Chapter 1: The First Step
“AAH! What!? When? How?” panted a newly awoken mare. Her eyes were as wide as watermelons and she had sweat dripping down her forehead. She nervously shifted her eyes around her vast bedroom in fear of something she didn’t know what.
The beating organ in her chest was pumping and a million miles per hour.
That was some nightmare.
No.
Vision.
A memory?
A bit of both. She didn’t see her mother or father die, but that one of her mother sent chills don her spine. She now and again missed them, but she had moved on from grieving them a long time ago. They wouldn’t have wanted their daughter getting caught up on something she couldn’t fix. They are in a peaceful and happier place now anyways.
The ebony mare waited for a few minutes in her bed before getting up.
She turned on the lights with her magic and gracefully got up and put on her satin and silk robe.
She rang a little bell by her ginormous bed and two young maids walked in. They stood obediently side by side just a few feet from the mare.
“Good morning our Queen, how can we assist you this morning?” the aqua maned mare on the right asked.
“What is the condition of my uncle?” the queen asked wasting no time for pleasantries.
“He is still very frail I’m afraid my queen. The doctor says he doesn’t have long to live and could go in any moment.” The maid had been asked this question many times before and knew to check in before the Queen woke up. She hadn’t been pleased when she didn’t know straight away in the past.
“I shall go and see him. Cinnamon and sugar infused oats roasted by fire with rose tea and buttermilk thank you.”
“As you wish my Queen.” The aqua maned mare bowed and left but the mare on the right, with silver and electric blue curly locks remained.
“My dear Sapphire, could you please read out my roster for the day?”
“Absolutely my Queen.”
“Sapphire, we’ve known each other for too long, you can just call me Isa.”
The maid turned to the Queen and smiled.
“As you wish, Isa.” The royal smiled in return and made her way to her large vanity to start getting herself ready for the day. Sapphire began to read the roster.
“You were going to meet your uncle right after your breakfast, meet with the city locals down by the Eastern Caverns, have lunch with Senator Rosaline Dew, then you are free for the afternoon.”
Isa, put her hair brush down and began applying her ruby eyeshadow. It matched her eye colour perfectly and it was her signature look. The aqua maned knocked on the door.
“Enter.” Isa commanded.
The mare entered the room in a hurried manner and put the requested breakfast on the large oak table in her queen’s room.
“Your breakfast you’ve ordered my lady.” She bowed and stepped back a meter and a half.
Queen Isa put on her gold helmet-like crown and shoes and strolled over to the table and looked at what was presented to her.
“What is this?”
“A-ah the breakfast yo-you ordered m’am.”
“And did you know what that was? Did you pay attention?”
“I-ah.”
“This is barley! Not the Cinnamon and sugar infused oats roasted by fire with rose tea and buttermilk! The tea isn’t correct either! Just that disgusting grass water that’s part of a diet fad going around at the moment!” growled Isa.
The maid began quivering in fear.
“I-I’m so sorry Your Majesty. I-I’ll change it right away.”
“That’s Queen Isa to you.” She glowered at the frightened pony. Looking down at her in her full height.
“Take it away!”
“Yes m’am!” The mare hastily picked up the incorrect breakfast and galloped out of the room flustered.
The door slammed behind her and Isa and Sapphire were left in an awkward silence.
No one spoke for a good few minutes.
“That is the one millionth time she has stuffed up what I wanted. You shouldn’t have got rid of the old mare.”
“Give her time. She will get better. Though I must comment on your tone. She didn’t need that coming from you, especially with the reputation you have received over the years.”
“I don’t care about silly rumours going around.”
The mare shortly came back with the correct order. There were tears threatening to pour down her face. The queen noticed but barely took recognition.
“Thank you. That is much better. You can retire now to your duties.”
“Yes Queen Isa.” Responded the maid. Like a robot she left the room, but in a dark mood.
The queen began to sip her tea, but paused. Something smelt off about it.
“Sapphire.”
“Yes?”
“This has something in it doesn’t it?”
Sapphire trotted over and sniffed the aroma from the tea.
“There is a sharp smell to it, but upon sniffing it again, it disappears.”
