Long ago and far away between the whens and whys of many worlds there stood a tree. The tree itself was rather unremarkable, being a rather average specimen of the pine family. What was remarkable was where this tree chose to take root. This tree, being a rather adventurous sort, chose to take root on a world that spanned no more than one half an acre of land before ending in the gulf of space, or something resembling space. The tree having taken root did not give it much thought, it was content just to have ambient light and enough moister that came from…somewhere. It did not really know or care where it's light and water came from, just that it was there.
What did fascinate this tree was the fact that beneath it for as long as it could recall, and trees have very long memories, sat a man. The tree pondered the man for quite some time, many centuries in fact. He never moved, sitting in a lotus position, only the gentle rise and fall of his chest even indicated life. So the man sat, for many centuries, his bald head growing no hair, the salt-and-pepper goatee around his mouth growing no longer, his sapphire colored eyes neither drying nor blinking, while the lines of age and worry on his face never deepened.
The tree liked this man, he was quiet, and he did not try to harvest his flesh nor burn his needles. The memories of his ancestor trees warned him that man was to be feared with their fire and their axes. But this man, no, this man seemed only to care for a place to sit in the shade.
And so the two quiet companions sat beneath an arcane sky on a tiny world staring in to the vast gulf of eternity.
Princess Twilight Sparkle stood in her tree castle with a look of manic glee in her eye. Hovering before her were two scrolls held aloft in a magical aura, one tattered with notes pinned to it, the other pristine and freshly inked. Beside her stood a rather worried looking young dragon wringing his clawed hands together. Nervously casting his gaze about before finally speaking up the dragon Spike inquired, "Um, Twilight are you sure this is a good idea? I mean you do remember what happened the last time you messed with time travel right?"
Twilight turned and gave her young assistant an annoyed glare, "Yes I remember Spike, and I was also trying to cross my own timeline which in retrospect...could have gone a lot worse. But with this new version of the spell I developed based off of Starlight Glimmer's work, I should be able to go backwards in time as far as I like, safely, and have built in protection against paradox. Her work is pretty amazing actually."
"B-but Twilight, are you sure trying to go back and meet Starswirl the Bearded is a good idea? I mean what if he isn't the pony you think he is? What if he tells you to leave him alone? What if-" Spike retorted before Twilight cut him off.
"Spike you're worrying to much! The worst that can happen is a bit of a magical backlash headache and staying exactly where I am." Twilight said with finality in her voice.
She carefully placed the tattered and well-worn old scroll on a bookshelf while she focused all her thoughts and energies on the new scroll. Starlight Glimmer had used the castle's Cutie Map as a magical focus to aim her spell at a point in space and time; Twilight however had amended it to instead focus on a singular personage, one Starswirl the Bearded, perhaps the greatest pony wizard to ever exist.
An arcane glow formed about her horn as a swirling vortex opened above her. Her eyes slowly opened and glowed white with the impossible arcane energies she was channeling. It was only then when she saw the scroll through the filter of deep arcana did she see the mistake in her arcane calculations.
"Oh buc-" was all Twilight managed to utter before a bolt of arcane lightning leapt from the swirling vortex above her, connected with her body, and then as if it was a solid thing pulled her violently in to the magical portal which snapped shut behind her with a sound suspiciously like a "slurp".
In the aftermath one little dragon sat alone in Twilight's study wondering what had just happened.
In a long ago and far away place, beneath a tree on a very small world, sat a man. This man had not moved in a very long time as he sat and pondered the eternity that existed just beyond his little world. Aside from the strangeness of the world he lived in you could in fact say his life was rather boring, each day exactly like the last: sit, think, and breathe.
This day though was rather abruptly different. With a sound reminiscent of cosmic flatulence a rather violent-looking hole opened in reality and out popped a smoking purple pony princess which flopped limply in front of the man interrupting his centuries-long think.
With slow deliberation the third most momentous event in this world's history occurred, the first being the creation of said world and the second being the arrival of a medium-well pony princess, the man stood. With the careful steps of one not used to such exertion the man stepped over to the mortal vessel of one Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Element of Magic and laid his fingers on her neck feeling for a pulse and found none.
With the detached curiosity of a scientist he brushed her mane from her eyes and observed as they stared vacantly, he lifted her wings and noted they were not large enough to generate lift of a body such as hers as he released them to fall limp to the ground, he lifted her hind leg and observed that it indeed was in fact, a her. For the first time in a millennium the man had a puzzle. A smallish, four-legged creature, vaguely equine, female, and of obviously vast magical power to penetrate so deep in to the planer cosmology, had plopped down dead as a door nail in front of him.
The man stood there pondering the living-impaired pony princess for many days. He worried not about rot or ruin of the cute corpse as he did not allow time to flow in this place. After yet another long think he reached a decision and the fourth most momentous event of this world occurred. The man spoke.
Words of arcane power left his lips and at the same time arcane symbols formed on the ground in a circle around the mortal remains of his first ever visitor. With gentleness and respect he knelt down and placed his hand on her forehead. Visions of the princess flashed in his mind's eye. Her entire life from birth to death stretched before him and a frown formed on his face.
For the second time ever this world bore witness to the spoken word, "This will not do."
On the outskirts of the town of Ponyville stood the Everfree Forest, a wild and untamed place that had long resisted the hoof of ponykind. It stood as a place of strange life and stranger magics. Often these strange things would escape the borders of the forest and pose a threat, or at least a nuisance, to the denizens of the small town. All things considered, Ponyville was rather jaded to strange occurances. And so it was few took notice when a young dragon came running from the local castle looking for his friends. Fewer still took notice when a small section of the Everfree winked out of existence to be replaced with a roughly half-acre circle of grass not matching the neighboring foliage and a lone pine tree with a man bearing a passed pony princess in his arms.
