiled with a soft glee and Rarity thanked her with a hug.

“Alright everypony,” Luna ordered sharply, “gather around in the center of the room. Alastria’s located at the southern pole, too far to travel by hoof, so we’ll have to teleport you there; which isn’t going to be easy, the ice shield’s going to require a lot of power to break through. And take these saddlebags with you; they should have everything you’ll need for the road ahead.”

The girls grabbed their bags and tied them to their backs. Twilight tightened the belt of her saddlebags and joined the rest of her friends in the middle of the rug. “Ready!” she announced confidently.

Celestia and Luna aligned themselves on opposite ends of the rug. A charge filled the room as the royal sisters cast their spell, a breeze circled through the room. Book pages rustled, manes whipped violently around as the breeze turned into tornado force winds. The room began distorting as bookcases, stairs, even the ceiling itself stretched up into a twisting and infinitely dark vortex.

A blue light glowed from the eye of the storm and sweat dripped down the sisters’ faces as they struggled to breach the icy shield. For one fleeting moment everything fell silent, the world stood still before the wind snapped upward and flung the six mares into the gaping maw above. Both princesses collapsed on the floor, exhausted and gasping for breath. A single blessing passed Celestia’s lips as she stared at the now empty ceiling.

“Good luck my little ponies.”