Chapters Awakening
Few understand the true dangers of hatred.
So precious few understand what it truly is, it’s insidious power, how easily it can warp one‘s heart and soul, the destruction and despair it can bring, and how even the purest of hearts can still find itself led into its icy embrace.
Hatred is bitter. It’s sharp, painful, and unrelenting, it can cloud one’s mind and erase all rational thought. It can rise up out of nowhere and vanish just as fast. It can turn allies against each other and transform reason and harmony into despair and rage. It can destroy all in its path until nothing but hollow remains are left on its wake.
Hatred is cruel like a harsh winter storm.
Hatred is a Windigo.
That was a truth that once nearly erased all three pony tribes from existence, as the storm of their hatred grew into an endless blizzard while the specters of despair howled their fury amidst the merciless winter winds.
A truth that, had not been for the miracle of harmony brought forth by three individuals, who despite all odds sought out to break free from the clutches of hatred, would have erased the world into a white void.
But as time pass and history turns into myth, truth is lost. Slowly forgotten, bit by bit as the darkness of the ages comes forward with its all encompassing mantle.
The time of the Founders has long since passed, and with them the memories of the bitter cold and the harsh biting winds. Of the eternal blizzards and the apparitions that lurked within their screeching winds. The fearsome Windigos, eldritch beasts of hate and hoarfrost, reduced to mere legends and folktales.
Time has passed; leaving only precious few that still care to remember the truth of what has happened, of the dangers that still slumber far into the endless white ocean of snow and ice of the Frozen North.
Only precious few remember the consequences of the icy touch of hatred and despair, and what was necessary to finally keep the cold at bay. Of the stakes of bringing disharmony into one’s heart.
Time has passed, and the toll of forsaking that which should have been treasured shall now demand its price. For winter’s white embrace is once again stirring.
For the time has come for the mourning cry of hatred to echo once again across the frozen wastelands.
The wind was howling through the heights in the dark moonless night. Crossing frozen valleys and icy peaks on it’s never ending journey through a world forgotten beneath the white embrace of eternal winter.
It’s chilling song echoed through the night as it carried the swirling flakes of fresh snow as they fell to the white blanket down bellow, where they would rest undisturbed alongside the remains of countless past blizzards and snowstorms, immobile and unchanging unto time immemorial.
The Frozen North was known for its stark beauty, its towering spires of sparkling ice and magnificent glaciers that stretched beyond eyesight, just as it was known for its unforgiving climate, harsh wild magic and unchanging appearance.
In no place was this truer than in the white expanses of its innermost reaches, a place where even the few creatures that thrived in the freezing embrace of the north dared not thread.
A place so unchanging and devoid of life that one could even believe that time itself had been frozen in its white void, into its eternal glaciers.
And yet as the first fresh snowflakes of the gathering blizzard that loomed in the horizon slowly fell towards the ground, being carried by the fierce winds of this land, something stirred from within the white void of winter’s embrace.
Deep within the tallest glacier, buried within the ice and snow, words that were not words seemed to reverberate throughout the frozen depths, as one who had been all but forsaken by time slowly awoke from centuries of dreamless slumber.
‘Celestia…’
It was a presence that seemed to permeate the entirety of the icy wastelands that stretched as far as the eyes could see, carrying within it the biting frost of the darkest winter night.
‘Thou will pay…’
Hidden from the world, entombed away in a prison of pure ice, a form long since forgotten by all but precious few awakened from the clutches of her enchanted slumber.
‘Thou will pay for the actions thou hath taken, the choices thou hath made…’
A white manned Pegasus rested in her icy tomb with her eyes closed, her ice blue coat covered by a cloak of the purest white and a silver pendent worn as a tiara resting upon her forehead, a pendent depicting a winged unicorn with a glowing red jewel on its center.
The form was perfectly still, showing no sign at all that there was still life beating throughout her entrapped form, no sign to show that she was more than the ice that surrounded her from all sides.
‘Thou will pay for the dreams thou destroyed, the oaths thou hath broken…’
The entire glacier seemed to tremble for a moment, as if sensing the stirrings of the will it had contained for many long years, as the seal containing the white form trapped within slowly unraveled.
‘For the truth thou extinguished…’
With a sudden movement, that sent thundering cracks crawling throughout the entire icy mass of the glacier, she opened her eyes.
‘Thou will pay…’
Pale blue light seemed to form from the silvery void that had just been opened, growing until pale blue ethereal fire seemed to seep out of her eyes.
‘The time hath come for thou to understand the gravity of thy sins…’
With a mighty roar that seemed to tear the very heavens asunder the entire glacier collapsed into a tempest of crystalline shards, of countless ice spikes that were hurled into the frozen night, each taller than an ancient tree, the howling winds screaming their anguish into the darkness as if in answer to the happenings below.