The man took measure of his surroundings, reaching out with senses both mundane and arcane. He found a rather average set of physical rules in place but a surprisingly odd set of magical rules. As he expanded his senses outward he felt a universe on the smallish side, it's cosmic shell being just a little over one astronomical unit in diameter and hosting a geocentric solar system with one smallish solar body and one moon orbiting the world.
For one able to expand their senses so, and understand an underlying reality, comes power. Vast power. Such power does not easily go unnoticed. The man was well aware of this and was unsurprised when he found the reality around him go still as time itself came to a halt and a being manifested before him.
This being shared the same general shape of the slightly cooked corpse in his arms, though where the deceased he bore was a bit on the shorter and slightly pudgy side with purple fur, the being before him seemed to be made of light itself. She, for there was no doubt in the man's mind this being was feminine, stood taller than the six feet of the man. Her face was flat and featureless, only a line of a mouth and two black pits where eyes would be sat beneath a spear-like horn. A flowing red mane and tail trailed behind her borne on an ethereal wind while a pair of angelic wings twitched at her side. On her flank she bore a symbol, a quill drawing out a Mobius strip.
"I have brought no harm to your vassal." spoke the man.
The being made of light made no acknowledgement of his words.
"She has passed before her measure. My intent does not violate the One Truth."
The being made of light lowered her head, her spear-like horn pointed at his breast, her wings flared in challenge.
"You know who I am. You know the consequence if we do battle in your realm. I am asking permission to enter, not demanding."
The being made of light pawed the ground as if to prepare a charge.
"I will not challenge your dominion of this realm."
The luminous alicorn folded her wings and met the man's gaze. He stepped forward, his mouth opening and closing as words not matching the movements of his lips came forth. If it were possible, the luminous being would have appeared startled as the man spoke in the Words of Creation in which no falsehood exist, "This. Is. Wrong."
With a measured pace the luminous matron of the realm stepped forward and met the man, leveling her gaze. She nodded once then bent her neck forward and placed a gentle kiss on the forehead of the cooked corpse. In an instant the body was restored, though she remained quite dead. The mighty matron next reached to the man and gently nuzzled his cheek then stepped back.
"Thank you." The man quietly intoned with a bow of his head.
The luminous alicorn bowed her head in return and then after a slightly disorienting jar reality resumed it's natural pace and the man was alone with his self-imposed charge.
Applejack stood at her market stall selling apples of all kinds while enjoying the cool autumn day. She watched ponies go about the various stalls around her own trading coin for the year's bountiful harvest. She looked down at her till and smiled happily at the small mountain of bits she was pulling in. This had been a good harvest and even better coin earned from it. Her wool-gathering came to an abrupt halt when a pink pony of the earth variety ran up to her stall with a small purple dragon running in on his stubby little legs from the opposite direction.
"Applejack!" both called out at the same time as they narrowly avoided colliding before the farmer's stall.
"What in tarnation! Pinkie, Spike what’s all the ruckus about?" Demand the orange apple farmer.
Spike spoke up first, "Something awful has happened! Twilight was experimenting with a new spell and disappeared! I can't find her anywhere!"
Pinkie suddenly piped up, "I also had a pinchy knee and achy teeth!"
Applejack raised an eyebrow, "Ok, I get why Spike is worried but what's up with that combination Pinkie?"
Applejack was well aware of Pinkie Pie's "Pinkie Sense" and even knew what some of the various combinations of aches and pains foretold, but this was a new one to her. Pinkie paused to draw in a deep breath and then burst forth, "It means somepony has died!"
Applejack stood in shock as the possible implication sunk in, she rolled her shoulders and stood a bit straighter. Reaching up she adjusted her Stetson a bit. "Spike, go round up Rarity, I'll grab Fluttershy and try to find Dash. Let's all meet back at the castle map room and work out forming ah posse ta search for Twilight."
Spike sped off to round up his crush while Pinkie, her mane uncharacteristically straight, looked at Applejack and asked, "Do…do you think Twilight..."
"Ah don't know sugarcube, let's hope it's just an unfortunate coincidence. C'mon, let’s go get Flutters and Dash."
Applejack sped to Fluttershy's cottage, making it to the outskirts of Ponyville in record time. There they found the shy and gentle pegasus tending to her animal friends. "Oh hello Applejack and Pinkie Pie, what brings you two out here?"
Taking her Stetson and holding it to her chest Applejack replied, "Twilight's gone missing and Pinkie has dun gone and gotten a real bad feeling about it. We're rounding up tha girls to meet at the castle and form ah posse to hunt for her."
"Oh my! I'll go find Dash right away and bring her to the castle!" Fluttershy exclaimed and immediately took off towards the cloud home of the prismatic pegasus.
Applejack and Pinkie Pie began to make their way back to Twilight's castle when they spotted something that stopped them in their tracks. In a field paralleling the road back to Ponyville walked a strange creature, something like a minotaur but without horns and fur. It was completely bald save for a small circle of hair around it's mouth and a pair of bushy eyebrows. It wore a simple blue tunic and a pair of trouser belted at the waist with a pair of soft brown boots on it’s feet. But what drew their attention the most was the limp form of their beloved friend Twilight Sparkle carried in it's arms as it slowly walked towards town.
Something broke in Pinkie Pie at this sight. She knew, somehow she knew, Twilight was gone. She ran forward, screaming and crying. "Stop! STOP! STOP YOU MEANIE! WHAT DID YOU DO!?"
The man hearing screams of anguish and heartbreak stopped his march towards the place where these events began as he turned and observed a distraught pink equine native, minus wings and and horn, racing towards him. He stood quietly, holding perfectly still, gently cradling his pitiful burden.