Isa frowned and used her magic to pick up a spoon of her oats. Something had dissolved the sugar in with the cinnamon. It wasn’t that obvious, but you can see it if you looked close enough. Sapphire and the Queen looked at each other in grave looks.
“Get the guards.”
Queen for a year and already had one execution under her name. No pony shall attempt to tamper with her meals again, if they ever want to see the next day.
Marching down the palace hallways she reached her dying uncle’s quarters and a male servant raced out to meet her.
“I’m so sorry Your Majesty! I tried to get to you, but you were busy killing that new maid who turned out to be a mole, but-.”
“What happened?”
The stallion took a breath and sighed.
“Your uncle has been murdered. That mare that attempted to poison you, successfully killed the Duke.”
The Queen’s mood darkened.
“Arrest her family and throw them into the torture chambers. We will get whatever information we can out of them and find out why they want the monarchy dead.”
The stallion’s eye’s widened in surprise at the request and opened his mouth a bit to protest, but one glance at the queen’s emotionless face and he shut it quickly.
“Of course. I’ll alert the guards.”
“I know this sounds horrible and it is, but there have been a rise of rebellion in the kingdom and I want to find out why. They are threatening the lives of everypony here and I can’t let that happen. So we must hit twice as hard back if we are going to win in getting rid of the opposition. They haven’t even bothered to come to me and discuss what could be done better. That just shows the type of ponies they are. Monsters.”
The stallion understood what the queen meant and now he was more than happy to find the culprits.
“We will find them as soon as we can m’lady.”
With that the servant left and the queen proceeded to her now dead uncle’s room.
She didn’t stay long, but she held his limp hoof and kissed it. She said a little prayer and left.
“Prepare his funeral in a week’s time. There is somewhere I have been meaning to go.”
“Where my queen?”
She didn’t turn to look at them, but said one word that made their blood run cold.
“Outside.”
The guards did their best trying to keep up with the mare's fast walking pace.
"M'lady! No pony has ventured outside and survived!" one of them exclaimed. Isa wasn't listening to them, she had her mind fixed on the plan she had forged together herself.
"Cancel my schedule for the rest of the day, I won't be back until nightfall and don't think about stopping me! I know what I'm doing."
The guards shot glances at eachother worringly. Neither of them would dare argue with the queen nor say they don't trust her, but all of them had serious doubts about what the young queen had instore. Who even is going to remember them? For the rest of the world believed they were extinct!
After many minutes past, the group reached the cave exit. Queen Isa came to a halt and paused. She could smell the sweet scent of fresh air blowing steadily into the cave, the sun was shining brightly bringing warmth to the earth beneath and the birds chirping away as they flew by.
The last time Isa was here, was when she was just a little foal. She and her uncle galloped through here at great speed, full of fear. Isa remembered how she would keep calling for her mother and father, but never got a response and her parents never made it. A lump formed in her throat as she struggled to keep her emotions squashed down, but these memories were still very raw and vivid.
The darkened sky, ponies running wild in blind terror, Discord spreading disease and famine across the city, the blackened soil, the smell of burning corpses and death.
There was one other thing she was missing. Her royal chest plate. It was last seen being worn by her mother, the late Queen Lavendar.
Traditionally, the plate gets passed down to the new queen every generation. It would magically change it's colour to suit it's bearer. Lavendar's was silver, royal purple and turquoise. Inside the plate carried the soul of their first king, King Lucifer. He is to be forever imprisoned for the crimes he committed against Equestria in his reign, inside that very chest plate. Thanks to him the Shadonians have had a bad reputation because of him. Before Shadonia fell, their reputation was on the mend. Ponies from neighbouring kingdoms began to understand that the Shadonians aren't evil at heart, but hard workers just like themselves.
Now that the plate is missing, there is a grave concern that the magic has worn off and Lucifer may have escaped seeking a new host. A body to take over, now known as the 'Nightmare Plague'. From what Isa knew, he has attacked Princess Luna, who turned into Nightmare Moon and was saved by a group of young ponies. She didn't know who they were, but she was grateful to learn of her foalhood friend's redemption.