‘For thou to understand the consequences of thy actions…’
A single flap of her pale wings and the raging blizzard disappeared as if it had never been there, the diamond hard shards of ice immediately settling down upon their master’s command.
Unminding of the biting cold the white clad figure calmly walked towards the edged of the frozen top where she had been held, stopping at the very brink of the white abyss as if to look at the frozen snowy expanses her eyes could not see.
‘It’s time for thou to understand, just as I did so long ago, what it’s like to live without the light...’
The pale blue glow in her eyes intensified for a moment, the red jewel upon her forehead shining in kind, it’s fierce red light gleaming as if in defiance for but a single moment before turning into a deep blue glow.
‘The time hath come for thou to remember the cold embrace of winter’s might…’
The glow intensified, gathering ice at the very center of the shining jewel, growing a pale blue blade like horn on its surface.
An unreadable expression fixed on her face the mare kept perfectly still as the power within her, the raging blizzard that she contained within her very being, grew with each moment that passed.
Her eyes and horn gleaming with the pale blue light of the eternal permafrost, of places where the sun’s blessings where but distant memories, of places where spring’s soft touch would never reach, she faced the horizon.
‘The time hath come…’
She lifted her wings, and as if understanding their master command’s the frozen winds picked up speed, howling their fury, their hatred, their anguish, with renewed intensity.
Ice and snow started to rise from the ground and descend from the sky in an ever growing swirling maelstrom, a raging blizzard forming upon the merest flicker of her pale white wings as the entire world was suddenly encased into a white void.
‘The time hath come for thou to pay for the frozen tears that I hath shed…’
Her face still an expressionless mask, eyes and horn aglow with pale blue light, she flapped her mighty wings, rising high into the sky and into the icy storm of her own creation as she started flying towards the distant south, ghostly equine forms appearing as if out of nowhere to ride the storm alongside her, joining their hate filled cries to the howling winds.
‘Thou shall understand now princess, the mourning fury of the eternal frost…’
‘The time hath come…’
Deep into the heart of Equestria, in the highest tower of Canterlot’s castle, one who had withstood the test of time, one who had seen history turn to legend with her own eyes and understood far too well the price of peace, suddenly awoke from her night’s rest.
Princess Celestia, The Eternal Sun, Diarch of Equestria, awoke from a fitful slumber, a feeling of unease and apprehension permeating her entire being as the remnants of a dream flickered trough her consciousness.
Rising her head from the soft mattress upon which she had been resting she looked around her personal chambers, as if searching for the source of the dread that seemed to be forming upon her heart, for the reason of the sudden weight she could feel upon her soul.
Her silent form stared into the darkness of the night, the light of the stars shining upon her pristine white coat, her multicolored mane gently floating as if picking an ethereal breeze only it could feel.
Letting out a tired sigh she attempted to remember the dream she had just experienced, searching for any possible clues to the reason why her peaceful dreams had been suddenly plagued by nightmares.
But before she could try and meditate on the meaning of her feelings her eyes widened as she saw the breath she had exhaled condensing into a deep white mist right as it left her mouth.
It was the middle of the summer, the temperature should be at its highest point of the entire year, and yet, now that she had stopped for a moment to truly concentrate on her surroundings, she could feel the deep cold emanating from the very air around her.
Rising from her bed she quickly moved towards her balcony, taking in the entire landscape surrounding her castle, from the bustling city sprawled around it, the verdant plains far down bellow stretching into the distance, to the small village near the horizon where her faithful student now dwelled.
But her eyes only briefly took in all these sights, focusing instead into the mass of dark grey clouds that were forming far into the distance at the northern horizon, multiplying with each minute that passed, slowly but surely heading southward and filling the sky with their dark colors, hiding away the stars.
She could feel the chill in the night air, deep and biting like the cold of midwinter, the wind rushing forward with the sharp tang of a snowy night, not the warm summer breeze that had been flowing as she had laid to rest.
And as she took in the uncommon weather, silently wondering how could it had been altered so quickly and in such a drastic manner without her notice, her eyes locked upon a small white shape that was slowly falling towards her awaiting form. A beautifully delicate structure, incredibly detailed despite its small form, glittering upon the night as it was gently carried by the cold winds.
Raising her hoof she stopped the small ice crystal before it could reach the ground, watching as it quickly melted due to her body heat. Gazing upwards once again she watched with a spark of incredulity in her eyes as countless more of their delicate icy forms slowly fell towards the ground.
As the pure white sight of fresh snow falling in a midsummer night filled the night sky, each a beautiful frozen tribute to the stars above.
A look of sudden understanding replacing her incredulity she once again turned her head towards the northern sky, taking in once more the ever darkening clouds that were gathering on that side of the horizon, preceding the distant blizzard that she now knew was surely coming, approaching by the second with the same inevitable surety of the coming dawn.