Pinkie, having never lost a friend, and confronted with a creature she did not comprehend holding the mortal remains of said friend; screamed in fury lashing out a hoof at the thing holding Twilight's body with all her earth pony might. Her mighty punch, capable of shattering stone, connected with the creature's gut. He did not move nor react in any appreciable way. He merely stood there, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.
Pinkie continued to throw kicks and punches at the man strong enough to bring down a mountainside. The man endured stoically. Applejack stood dumbstruck, this minotaur-like being was taking blows from an earth pony strong enough to shake the earth without flinching or any other outward sign. For all of the pink fury being unleashed he may as well have been struck by a feather.
After a time Pinkie hung her head, huffing and puffing as she wore herself out. The man stepped past the pooped pink party pony and approached the apple farmer. "I know of you Vessel of Truth. From the one I bear. No lie can be spoken in your presence and go unnoticed. I brought no harm to your friend. I am returning her home."
Applejack was taken aback at the strange creature's words. She found no hint of falsehood. She was further startled when he lay Twilight's corpse across her back. "Let not her remains touch the earth. It is not yet time for her to return to it." The creature said in a commanding, if somehow kind, voice.
He turned from Applejack who now bore Twilight across her back and walked in his strange two-legged manner back to Pinkie Pie. Kneeling down he caught the weeping mare up in his arms and gently hugged her to his chest. He stroked her mane while whispering in a soothing voice, "Weep not Avatar of Mirth, despair is not yours to know. I will do all I can to make this wrong thing right."
With a choked sob the pink pony looked up at the strange creature she had assaulted and now offered her comfort, "W-who...what...are you? What happened?"
"You will know in time. I promise, I am here to help. Now please, take me to her castle, I must return her to the beginning if I am to give her aid."
With that, two confused and despairing earth ponies led the man to Ponyville.
Deep in the Castle of Friendship, in the study of one Twilight Sparkle (deceased), gathered a mass of mourning mares. Twilight’s body had been laid and wrapped respectfully in an old blanket on the study floor. Her head lay on a pillow with her mane brushed from her eyes. Were it not for her open orbs staring lifelessly in to eternity and the lack of the gentle rise and fall of her chest, one would almost think she was asleep.
Gathered around her remains were her five closest friends, one young dragon, and the strange creature that had borne her body from the Everfree. All save the man wept openly, holding each other. Pinkie was being cradled by Applejack, her mane hanging limp, tears flowing freely, while Applejack gave shuddering breaths here and there trying to stay strong for her pink friend. Rainbow Dash sobbed softly, making no effort to cover her grief with her usual bravado. By her side Fluttershy leaned in to her, eyes closed, weeping silently.
Rarity held the shattered Spike close to her barrel, nuzzling his head and stroking his back as he alternated between wailing and weeping for his lost Twilight. Applejack turned he gaze to the pair. Rarity, her mascara running as freely as her tears, gently held her young charge. Applejack knew better than any of the others what Spike was likely feeling, he was now effectively an orphan.
Her gaze eventually moved to the creature sitting on the floor beside Twilight. His strange two-legged form sat with his legs crossed and his hands resting on his knees. He stared at the corpse, his gaze unblinking and unnerving. Were it not for the gentle rise and fall of his chest she might suspect he too was dead.
Time passed and eventually the room grew quiet and one by one six pairs of eyes turned to the stranger in their midst. Finally the shy pegasus Fluttershy of all ponies broke the silence, “Um…excuse me…mister…could you tell us how you plan to help Twilight…if you don’t mind?”
Fluttershy meekly hid behind her mane after daring to speak. She was still terrified of the newcomer. Though to be fair she was to this day terrified of her own shadow. The only reason she didn’t flee at the sight of him was because Applejack and assured the group that he had not harmed Twilight and was here to help.
The man looked to the little yellow pegasus who had spoken to him. Choosing his words carefully, for in such situations words can be powerful, he spoke, “Little Harbinger of Light, my plan is simple. Each of us is granted a measure of life when we enter the world. Some of us more than others. The nature of the spell Twilight was casting disrupted her fate. Killing her before her measure of life was lived. I am going to reconnect her mortal form with the measure of life she has been granted. Then I will call her soul back from what lies beyond the mortal veil to occupy the body once more.”
Rainbow Dash with a mixture of grief and vexation spoke up loudly, “Wait wait wait…are you telling us you are going to raise Twilight from the dead? Like some zombie or something?”
The man grimaced and fixed Rainbow Dash with an icy stare, “Here me Scion of Honor, I am not some second rate necromancer animating the flesh of the fallen. I mean to restore true and natural life to your fallen friend. This will take all my concentration as well as a little help from all of you.”
Rarity perked up at that, “All of us dear? How can we help?”
“Yeah...h-how…can we help get her back?” Spike stuttered trying to choke back more tears.
“Once I begin the ritual we will exist partially in the realm she now dwells in. Talk to her, you won’t hear her but she will hear you. Tell her why she needs to come back. Tell her what unfinished work she has. Tell her something, anything, to encourage her soul to return.” The man lectured in a soft tone.
He turned his head to each pony in the room, one by one, finally he said, “She has to want to come back.”
His words sunk in to each pony and one little dragon before finally puffing his chest out Spike commanded, “I’m the closest thing to family she has present…please do it…”
With a nod the man reached beneath his tunic and pulled out a medallion. It was triangular in shape; about three inched on a side. It was made of brushed silver with a stylized eye in the middle. He took it from his neck before handing it over to Fluttershy.
“Wha…what do I do with this?” Fluttershy asked timidly as she took the medallion from the man.
“Prayer Harbinger of Light, this is part of the ritual. I need you to pray to who or whatever you believe in. This is a key part of resurrection magic.” The man replied gently.
“I…I don’t really believe in anything other than nature…can’t you pray for her?” Fluttershy stammered in reply.
