Past is Present

Chapter 14

The Birth of the Alicorns

The bubbling brew in the pot clouded over dark green and then cleared, revealing the Crystal Palace once again. A crowd of twinkle-eyed ponies lined the long red carpet down which two flutterponies in white gossamer gowns, crowned by sparkling crystal tiaras with translucent veils trailing, walked slowly toward a pair of handsome stallions who stood, smiling nervously, at the end. In the center stood King Sombra, a dark gray unicorn with a mane as black as midnight, and beside him, Queen Tiffany. Bright music played, announcing the arrival of the brides. The pair of flutterponies split off to their respective grooms. Morning Glory smiled shyly at Night Moon while Star Song gave his filly a wink causing her to pinken spectacularly. King Sombra stepped forward.

"It is my duty and my privilege to mark the end of this year's Crystal Faire with the wedding of my two sons to these lovely flutterponies. May they have many years of happiness!" behind him the Crystal Heart glowed with the joy and love of all those in attendance as the ponies of the Crystal Empire cheered loudly. "Night Moon, if you and Morning Glory would step forward." he indicated to the couple. "Prince Night Moon, eldest son of the Crystal Empire, do you take Morning Glory to be your wife?" Night Moon answered,

"I do."

"And Morning Glory, do you take Night Moon to be your husband?"

"I do."

"Prince Star Song, heir of the Crystal Empire, do you take Honeysuckle to be your wife."

"I do." the stallion replied.

"And Honeysuckle, do you take this headstrong young stallion to be your husband?"

"Yes." Honeysuckle answered shyly.

"Then if we have no objections, I pronounce you mare and stallion."

The Crystal Heart lit up the wedding with irredescent light. For the first time in many years the ponies of the crystal empire flashed with their true colors. King Sombra's eyes flared red for a moment and his stately smile transformed into a vicious grin. He shook his head momentarily and when he looked back toward the crowd it was his normal visage the crowd saw - had they been paying attention to him. Then, without warning the Crystal Heart ceased it's glowing. Everypony looked about, confused and frightened.

Suddenly there was the loud sound of wings flapping from above. Out of the sky descended an army of flutterponies and at their head was Queen Rosedust; fury blackening her features. Slowly she descended until she was flying just above the wedding party. Morning Glory and Honeysuckle quailed in the presence of their queen. The princes rushed forward to defend their brides but Morning Glory and Honeysuckle shot them looks that warned them.

"Stay back." Morning Glory warned.

"How dare you!" she whispered in a tone far more terrifying than any shout. "How dare you defy our laws and join yourselves to outsiders!"

"We beg your forgiveness, Queen Rosedust." Morning Glory apologized, her voice wavering. "It was my fault, please don't blame Honeysuckle!"

"I will forgive you, and allow you to rejoin your fellow flutterponies in Flutter Valley, if you leave now and swear never to see or speak of these stallions again. And you, Morning Glory, are never to leave Flutter Valley again." Queen Rosedust answered in such a way to suggest she believed the offer quite magnanimous.

"But they're our husbands!" Honeysuckle objected, rallying despite her terror. "We can't just pretend they don't exist."

"Honeysuckle's right. We won't leave them." Morning Glory announced defiantly. "If that means we can no longer see Flutter Valley, then so be it."

"Honeysuckle, what say you?" Queen Rosedust asked the pink flutterpony. Honeysuckle bowed her head sadly, in response. Queen Rosedust rose into the air surrounded by her army. "Then it is thus decreed. From this moment forward the Flutterponies Morning Glory and Honeysuckle are forever banished from Flutter Valley. No Flutterpony may see or speak to them for any reason on peril of banishment. Let this be a lesson to you all. Now let us depart." and just as quickly as they had come the Flutterponies departed, leaving Honeysuckle and Morning Glory to be comforted by their Princes. King Sombra stepped down from the dais and approached his weeping daughters-in-law.

"We are so very sorry; you are both welcome and beloved Princess of the Crystal Empire, now." he said consolingly. The crowd, still shaken from their experience, stood silently until one stallion from the back shouted out loudly,

"Yeah, we love you Princess Morning Glory, Princess Honeysuckle!" One by one other ponies joined in shouting their affirmations of love to the new princesses until the din grew into a deafening roar.

"Thank you." Morning Glory said, tearfully. "Thank you all."

"We love you too." Honeysuckle added. The Crystal Heart glowed brightly once again and, from his position consoling the princesses, King Sombra looked to the glowing stone and his eyes flashed red with fire.

"Honeysuckle, come quickly!" Star Song shouted as the Flutterpony approached the Crystal Palace. She landed gracefully.

"Is it Morning Glory?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes! You were almost too late." the stallion answered, happily leading the way from the palace balcony. "What news from Paradise Estates?"

"There was, apparently, some trouble with the witches this time. They were caught trying to cast an eternal sadness curse on the ponies - it was so bad Shady seemed downright cheerful. Anyhow, Northstar was able to avoid the worst effects of the curse by using logic to deduce the root of the problem but the sadness made her unable to fly which is why she sent for me. So I had to go over the Rainbow bridge to get Megan - she sure is heavy - she was able to use the Rainbow of Light to defeat the sadness and banish the witches back to their volcano." Honeysuckle looked somewhat concerned as she finished the story.

"I know that look. What is it?" Star Song asked.

"I can't help feeling like it was too easy. Oh well, we're here anyhow." she said approaching the door. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light! Crystaline colors covered the whole room around the ponies, they looked at each other - both sparkling as they had on their wedding day. A pale green comet trailed by a red, pink, yellow, and green tail flew across the hall, through the closed doors, and into the room where Morning Glory was - the crystal magic receding as it followed the strange ball of light into the room. An explosion of golden light, like stars, blew open the doors and showered onto the ponies. "Morning Glory!" Honeysuckle cried, rushing into the room. And there, calmly resting, lay Morning Glory. A little white foal yawned and curled up closer to her mother. Beside her a tiny midnight blue foal slept. Honeysuckle looked at the scene, bewildered. "Are you... Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." the new mother answered serenely. "Come, meet your nieces. This is Celestia," she indicated to the white foal, "and this is Luna." The miniature blue filly turned so her back was facing Honeysuckle. Her blue mane was famed in lilac and seemed to undulate with the stars of the night sky. Honeysuckle's mouth stood agape, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"I suppose it is a gift from the Crystal Heart, Celestia is the same except it is a rainbow. Like my mother." Night Moon added the last sentence sadly. Honeysuckle and Morning Glory exchange glances - this was the first Night Moon had ever mentioned his mother; neither had even heard her name mentioned. Before they could probe any further Luna, startled from her slumber, began crying, her tiny wings spread. Night Moon rushed to her nuzzling the tiny form, "There there, Luna, my precious little Luna." in a moment the foal was sleeping soundly.

"They have Pegasus wings and unicorn horns!" Honeysuckle exclaimed.

"Yes, I guess it's the Flutterpony in them that allows them to be all things at once. With both the magic of the Unicorns and the Flutterponies in them I believe they will have very powerful magic." Morning Glory answered. Celestia, not content to sleep, woke with a start and began tugging at Luna's ear, causing the tired filly to begin crying again. Star Song and Honeysuckle exchanged smiles.

"It won't be too long before it's one of our own." The stallion said.

"No, not long at all." Honeysuckle smiled back, nuzzling her husband.