“Snowdrop…” She murmured in a barely audible whisper, sadness and grief clear in her voice as she closed her eyes in pain and remembrance, in memory of what had been lost due to her own foolishness and rashness so long ago.
And as she stood there, her pristine coat and ethereal mane fluttering upon the icy winds, eyes closed as the truth of what was happening dawned upon her, of the ordeal that awaited her dear little ponies, she shed a single tear.
A single tear that slowly went down her face before falling to the ground, the small drop of water freezing mid-fall due to the growing chill, capturing the pale glow of the stars in but a brief instant only to shatter upon hitting the balcony’s floor.
A frozen tear shed as she acknowledged that the time had come for her to face the sins of the past.
Author's Note
Greetings and salutations.
This story was inspired by both, the amazing My Little Pony OC "Snowdrop" , created by ‘Silly Filly Studios’, and by the animation "The Return of Snowdrop - Act I" ’ created by ‘Dragon Prophecies Studios’ featuring the same OC. My most sincere thanks to both of them.
That particular animation led me to a question, which in turn inspired this work; the question being: how could sweet little Snowdrop realistically be turned into a villain while maintaining the Canon from her original animation? What kind of circumstances could have driven her into the darkness?
This story is the result of those questions, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter, please review before leaving.
Mandatory disclaimer: I do not own either the “My Little Pony” franchise or the OC “Snowdrop”.
Gathering Storm
The day was slowly starting on the small town of Ponyvile, Princess Celestia having just risen the sun past the horizon, signaling the beginning of a new day, a quiet tranquility filling the morning air as the first early risers started to get out of bed.
A tranquility that was suddenly shattered by a panicked shout originating from the library tree at the center of the town, the shout gaining nothing but cursory glances from the few ponies passing by at the early hour, the town having long since grown accustomed to its new residence particular quirks.
“Spike!” Twilight Sparkle shouted at the top of her lungs coming up from the basement of the Golden Oaks Library.
“Where are you Spike! I need a new set of mana crystals, and a thermal convertor! I don’t know what is happening, but all my experiments are facing thermal anomalies!” She shouted while anxiously trotting around the library main room. “If we do not fix it soon the results of my experiments will be completely skewed! Forcing me to remake all of them! This could disrupt the schedule for the whole week!”
Looking around and noticing the absence of her small draconic assistant did precious little to reduce the purple pony panicked state, a state that was not helped by the fact she had spent most of the night up trying to figure out what was causing her experiments to act as if the temperature was dropping to the point of freezing despite it being midsummer.
“SPIKE!”
“Calm down Twilight, I’m coming, I’m coming.” The small purple dragon said while carrying a box in one claw and covering a large yawn with the other. “Sheesh I don’t know what the problem is, it’s not like those experiments are important or something. You can always redo them later.”
“Redo them latter! And what if we have to do something later?! What if we have to postpone something important due to that?!” Twilight said in growing panic, her mane starting to frizzle strand by strand.
“What if because of that delay we miss something important?! What if that delays one of my friendship reports to the Princess?!” She said stopping her nervous trot, a thousandth yard stare entering her features. “I have never been tardy before! I can not disappoint Princess Celestia like that!”
“SPIKE! We cannot allow that to happen!” She shouted moving right in front of her assistant, her mane now a complete mess and her left eye slightly twitching.
A paper bag appearing on her field of view the panicking pony gladly grabbed it and started to breathe in and out inside of it, attempting to control the panic attack she was having.
“Calm down Twilight.” Spike said, putting down the box while watching as his Sister/Mother-figure/Boss/Oldest friend/It’s-complicated tried to calm down. “The Princess knows how much of a hard worker you really are and how devoted you are to your studies, so even if by some miracle it happens for you to suffer a delay she will surely understand.”
“Yup! I can even help you bake an ‘I’m-sorry-I’m-late-but-things-happened-and-it-couldn’t-be-avoided-cake’ for her in order to help!” Pinkie Pie cheerfully exclaimed from right behind her.
“Pinkie! When did you get here?” She questioned with a start, not having noticed her pink friend before, nor having noticed her even entering the building for that matter.
“I’ve been here all along, silly-filly.” Pinkie happily explained while bouncing into place, a large smile on her face. “You just hadn’t noticed me before because the narrative hadn’t deemed it important to mention me before now.”
Twilight simply stare at the still bouncing party pony, mouth slightly ajar as she tried to understand what exactly her hyperactive friend was saying.
“I gave you my paper bag.” Pinkie helpfully pointed out, smile still firmly on her face.
But before she could decide if she really wanted to try and understand what exactly Pinkie was talking about the decision was taken off her hooves as the door of the library was suddenly banged open and a high speed polychromatic blur crashed right against her, sending her splaying to the floor.