“I don’t have anyone to pray to anymore little one. I am sure praying to nature spirits would be just fine.” He replied with a gentle smile.
Fluttershy nodded and held the holy symbol to her chest and with a bowed head began to beseech Mother Nature for the return of her friend taken to soon. While she prayed the man pulled a small knife from a pouch on his belt and unfolded it. The others watched curiously and then with a mix of horror and disgust as the man slit the palms of his hands open.
“A measure of my life to restore one lost too soon.” The man intoned deeply.
On his hands and knees he circled the body, drawing a circle in his own blood around Twilight. He stopped at her head, closing the circle, before entering it and sitting in a lotus position, discarding the pillow that had be propping up Twilight’s head. He gingerly laid her head in his lap and again with his own blood drew a series of arcane runes, “A second offering of my life’s blood to guide you home.”
The only sound in the room for several minutes was the gentle whispering of Fluttershy’s please to the spirit world. Then suddenly all the torches, candles, and even the fading sunlight streaming through the window went dark. The only light remaining in the room was a soft blue glow from the man’s hands cradling Twilight’s head.
A faint chanting could be heard from the man, even quieter that Fluttershy’s earnest prayers. As time passed the glow grew bright enough to illuminate his face. His eyes were closed and his face was set in a mask of deep concentration. Rainbow Dash took note that the words she heard him chanting did not seem to match his mouth movements. She was thoroughly creeped out.
As the glow grew brighter the chanting grew softer, eventually the only sound in the room was the breathing of the ponies and dragon and the soft prayers of the butter colored pegasus. The near silence was finally broken as the man spoke, “Each of you, one by one, tell her why she should return.”
Fluttershy stopped her prayers that she had focused on for the last few hours. With a gulp she put on a brave face and spoke, “You are our rock Twlight, the glue that binds us together. We wouldn’t be who we are without you.”
“Good…keep going.” The man softly declared.
Rarity spoke up next, “Twilight…you are a constant source of inspiration to me…I…I’m not ready to lose you…”
Rainbow Dash spoke up next, “Twi…I know I tease you for being an egghead but…you are one of my best friends…who else am I going to read books with…”
“The connection grows stronger, keep going!” The man called out, his face starting to show signs of strain.
Pinkie spoke up next, “Twi…I…I have never lost a friend…I’m not ready to plan a wake…come back Twi…please…pretty please…”
Applejack rubbed a hoof down Pinkie’s back, took a shuddering breath, and spoke, “Twi, girl I ain’t one for fancy words so I’ll speak from mah heart. I’m sick of mah loved ones dying on me. Yer family Twi, and apple in all the ways that matter. I love ya Twi, we all do and if we can have you back…”
A sudden intake of breath could be heard as Twilight began to breath then began thrashing, only the tightly wound blanket around her kept her legs from flailing. Turning his head the man opened his eyes and looked to Spike, “Say something little drake.”
Spike wrung his hands together, watching Twilight body writhe and gasp as the man held her head firmly in place. He didn’t know what to say or do. He just wanted Twilight back he just wanted his…”I love you mom.”
Those simple words from the mouth of a child reached out across the link the man had made between the world of the living and the world to come. With a mighty wail a wind sprung from seemingly nowhere. The circle of blood around the man and the alicorn began to glow brightly and finally with a sharp intake of breath Twilight shot upright in to a sitting position.
She turned her head at once looking all around her but seeming to take nothing in. Finally she turned and saw the man. A look of unbridled rage crossed her face as she put her hooves around his neck and began to shake him. “WHY!? WHY!? WHY DID YOU BRING ME BACK? I WAS AT REST! I WAS AT PEACE!”
The man sat stoically as the Purple Princess tried to choke the life out of him. He reached up and gently removed her hooves from his neck and pulled her to his body, hugging her tightly and stroking her back, “Shhh, be at peace Student of Magic, I know what you saw. I know what you felt. Your mortal mind will forget in time. For now look to those around you, those who love you. Let their love for you calm your heart.”
Taking it as a cue, five mares and one dragon ponypiled the duo, crying, laughing, and hugging. One brave white mare even tried to plant a chaste kiss on the man’s lips only to frown as he turned his head at the last moment to take the kiss on his cheek.
The six mares and one dragon talked long in to the night, Twilight, cuddled Spike in her forelegs as he clung to the fur of her chest. The conversation drifted from one topic to another but the general tone remained that her friends wouldn’t know what to do without her. The man sat in silence watching, an outsider not participating. As the morning sun began to peek through the window the man stood.
Without a word he began making his way out of the castle only to be stopped by Twilight calling out to him, “Wait! Please don’t go.”
“What more can I do for you Student of Magic?” The man inquired.
“Please…you have done so much for us…for me…we don’t even know who you are, what you are for that matter. Please, stay and talk to us.” Twilight pleaded.
The man looked over to Twilight’s friends seeing a menagerie of exhausted faces. One particular prismatic pegasus was hunched over a buttery colored pegasus sound asleep while her plush, pink-maned, pillow looked on at her friends in a silent plea for help.
Looking back to Twilight the man retorted, “It would seem your friend’s energy for socializing is spent. This has been tiring, for all of us. I will be retiring to me home to rest. Once I feel up to it I will pay you a social call.”
With a half bow he turned to make for the front door once more, “Wait…I…we still don’t know your name.”
Without turning the man said, “You can call me Blacksmith…it is…or was my trade. I suppose it will do as well as any other name.”
He paused then turned to face Twilight once more and spoke in a voice low enough as to not be heard by the others, “You and I share a bond few do Twilight Sparkle. We have seen the world to come. It forever changes you. It is the difference between faith and knowledge. If you need someone to talk to, seek me at the edge of the forest that borders the town.”