Isa took a deep breath and walked out onto the world's surface. Her gold crown gleamed in the sunlight and her jet black coat shone like it never had before. Was she nervous? Yes and no. She was excited to explore the world, but nervous to know what she might come across. Is Discord still out there? Celestia help her if he is.
She spun around to look at her guards. They were very good at hiding their fears, but she knew better. They were scared that she might not come home. Who would take her place if she didn't?
"Don't worry my little ponies, I'll be back by sundown."
With that, she turned her back to them, spread her wings and took off.
She knew where she needed to go first. She had no doubt that Celestia and Luna would be startled to learn of her survival.
Meanwhile, many kilometres away in Canterlot, a young purple pony was anxiously awaiting some exciting news that would affect her very life.
Twilight gracefully strolled down the palace's halls towards the conference chamber where many high profile ponies were headed. She couldn't think of the outcome being any different to what she thought it would be. She just had to be the heiress to the Equestrian throne.
Her friends and family would be so proud of her! Shining Armour and Princess Cadence would be over the moon! Nearing the golden plated doors, they opened and revealed many ponies mingling and socialising.
"HER ROYAL HIGHNESS, PRINCESS TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" boomed a guards voice and with that, heads turned and everypony applauded her. Heads bowed as she walked by towards her seat. As soon as she sat down the doors opened again and Princess Celestia and her sister walked in.
"HER ROYAL HIGHNESSES, PRINCESS CELESTIA AND PRINCESS LUNA!" boomed the guard again. The ponies stood up in respect and applauded them. Celestia smiled sweetly and gestured for them to sit down in their seats. She then stood up herself once she and Luna found their places.
"Greetings, fillies and gentlecolts. It is our pleasure to host you all on this wonderful occasion. I'm sure many of you are aware as to what this meeting is all about, for those who don't, allow me to explain. For many generations, there has been times when the ruler of Equestria can no longer hold onto power. She or he, will need a successor if the time were to ever arise and it is up to them to choose who they believe will be best suited."
Twilight listened on intently with excitment brewing inside her.
"I believe I have the best descision. This pony I've known for a long time, we've had our ups and downs but in the end we both had eachothers back. She is very close to me and if anything happened to her I don't know what I'd do."
The purple pony's heart was pounding in her chest.
"The successor I've chosen, is my very sister, Princess Luna!"
With that a gasp erupted and a huge applause and standing ovation ensued. Lot's of cheering and whistling was heard all around the room.
"Yeah, Princess Luna!"
"You deserve it your highness!"
"Go Princess Luna! WOOO!!"
The ruler of the night looked very taken aback and tears welled up in her eyes. She was very moved by everything that was going on around her, she embraced her sister and shook the hooves of her supporters.
Only one pony didn't move.
As if a bullet just off, she felt her heart get torn into two. This didn't make sense. She no longer could hear the comotion all around her as she slipped into a darker space. Her joy and excitment was stripped away and bitterness and hurt took over. She forced herself up and clapped for Luna but only for a few seconds, she had to get out of here. Quickly and swiftly she left the room without anypony noticing her, once out she used a teleportation spell and immediately jumped to her bedroom. For a while she just stood there, then she let out an almighty scream!
Twilight then ripped off her gown and bruied herself into the plush pillows ad duvet on her bed. There she just wept all through the night, asking herself the question, why? Why did her mentor have to betray her like this!? She was her best friend! Luna can't do shit!
Back at the conference room, Celestia was failing to see any sign of her student. She was here not too long ago because she saw her when Celestia arrived.
"Luna, have you seen Twilight? She seems to have disappeared." asked Celestia.
Princess Luna looked around the room full of ponies. "I do not know where she has gone, my sister. However she may have left early. Did you discuss with her earlier on about your descision?"
"I wasn't able to because we were short of time. I wanted to speak to her about this afterwards, I thought she would understand."
"How do you know she wasn't hurt by your desicion? Many ponies, including myself, thought you'd choose her, especially after everything that has happened." said Luna.
This caused the sun goddess to worry. Did she really hurt her students feelings? She had to put those thoughts aside for now. She had to prepare a meeting with a new Prince coming to the palace about Equestria's ongoing alliance with Discord. It seems not everypony is keen on Discord being allowed a second chance.