“Twilight!” Rainbow Dash frantically shouted inches away from her muzzle, her eyes wide. “There are lots of snow clouds all over Ponyvile! And no matter how many of them I and the rest of the weather team pop more keep coming!”
“Rainbow… get off…” She grumbled trying to move the pegasus that was standing atop her to no effect.
“There shouldn’t be nowhere this many cloud’s from here to Applelosa! Weather schedule was supposed to keep things near-clear for at least the next week! Not to mention they are snow clouds for Celestia's sake! The weather factory shouldn’t even be working on them this time of the year! I don’t know what is happening but it’s not normal! I need you to do something!” Rainbow explained in a hurry, clearly baffled by what was happening.
Deciding to stop her futile attempts to wriggle out of her far more athletic friend grip Twilight concentrated for a moment, teleporting a few feet away from where Rainbow Dash was pinning her down against the floor.
But even as she opened her mouth to grumble about Rainbow’s actions she stopped short, taking in her friend frantic form and immediately deciding something was wrong, her own panic attack readily forgotten.
“Calm down Rainbow and explain what is happening, did a rogue storm mess up the weather schedule or something?”
“Do you really think I would come get you if that was all?! I mean wild weather messing things up is not unusual since the Everfree forest is so close by.” Rainbow continued in a frantic manner. “But while wild weather coming from there happens all the time, buck, we tackled a rogue thunderstorm just last week, this is not it!”
“Whatever this is, it’s definitely not natural, and it’s massive, as in covering the whole sky kind of massive!” She said throwing both of her front hooves up in the air for emphasis.
“And to top it all off it’s coming from the North! Not the Everfree!”
“Calm down Rainbow, getting frantic about it will not help matters.” Twilight said while moving towards the opened door, not even noticing the irony of her words or Spike slightly amused grumbles.
“And besides it really can’t be that bad…” She trailed of stopping at the doorway, eyes wide as she stared at the completely cloud covered sky.
“What?” She mumbled in surprise, seeing the huge mass of clouds up ahead, snowflakes slowly drifting towards the ground, while the weather Pegasi dashed back and forward in a frenzy, poping clouds and doing their best efforts in attempting to stop the unscheduled weather, to absolutely no effect.
“Do you believe me now?” Rainbow asked, once again stopping inches away from Twilight’s face. “And to make matters even worse, there seems to be no guide-flakes on those snow clouds, making them nearly impossible to control!”
“No guide-flakes? How’s that possible?” Twilight thought aloud, remembering the books she had read regarding weather magic.
Snow clouds due to their higher content of magic were far harder to be tamed when compared to rain clouds or even storm clouds, not to mention that ice was far more energy intensive to shape and alter.
In order to counterbalance that, snow clouds were seeded with specially treated snowflakes charged with Pegasus magic, which allowed those same clouds to be controlled and guided with far greater ease. Those flakes being appropriately named guide-flakes.
Point in fact before a young Pegasus filly from Cloudsdale had invented them winter had been a nearly uncontrollable season, wild magic all but dictating the weather, forcing ponies to all but bunker down inside their homes during the colder months of the year until it was time to end winter and for spring to be brought forth.
“Rainbow Dash! What in tarnation is happenin with the weather?! It’s chillier than an timberwolf’s bark out here!” Applejack shouted down the street, a stern frown on her face as she marched towards them, stopping Twilight’s train of thought.
“There is snow gatherin in my family’s apple trees! I may not be a weather pony, but I reckon snow on summer ain’t right, now is it!?” She sternly asked, stopping right next to them, clearly unhappy about the unexpected snowfall. “You lot better fix this right away, before all this snow spoils the harvest you hear.”
“It’s not the weather team’s fault!” Rainbow immediately responded defending her team while hovering next to the farm pony. “The weather schedule was to keep the skies clear for the rest of the week and there were no cloud shipments inbound from Cloudsdale either! I have no idea what’s happening, some crazy wild magic or something, which is why I came to the egghead for help!”
“I ain’t askin how this happened, I’m askin you to do your job and fix it!”
Twilight was about to interrupt before their discussion could go out of control when she saw something that made her stop, the two arguing ponies noticing the same thing moments latter and stopping in kind, eyes wide, as Pinkie's whole body started twitching in place.
“Oh it’s a doozy, and a big one!” Pinkie cheerfully exclaimed as her body stopped shaking all around.
“Horseapples…” Applejack tiredly mumbled, lowering her hat over her eyes.
Standing at her side Twilight couldn’t really blame the orange colored mare, remembering far too well her last brush with Pinkie’s so called Pinkie Sense.
“Don’t overreact Applejack, so Pinkie just predicted a doozy.” Rainbow Dash confidently said, hovering with her front hooves crossed in front of her chest. “Big deal, we can handle whatever it is. I mean, how bad can it really be?”