He turned once more to leave then stopped, “Oh, before I forget, if you wish to write to your mentor about your experience…please leave details of me out. I am a very…private…man. I have no wish to draw any more attention to myself than I already have. Also stop messing with time travel. You are an amateur at best with chronomancy.”
With that the man exited the castle and disappeared in to the town.
The man sat beneath his tree contemplating the events of the day. He had acted. For the first time in the turn of an age he had imposed his will on creation. He had been careful though, he had given his trade, not his name or one of his many titles. With luck he would remain unnoticed by all but the Matron of this world.
As if summoned by his thought of her she appeared at the border of his half-acre.
"So. You came."
She turned her head quizzically.
"Oh don't give me that. I am sure you are just making sure I was in and out with as little fuss as possible."
She tilted her head the other way.
"Well what did you expect me to do? I wasn't about to have her pray to me. I told you I would not challenge your dominion here."
She pinned her ears back and stared with her vacant eyes at the man.
"Don't try to blame me, this plane is so aligned with Order that I am surprised I could even pull that ritual off."
The luminous mare stood, pawing the ground just at the edge of Equestrian soil and the man's little plot of land.
The man sighed, "If it means that much to you...I grant you permission to enter my domain as long as your intent is peaceful."
Slowly the mare of light strode on to the man's land. Her form rippled taking on the appearance of a woman with long red hair down to her knees, covering her modesty. On her chest, over her heart, was a Mobius strip with a quill inking it. With careful steps she approached the man and wrapped her arms around his neck. She opened her mouth and spoke quietly, "Thank you."
The Matron stood there for a long time hugging the man that had restored one of her lost children.
Somewhen in the ether of the planes a half-acre sized chunk of the Everfree Forest popped in to being. Forests as a whole don't think much of their situation, however the Everfree being a magical sort of forest took stock of it's situation and thought to itself, "Oh bother, I didn't bring any cucumber sandwiches."
Author's Note
I wrote some pony words. Let me know if you like them. 
Our "human" is in fact a Gary Stu. I am well aware. 
Mid winter had settled over Ponyville leaving the rooftops covered with a layer of snow. At the midnight hour all with any sense were snug in their beds, all but one purple alicorn princess. Twilight Sparkle stalked the halls of her castle as if she was searching for something. Periodically she would pause at the bedroom door of her number one assistant as he slept soundly.
No she thought, my son. Ever since Twilight's magical mishap the relationship between herself and the baby dragon had changed. She felt shame at how she had treated him over the years, as a little brother at best and a servant at worst. Yet still Spike loved her dearly. As he had put it in one of their many talks since her death and rebirth, she hatched him, raised him, schooled him, and in all the ways that mattered she was his mother.
Since that day when the strange Blacksmith had brought her back she had prowled the castle at night, unable to banish the visions of the other side from her mind. As such she had taken to turning her insomnia fueled wanderings in to a vigil of her home and her draconic son. What's more she considered Spike her reason for being now. The pursuit of knowledge and magic had been her life up until that day. Now...she only found joy in being a mother.
Her death had wrought unthinkable change, or unthinkable if her friends knew, books left unread, assignments incomplete, experiments unfinished, and even research abandoned. She had focused all her energies on being a mother, and Spike adored it. For the first time in his life, Spike truly felt valued and loved.
Twilight though, she felt shame and regret. She had come to Ponyville to learn the magic of friendship, yet had failed to learn the friendship between a parent and child. This weighed heavily on her soul as she stalked the halls of her castle. She shook her head vigorously as yet another fleeting image of the other side popped in to mind. It had been months now and the visions persisted.
She thought back to the last exchange she had with the Blacksmith, how he had told her that the visions would fade, but they had not...
"Seek me at the edge of the forest that borders the town."
Those words of the Blacksmith echoed in her mind. It was not the first time she had thought of him but she had not gone to him for council as he had suggested. In the darkest of night when all was still and only her thoughts remained would she admit this Blacksmith, this strange creature that had restored her life cut short...terrified her.
On this wintry night though, Twilight's fear-fuel resolve broke. It was too much, what she saw, what she increasingly longed to return too... Twilight found her wandering had taken her to one of the balconies of a smaller tower of the castle. With one last look back she flapped her wings and flew off in to the night.
Four purple pony hooves gently alighted on on the fresh fallen snow at the edge of the Everfree. The night was black under the new moon with only the stars and the gentle glow of magic off Twilight Sparkle's horn lighting the night. Twilight stalked the tree line like a predator sniffing out prey, her head low and swinging about looking for some sign of the Blacksmith.
Four an hour she alternated between searching on hoof and searching by air, but no sign of the Blacksmith could be found. With her frustration building she finally set down back where she had originally landed and planted her haunches on the snow covered ground. She lowered her head and began to weep, whispering softly to herself, "I can't unsee what I saw...I can't go back until my time is done...what do I do?"
From behind her a gentle voice spoke, "We endure."
With a startled gasp Twilight spun to find herself facing the Blacksmith, "What...how did you get behind me? How long have you been there?"
"I was always here. Except when I wasn't. Or sometimes when I will be." He replied.
Twilight paused a moment trying to make sense of his answer. A moment later she gave up and simply said, "You told me the memories would fade...that I would forget...they haven't...please...help..."
Tears once more began to fall from the corner of the alicorn's eyes. The Blacksmith knelt before her and laid his hand upon her shoulder, "Come with me Student of Magic. Let us get out of the cold."
With those words he walked past the teary Twilight towards a small half-acre clearing with a single pine tree in the middle and a small, warm, and inviting looking hut.
As Twilight turned and followed him in a haze of near despair her analytical alicorn mind registered two things as she followed him in to the cottage. The first being that this clearing had not been here a moment ago and the second that no snow was falling within it's bounds.