And as if answering her question Spike immediately coughed up a letter enveloped in green flames, Twilight and Applejack sending unamused glances towards a now sheepish looking Rainbow Dash.
Grabbing the letter Spike opened it and started to read it to the mares.
“My dearest most faithful student, Twilight.
A matter of great importance pertaining to the well being of Equestria has arisen, and the presence of yourself and your friends are needed here at Canterlot’s castle as soon as possible.
As such I would like to request that you and the other bearers to make haste and to come to the city on the first inbound train available. I shall personally explain matters upon your arrival.
Sincerely, Princess Celestia.”
The three ponies stood there for a moment, simply staring at the piece of parchment gripped on Spike’s claws, until Rainbows Dash broke the silence with a sobering thought.
“You don’t think Discord escaped again, right?” The speedster asked, a tinge of worry entering her voice despite the brave front she was displaying. “Not that I’m worried or anything, after all we can kick his plot if he is back, but it would certainly explain the crazy weather.”
“I don’t think so. His actions last time were extremely absurd, flamboyant and eye catching. And while this is messing with the weather schedule, it is still just snow, nothing more. Making it snow seems kind of too… bland, for it to be his doing. This has to be something else.” Twilight replied, worriedly wondering what was happening.
“Oh! I know!” Pinkie exclaimed bouncing all around, her yes narrowing in a faux serious expression. “Perhaps an old friend of the Princesses who lost herself to the darkness during an epic journey, forcing Princess Celestia to seal her away due to it, has broken free from her seal and is now attempting to blanket Equestria in eternal winter!”
“What?” Twilight asked in befuddlement, voicing all their thoughts regarding the hyperactive pink pony.
“Just a hunch. Oh, I got to go pack my party supplies! And the cake! Can’t forget the cake! See you girls at the train station!” She shouted with a wide smile before diving inside a wooden barrel and disappearing from view.
Twilight started to head towards the far-too-small-to-hold-a-pony barrel before she mentally caught herself and stayed in place, once had been more than enough regarding the party pony uniqueness for her to learn not to question Pink Pinkness.
“No reason worryin about it I reckon, we’ll know when we get there.” Applejack simply stated with a shake of her head, turning around to go down the street. “I’ll go get Rarity, Rainbow, you go fetch Fluttershy.”
Watching the speedster nod in agreement before flying away in a blur of speed Twilight could feel the panic attack from earlier slowly returning as a sense of foreboding slowly gathered at the pit of her stomach.
Fighting back her rising panic she focused on the task at hand. She knew that something serious was happening but the Princess was counting on her and her friends, and she would not fail her mentor.
“Spike! Grab a scroll!” She said with finality, her mind set on what she had to do. “We are starting a checklist!”
Entering into the magnificent halls of Canterlot’s castle with her friends Twilight couldn’t help but notice the faint stings of nostalgia despite their current situation.
The polished floors of white marble, the grand columns of pure white stone supporting the great arches of the ceiling, the intricate decorations ranging from paintings to tapestries and finely-carved banisters, and the exquisite glass stained windows depicting important historical events, all glowing in the light of the sun making the whole scene into something capable of taking a pony’s breath away.
But to her the awe inspiring sight had a far more personal connotation, for her it would always be the place where her teacher resided, her own home away from home.
Thought the fact that now she and her friends had not one, but two of said glass stained windows made in their honor was something that still made her blush in embarrassment.
“Twilight darling, do you know why Princess Celestia asked to meet us in the halls and not in the throne room?” Rarity asked at her side breaking the purple pony out of her nostalgic thoughts. “I may not have had much contact with the Princess but this seems, unusual.”
Mulling on the subject for a moment as they passed a few of the castle staff on their near never ending quest of maintaining the huge architecture she gathered her thoughts before answering.
“No, you are right; it is highly unusual for the Princess not to meet us on the throne room. The only reason I can think about is that she wants to show us something pertaining to the current situation.” She said, starting to lecture about the are of the castle they were in. “These halls are known as the ‘halls of memories’ for a reason, for the stained glass windows within depict scenes from all of our history, I can only guess that she wants to meet us in front of a particular scene.”
“So she wants to show us the image of the bad guy whose plot we have to kick? Fine by me.” Rainbow cockily said from slightly above Twilights head, a confident look on her face.
“We still don’t know if this situation pertains to anything like that Rainbow.” She replied, her words not nearly as certain as she would have liked. “And besides I think I remember this area of the castle, it depicts events from the early days of Equestria, a few decades after its foundation, and as far as I remember there hadn’t been any kind of upheaval or major situations at that point in history.”
“Save for Nightmare Moon and Discord.” Pinkie happily interjected, bouncing alongside them in large arcs.
“Yes save for those…” Twilight grudgingly agreed.
“Oh hopefully is not anything like that.” Fluttershy said in a barely audible whisper from the back of the group, hiding behind her mane as she followed the others.
“Don’t worry sugar cube, everythin will be just fine, you’ll see.” Applejacked reassured the shy pony with a warm smile, seeing her almost shrink unto herself at the thought of the situation being that serious.
“Indeed, you shouldn’t let your worries get to you like that dear.”Rarity agreed with a nod while moving closer to her shy friend in a reassuring manner. “Whatever it is we can surely handle it together, especially with the help of the Princesses.”
Nodding her head in agreement alongside the others, a proud smile on her face, Twilight finally recognized the exact area they were approaching.
“Oh, I know where we are meeting the Princess! It’s been quite some time since I came here, but I’m quite sure up ahead is an alcove dedicated to Snowdrop.” She said, making the ears of the cyan Pegasus hovering above her head perk in interest.
“Snowdrop? As the inventor of the snowflake, Snowdrop? The Tamer of Winter? That Snowdrop?” Rainbow asked with excitement, her eagerness abating somewhat upon noticing the looks the others, most specifically Twilight, were giving her.
“What? Am I not allowed to know stuff?” She gruffly asked crossing her hoofs and turning her head away, her cheeks tingeing slightly in embarrassment. “I’m from Cloudsdale remember? There is a statue of her near the weather factory, she is practically one of the town’s heroes. And besides she was a blind Pegasus and still managed to be one of the best weather ponies ever, that’s awesome!”
“Really?” Twilight asked, her mind immediately searching for what she knew regarding the Pegasi floating city.
“Oh yes, nearly all Pegasi from Cloudsdale hear about Snowdrop and the tale of the ‘Stars of Winter’ at one point or another as they grow up.” Fluttershy quietly agreed, a small happy smile on her face as she remembered her own mother telling her the tale as she was a filly. “Of how despite her disability Snowdrop still tamed the winter storms so that ponies could properly enjoy the season.”
“Indeed thou art right; she was a most extraordinary pony. We art glad to hear that her memory hath been kept even to this day.” A deep regal voice said from behind them, surprising the mares.
“Princess Luna.” Twilight hastily exclaimed, dropping into a bow with her friends quickly following suit, while noticing that Luna was now far taller than her but still smaller than Celestia, her mane depicting a starry sky and wavering in an unfelt breeze.
“Please, there is no need for such; thou hath no need to bow to us.” The Lunar Princess said, gesturing for them to rise, a smile appearing on her face for a moment before disappearing under a mask of stern regality.
“After all it was thou that unleashed the powers of harmony upon us and took away our dark powers!” She suddenly shouted in a booming voice, making the mares drop back to the floor, their manes being tossed backwards at the volume of the shout.
“…And that was a good thing, right?” Twilight hesitantly asked after warily taking on the lunar Princess serene expression, confusion clear in her tone.
“But of course. We could not be happier. Is that not clear?” Luna replied a confused look entering her features in turn.
After trading a few uncertain glances between her friends before once again looking at Luna confused yet somewhat eager expression Twilight took a deep breath before deciding to explain the apparent problem.
“Well…It’s just that… it kind of sounds more like… you are yelling at us.” Twilight explained with a sheepish expression, clearly uncomfortable with pointing the fact out to Celestia’s little sister.
“But this is the traditional Royal Canterlot Voice.” Luna answered in befuddlement. “It is tradition to use the royal we and to use this much volume when addressing our subjects!”
“Yikes, seriously?” Rainbow mumbled while massaging her ears, immediately being elbowed by Aplejack as a warning to stay quiet.
Her eyes widening in sudden understanding as she remembered the information pertaining to the subject Twilight immediately addressed the problem, a smile appearing on her face.
“I think I understand the problem Princess, the Royal Canterlot Voice has fallen out of practice, as far as I know it hasn’t been used in over eight hundred years! I don’t think anypony save historians and scholars even know what it is. Using it will probably only make ponies think you are angry and shouting at them.”
“Yeah, you should really lower the volume.” Rainbow piped in, idly flying up to the Princess eye level. “Not that the booming voice trick wasn’t cool and all, but way too loud.”
“I see…” Luna said thoughtfully, a hoof idly rubbing against her chin,her eyes moving from Twilight to Rainbow Dash. “We thank thou for thy advice, we must admit that we art still familiarizing ourselves with the changes that hath happened during our absence, though we do not know if we would be able to reduce our volume while addressing our subjects.”
“Don't worry Princess we can help if you want. Why, Fluttershy can probably give you some great pointers on how to speak quietly.” Pinkie happily proposed, eliciting and startled squeak from the butter colored Pegasus as she dragged her forward.