The interior of the Blacksmith's cottage was warm and cozy by pony standard, if somewhat simply adorned. A stone hearth took up the center of one wall with a roaring fire lighting the room. A cooking pot was hung on an iron hinge above it bubbling and wafting out the pleasant smell of cooking vegetables. Against the opposite wall was a simple, if large, bed. Gracing the rear wall was a rather large bookcase filled with tomes and folios of all sizes. Where the bookcase ended another door stood open showing a glimpse of a humble bathroom.
In the middle of the cottage stood a table and two chairs, a pair of steaming mugs sitting at each place. The Blacksmith took a seat and beckoned for Twilight to take the other. Somewhat timidly Twilight stepped forward and climbed up on to the large (for a pony) chair.
"Have some tea." The Blacksmith said while gesturing to the steaming mug before her.
"Ummm...I don't really drink tea...I...I like coffee." She mumbled.
"Of course you do, so have some coffee, black with two sugars, just like you like it." He replied.
Twilight looked down in her cup and where a moment before was reddish colored tea was now a mug of black coffee. Shaking her head she took a sip of the black bean brew. With a contended sigh she set the mug back down and allowed a small smile, it was very good coffee.
"Now, don't you feel a bit better?" Asked the Blacksmith.
To Twilight's surprise she did. Maybe it was the coffee, maybe the cozy surrounding, or maybe it was just some special magic...but she did feel better. "Y-yes sir I do. The tea err coffee is very good."
"Excellent. Now, let's have a look at you and see what we can do about those pesky memories and your depression." He said in a matter-of-fact tone.
Twilight was taken aback, out of the blue he just seemed to know she was depressed. He said nothing for some time. He simply sat, staring at her with an unnerving, unblinking, stare. Twilight made to say something several times over the course of a silent hour but each time it simply felt...wrong...to break the silence.
After what felt like hours the Blacksmith blinked and let forth a heavy sigh. Emptying his teacup in one draw he finally broke the silence, "Student of Magic, I fear I have done evil to you that can not be undone."
Twilight looked at him with an owlish stare before stuttering, "Wha...what do you mean?"
Setting his elbows on the table, the blacksmith cupped his face in what Twilight took as a gesture of shame. He then spoke, "The magic I worked on you, it is only to be worked on mortals taken before their measure. The memories would fade over time as the mortal mind is unable to hold on to what is to come."
Pausing he refilled his tea from a pot that twilight swore was not there a moment ago. Bracing himself with a strong mug of coffee and setting the coffee pot aside he continued, "I realize now my folly Student of Magic, you have been touched by the divine. Inside you is carried just a small spark of something...greater...than others. That is why you retain the memory. For you Student of Magic, you can comprehend."
With shame in his eyes he took the bottle of whisky on the table and refilled his glass, twirling it around the ice, and then downing it in one go. Twilight sat, he mouth opening and closing trying to find words. Finally she spoke in a soft voice, "I...I want to go back..."
The Blacksmith stood and walked around the table an knelt beside the chair Twilight sat upon and to her surprise wrapped her in a pony-crushing hug. A strange sense of warmth suffused Twilight as she felt a sense of patronly safety in this strange creature's arms. After a moment Twilight felt dampness on her fur as she realized the Blacksmith was weeping silently. She rested her head on his bald pate and the one in need of comfort became the one to give it.
Taking comfort in each other the Blacksmith finally spoke, "We can't go back. Not until our measure is lived. We can only endure."
Twilight said her goodbyes and made her way back to her castle with a promise to visit again and an open invitation for the Blacksmith to visit her in kind. As the Blacksmith watched her take wing in to the night he turned to a luminous alicorn with a flowing red mane at the border of his half acre.
"You should have told me what she was. I could have better prepared her for the burden." He spoke without making eye-contact.
The alicorn let out a heavy snort in reply.
"You let me enter your domain and preform the ritual. You bear equal responsibility."
The alicorn merely pawed the ground.
"She will carry those memories until her measure has run it's course. They will always hang over her. She is no longer innocent." He spoke with no small amount of sadness in his voice.
A pair of alabaster arms encircled him from behind as woman with fiery hair embraced him, resting her chin upon his shoulder.
She spoke two soft words, "Forgive me..."
Twilight arrived back at her castle to find Spike still asleep in his bed, snoring up a storm that would have been the envy of some adult dragons. With a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth she went to wake him knowing the sun would be up soon. She paused though when she saw his clock. That can't be right. She thought.
Stepping out of his room she caught sight of a purple alicorn mare with a very familiar cutiemark taking flight from a balcony window off towards the forest.
Author's Note
I made you dis.
Also updated the information blurb regarding sex and romance etc. That plot line has been removed from this story and will become a different one at a later time. Rating and tags adjusted accordingly. Apologies if this upsets anyone. The direction I want to take this just doesn't seem fitting to have that kind of content.
All things considered, a hammer is a curious tool. It can be used to both create, destroy, and remake. It is the quintessential tool from which all others flow. It can be as humble as a lump of rock used to chip away at another, or as elaborate as a mammoth piston-driven contraption striking with the combined force of thousands of men. A hammer can even be a powerful symbol, in the hands of politicians representing unrelenting force, or in the hands of the humble blacksmith representing his trade. However, at the end of the day, a hammer is nothing more than a heavy lump. The man who wields it determines it's greatness.
Pinkie Pie was happily pronking through Ponyville on a pleasant Sunday when she heard a curious sound.
*tink* *tink* *tink* *shhhhhhhhhhh*
Now what could that be? Though the pink pie mare. Maybe something fun!
Her curiosity getting the better of her she turned and pronked down a side alley which she had never been down. There before her at the end she found the curious Blacksmith hammering away in front of a small smithy that had been set up. She watched in fascination as he deftly worked a bit of raw steel. Over time she smiled widely as the inert metal slowly formed in to the shape of a large cooking spoon. For hours she sat fascinated by skill on display, in fact some would be more fascinated by Pinkie Pie sitting still and not speaking.