“Thy offer is appreciated Bearer of Laughter; we shall consider it for the future. But for now we believe that thou hath been summoned by our sister as well?” Luna asked, gesturing for them to restart walking.
“As well? Does that mean you were also summoned Princes?” Rarity primly asked while her eyes lingered on the Princess floating mane, ideas quickly entering her mind regarding a new design.
“Indeed, though we know not the reason behind said summons, certainly something about the rogue weather that seems to be plaguing our skies.”
Mind awhirl Twilight wondered what the fact Celestia had summoned Luna could mean, but before she could ask any questions they turned around a corner, entering a small room depicting several light blue windows with winter motifs.
Her eyes scanned the room before immediately locking into Celestia awaiting form, the sun Princess staring into a larger window with the image of an ice blue flower, it’s petals forming a beautiful snowflake.
“Princess Celestia! Just as you asked we have come as fast as possible.” Twilight exclaimed darting forward, stopping right next to her teacher and offering a bow.
“Indeed sister. Here we are, now explain to us the situation at hand.” Luna said in kind moving closer to her sister.
“Rise my little ponies, and thank you for such a prompt arrival.” Celestia said, with a small tired smile, a tinge of sadness entering her tone despite her efforts in masking it. “You as well little sister.”
“Tia what is wrong?” Luna asked abandoning her regal posture as she immediately noticed her sister sadness. “You are distressed! Tells us what affliction ails you. Is this about the strange weather plaguing our skies?”
Twilight felt her own distress increasing as Celestia turned her face away for a moment, her eyes shut in sadness.
“Yes, this is regarding what is affecting the weather, or more specifically, who is affecting it.” Celestia said after clearly taking a moment to recompose herself, looking into her sister's eyes with a uncertain stare.
“Luna I don’t know how to tell you this…I… I have been waiting for the right time to tell you, but it simply never came. It was too early when you were first restored to us… and then you were so busy catching up with a thousand years’ worth of knowledge and changed customs… and then Discord returned…” Celestia started, her regal mask slowly slipping away, showing a glimpse of the distress beneath it.
“Calm down Tia, no matter what, we art here.” Luna comfortingly said, nuzzling her sister neck.
Closing her eyes for a moment, gathering strength from her sister's presence, Celestia re-centered herself. Only showing the regal figure all her little ponies usually saw upon opening her eyes.
“Thank you.” She calmly said, giving Luna a sincere smile before turning towards the other mares in the room, noticing their confused, unease, and in the case of her student, slightly panicking, stares. “Tell me, what do you know about the mare known as Snowdrop?”
“Snowdrop, is commonly known as the inventor of the snowflakes; While that is not exactly correct, she is the creator of the Guide-flakes, the best and most reliable way to control and direct snow clouds. Whose invention allowed the winter season to be properly controlled, while before it ponies had barely any control over cold weather phenomenon, which caused winters to be plagued by outburst of rogue weather. This in turn led to her most known title, the Tamer of Winter.” Twilight immediately replied despite her anxiety, as years of answering to the Princess questions as her student kicked in.
“She was an extremely kind mare, always willing to help others and also one of our closest friends, not to mention one of the few ponies who truly understood our night.” Luna replied whimsically, a fond bittersweet smile gracing her features as her eyes focused inwards in remembrance. “The world is truly a slightly lesser place due to her passing.”
“I’m sorry Luna, I know I should have told you sooner, no matter what excuses I told myself.” Celestia said in a constrict tone of voice, her eyes dropping towards the ground. “Snowdrop… is still alive.”
“What?!” Luna bellowed in surprise, quickly turning around to face her sister. “How could it be so?! She would be over a thousand years old if she was still alive!”
Her sad eyes moving from her sister to her student and her friends before stopping once again at the window depicting Snowdrop’s Cutie-mark Celestia let out a tired sigh, before once again turning to her audience.
“Gather around and please make yourselves comfortable, for this is a long tale which I have to share with you all.” She declared, sadness and regret clear in her tone.
“A tale of my own foolishness and what it cost us all millennia ago, a tale that few have ever heard.”
“Sit down as I tell you the tale of Snowdrop and Winter’s Tears.”
Author's Note
Firstly, I would like to thank all those who favorite, reviewed or are tracking my story so far. Your support is really appreciated and pushes me to try harder.
With this we conclude what I consider to be the introduction part of this story. Next chapter will start the real adventure, as we go back into the past in order to follow Snowdrop’s journey and all that it entailed.
In a separate note, I guess you can thank the latest episode ‘A Heart’s Warming Tail’ for the speed of this update, more specifically the song 'Luna's Future' from said episode.
Before watching it, this chapter had a bare six hundred words written in, but after watching that song, and how well it’s beautiful yet haunting nature fitted with my story, I was grasped in a sudden bout of inspiration and before I knew it this chapter was done.