After a final quenching and polishing the Blacksmith deigned to take notice of Pinkie Pie, "Step closer Avatar of Mirth have a look at my craft."
With wide eyes Pinkie strode forward and inspected the large spoon, it was almost two feet in length and quite heavy. The metal gleamed with a beautiful Damascus pattern. The Blacksmith smiled as she hefted the spoon with a gleaming smile as she exclaimed, "This would be awesome to use to mix frosting in my big pot! The weight would make stirring chilled cream so much easier!"
With a smile the Blacksmith scratched Pinkie between her ears and said, "Then it is yours Avatar of Mirth, use it well to bring joy to others."
If it were possible, and with Pinkie most things are, her eyes grew even wider, "For really?! You're just giving it to me!?"
The Blacksmith nodded, "I have no need for coin, I craft because it pleases me to do so. If someone can enjoy the fruits of my labor then I feel even more joy."
"You have to let me throw you a party! I still haven't thrown you an official Welcome to Ponyville and Thank You For Saving Twilight Party!", Pinkie exclaimed with unbridled enthusiasm.
With a shake of his head the Blacksmith proclaimed, "I would rather you did not Avatar of Mirth, I have said before I am a private man. I ask nothing more than peace and...well...a place to practice my trade." while gesturing to his humble looking smithy.
With drooping ears and sad eyes Pinkie asked, "Not...not even a little party?"
"No, not even a little one. I know it hurts you and I am very sorry. I value my privacy too much and I dislike being around too many people, or ponies, at once." he said solemnly.
Pinkie opened her mouth to respond when she was cut off by a loud scream, "THEY TOOK MY SISTER! THEY TOOK SWEETIE!"
One Rarity Belle stood in the town square wailing as if all the banshee's of old Ire were streaming from the depths of her soul. "Please someone help!" She cried, "They foalnapped Sweetie Belle!"
Though many gathered none lifted a hoof to help the distressed mare, none save for the unusual Blacksmith and a panicking pronking Pinkie Pie making their way out of a seldom-visited alley and quickly to the screaming mare's side.
Pinkie immediately wrapped Rarity in a hug and looked around in distress, this was not the kind of unhappiness she knew how to deal with. Finally with a pleading look she locked eyes with the Blacksmith and mouthed please help...
With a small sigh the Blacksmith knelt before Rarity and brushed her disheveled mane from her eyes, "Tell me what happened Lady of Generosity." he spoke in a soft but firm voice.
Sniffling and trying to compose herself Rarity shakily answered, "W-we were out in the g-gem fields. We were j-jumped by D-d-diamond D-dogs...they t-took Sweetie...they s-said she would make a g-good s-slave...oh please! Please save my sister!"
Without a word the Blacksmith stood, he reached in to his tool belt and pulled forth a small hammer. He looked to the hammer and then gave a deep sigh as if a heavy burden had been placed upon him. After a moment of deliberation he spoke, "Avatar of Mirth, make haste and find your friends. Comfort the Lady of Generosity. I will return within the hour with her sister."
Without waiting for a reply he strode off in the direction of the gem fields, his hammer in a white-knuckled grip by his side. No one, not even the Blacksmith saw the luminous alicorn standing in the crowd with an expression somewhere between anger and curiosity on her face.
The Gem Fields outside Ponyville were usually a good hour's trot one way. This did not deter the Blacksmith once he left sight of Ponyville. If one had been watching it would have seemed as if for a brief moment the world held it's breath and where once was a tall, muscled, blacksmith, was now just an empty stretch of road.
Many miles away three Diamond Dogs of lazy work ethic and questionable morals stood around a cowering unicorn filly. The unfortunate fill lay, bound, gagged, and crying at the feet of her captors as the malicious mutts discussed her fate.
One dog, a rather hulking brute with the face of a pit bull spoke up, "Eh, she don't look like she be much good for da mines. I say we ram a spit through her and cooks her up real good."
Another dog, slightly smaller with the face of a shepherd replied, "Are you daft Greasebone? You know the trouble we would bring down on us if we ate a pony? I say we ransom her for more gems!"
After listening to his companions the third diamond dog, not as large as the others, but immaculately groomed and dressed with the face of a black lab spoke up, "Greasebone, Reichtail, both of you are daft." he stated quite matter-of-factly.
Both named dogs turned from their argument to look at the smaller dog. After a pause Reichtail spoke, "Well Blackrover, what do you thinks we should do?"
As Blackrover drew in a breath to answer a fourth voice spoke from behind them, "I think you should be good dogs and untie her and send her on her way home."
With a collective yelp all threedogs turned towards the voice while drawing vicious looking knives from their belt. Before them was a creature unlike any they had ever seen. It was almost as large as Greasebone, powerful corded muscles rippled under the skin of it's hairless pinkish arms. It had no hair nor fur save for a pair of bushy eyebrows and a patch of salt-and-pepper beard around it's mouth. It stood before them with an air of contempt, tapping a small hammer in the palm of it's beefy hand.
With a muffled growl Greasebone lifted Sweetie Belle by her scruff earning a pained cry from the distressed filly and further cries as a wicked blade was placed at her throat. "You stay back or I swears I will paint da ground wiff pony guts."
Blackrover spoke up, "Indeed good sir, no need to be a hero here. My comrade will do as he says. If your mission is one of rescue it will be for naught should you make a wrong move."
No further words were spoken for the span of many breaths. Finally with growing impatience Reichtail growled, "Well, are you deaf and dumb, say something."
After yet another pregnant pause the Blacksmith slipped his hammer back in to his tool belt and spoke softly, "I made a promise, long ago, to never again take a life. I have taken so many. Were they to be counted they would number more than your entire race."
The dogs exchanged glances and the hulking Greasebone spoke derisively, "Ifin you wants her. You gots to take her weirdo."
With a raised eyebrow the Blacksmith replied, "So you wish to fight me? Don't you think it is a little hot for that."
The dogs watched curiously as they heard the word "hot" yet the mouth movements did not match. Their curiosity turned to pain and surprise as the steel knives in their hands suddenly glowed red hot forcing them to drop them. Once disarmed the Blacksmith strode forward and spoke, "With a word I could rend the flesh from your bones, with a gesture I could turn your brains to liquid, with a thought I could erase you from time itself..." he trailed off as the dogs backed away.
Bending down he undid Sweetie's bonds and picked her up, cradling the crying filly close, "Be quite and close your eyes Little Crusader, this will all be over in a moment."
With a nod the little filly nuzzled her face to his broad chest and scrunched tight her eyes. Returning his gaze to the dogs he spoke with barely contained rage, "I have made this world my home. The town this gentle soul belongs to is part of my home. An affront to my home is an affront to what is mine."
All three dogs cowered before the flinty stare of the Blacksmith cradling the terrified filly. Summoning a remarkable amount of courage for a diamond dog Blackrover spoke, "Yeah...well what are you going to do, you said you weren't going to kill us."
Without a word the Blacksmith turned and began walking back towards Ponyville cradling his precious cargo. Once out of sight the three dogs relaxed. Looking over to Blackrover, Reichtail said quietly, "I don't think we should take anymore ponies. Too much trouble...I think we gots off easy that time."
As he drew breath to reply the voice of the Blacksmith came from behind them, causing all three to slowly turn in fear, "I said I would not kill you. Gravity however...does not play favorites."
With a gesture all three diamond dogs shot in to the sky as for a brief moment the effect of one of the fundamental forces upon them was reversed.
As promised the Blacksmith returned Sweetie Belle to Rarity within an hour's time. Many tears were shed and many hugs were given by the collected Elements and Crusaders. As an impromptu Pinkie Party began the Blacksmith quietly slipped away only to hear a small voice call out to him once he was away from the festivities.
"Hey wait!" called out Sweetie Belle.
With what could only be called surprise the Blacksmith turned and looked down to the little filly, "You saw me leaving? Curious. What can I do for you Little Crusader?"
Rubbing her hooves together bashfully Sweetie Belle smiled up at the imposing Blacksmith, "I wanted to thank you...you know...for saving me."
With a genuine smile the Blacksmith bent down upon his knee and ruffled the filly's mane, "Think nothing of it Little Crusader."
Sweetie giggled and swatted at his hand and after a moment looked thoughtful, "Hey mister, can I ask you something?"
"Certainly." Came the reply.
"How come you use those flowery sounding names from my sister like 'Lady of Generosity' and 'Avatar of Mirth' wouldn't it be easier to just call them by their names?" she asked with all the innocence of youth.
Arching an eyebrow the Blacksmith asked cautiously, "And tell me little one, what have I been calling you?"
Scrunching her muzzle Sweetie Belle replied, "Um Little Crusader? I kinda like it acctually."
"Facinating..." Intoned the Blacksmith.
He took a moment to look at the mark on her flank, a musical note on a hearld sheild. In that moment many parts of a grand puzzle came together for him. Queitly he asked, "Tell me Little Crusader, do you ever hear music that you cannot find the source of? Do you ever know words without ever having heard them before? Are you good at remembering the names of those you have only met once?"
Sweetie looked perplexed and after a moment nodded in the affirmitive.
The Blacksmith smiled a wide and genuine smile, "You are a very special pony Sweetie Belle."
Something about hearing her name from his lips made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. The world went all wibbly wobbly for a moment and then back to normal. "Wha...what was that?"
"What was what Little Crusader?" the Blackmith asked.
"Oh, nothing. I think today has just been to exciting. I'm gonna go back to the party. Thank you again for saving me mister! Please don't be a stranger!" and with a cheerful wave Sweetie Belle scampered back off to the party.
The Blacksmith stood at the edge of his half-acre staring down the luminous alicorn.
"I am disappointed in you. You were going to let her die."
The alicorn tilted her head to the side, scorn obvious in her features.
"Do not presume to lecture me on fate! Above all others I am intimately familiar with it. You knew when you granted me leave to set foot on your world I would act with my own agency!" He growled, anger leaking in to his normally calm voice.
The alicorn snorted and pawed at the ground.
"I was a protector of my charges. I kept the horrors at bay and when the end came I fought time and time again to save them, and continue even now to do so, before I enact the final mercy! They were and are like my children. I never, never in any iteration, treated their lives as some damned social experiment!" He bellowed.
With a purposeful stride the luminous alicorn crossed in to the Blacksmith's half-acre. Her form rippling and becoming that of a fair, red-haired woman. Calmly she walked to the hulking Blacksmith and wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.
"Such pain in your heart S-" She said in a soft, musical voice before she was cut off.
"Don't say my name. Even here in this pocket of Creation it is not safe." He quietly said wrapping her in his own embrace.
After a time in silence The Woman spoke, "Forgive me. Like my little ponies I am fallible. I should have nudged events to intervene. Not every crisis should be a lesson in Harmony."
With a heavy sigh The Blacksmith rested his chin on The Woman's head while the two still held each other tight. "She has the Gift of Names. I will be taking her as my apprentice."
The Woman said nothing, letting her silence be her consent. Time slowed and the two beings with the weight of worlds on their shoulders stood in a verdant half-acre taking comfort in one another for eternity and a day.
Author's Note
I apologize this has taken so long to get out. My life has been one crisis after another the last few months.
I am bloodied but unbowed.