Without it this chapter would have probably taken at least one more week, perhaps two, for me to finish; instead of the two crazy days under the influence of my muse that is what happened.
Mandatory disclaimer: I do not own the “My Little Pony” franchise or the OC “Snow Drop”.
III. Snowy Sky, Starry Night
Snowy Sky, Starry Night
The Everfree forest.
It’s by far Equestria largest forest, and also its most unique one, with its tall, imposing, and gnarly trees that seem to blot out the sun, its massive, seemingly never ending maze-like expanses, easily marking it as one of its most notorious landmarks.
Which in addition to the many dangerous creatures that inhabit its depths, its treacherous terrain and nearly untamable wild magic, marking it as a place few ever venture to, and that even fewer ever return from.
But it hadn’t always been so.
Once, long ago, the Everfree had been a gentler place.
A deep luxuriant forest unlike any other in the world, full of life and joy, a gardened woodland realm where creatures of all kinds could thrive unafraid in peace and harmony, as if embraced under the gentle protection of an all caring mother.
Back in those days it was the very seat of Equestria’s power, the shining symbol of its greatest ideal, of the dream that had given birth to the young nation: peace and equality.
For amidst its verdant leaves was the place of residence of their rulers, the ones tasked with protecting and safeguarding the kingdom, the two Royal Pony Sisters.
Once, long ago, before its harmony had been forever shattered.
The sun was slowly setting, its warm light disappearing little by little under the horizon as its golden light gradually turned into the gentle shades of grey of twilight, heralding the coming moonlit shadows of the night.
Most ponies were swiftly returning to their homes, using the dwindling light to guide their way before the shadows could truly come forth as night truly set in, as if running away back to the safety of their homes, unwilling to brave the growing darkness that would soon be revealed beneath the starlight.
But even as the last few stragglers hurried home, a solitary figured soared through the wind, her white coat a stark contrast with the darkening sky, her pace calm and unhurried, the gentle smile that could be seen on her face unbothered by the growing shadows or the now swiftly fading light.
For to the young mare calmly flying above the trees, her wings carefully feeling the breeze and her ears perked up, attentively hearing the world all around her, the growing darkness meant extremely little.
For said darkness had been her constant companion since the day of her birth.
Turning her head slightly towards the southeast Snowdrop slightly corrected her course as night truly fell and Luna’s moon rose unto the horizon, her content smile firm on her face as she flew high above the forest, her pale silver eyes fixed into the direction of the distant castle despite their inability to see the way, the beacon of magic that was the Princess of the Night as she shepherded her moon assuring her she was approaching her destination.
But even with that knowledge she couldn’t help but stop for a moment, head held high towards the sky, ears perked and smile firm upon her face, the light of the stars shining upon her coat as she intently listened to a song so precious few seemed to even realize existed, the song of the stars twinkling upon the night sky.
She stood there a moment longer, one with the night sky, before with a quick beat of her pale wings she restarted her journey, her feathers carefully reading the wind as she gained speed, eager to reach her friend’s home deeper into the woods.
It had been far too long since she had last seen her oldest and dearest friend.
With a soft clopping noise Snowdrop touched down in the outer gardens of the castle, the sweet fragrant smell of flowers invading her senses as she let out a quick snapping noise with her tongue, calmly waiting as the echoing sound mapped her surroundings.
The returning echoes allowing her ears to create a rough map of what lay around her, allowing the blind mare to ‘see’ her surroundings in a manner of speaking, and granting her a freedom of movement she hadn’t dared to hope back when she had been just a filly.
Trotting forward past a pair of on duty night guards in their dark armors, the two ponies so unmoving and still that she always questioned how anypony could bear to stand the job, she entered the towering structure.
Letting out another sharp click with her tongue she ventured forth, her primary feathers still fully extended despite the fact her wings were closed and resting at her sides, the sensitive pinions carefully reading the airflow around her and adding another layer to what she could ‘see’ of the world.
Both abilities had been imparted and taught to her thanks to the Moon Princess herself, either directly in the case of the latter, or indirectly in the case of the former.
Remembering the lessons she had received under Luna, both as the Guardian of Dreams personally taught her how to read the wind with her pegasus magic, or with many of the bat ponies under her rule regarding echolocation, Snowdrop couldn’t help but smile even wider, the memory of her friends warming her whole body.
‘And speaking of friends…’ She thought with a hint of amusement as the fragrant smell of lilacs permeated her senses as she crossed what for all intents and purposes looked to be an unremarkable empty corridor.
“Hello Star, a truly lovely night isn’t it?” She cheerfully asked to the darkness amidst the moonlit columns, stopping right next to a particularly dark spot.
“Ah, c’mon!” An annoyed voiced shouted from the shadows as a form seemed to materialize from the darkness. “How do you do that?! I know that I wasn’t making any noise, and the angle of the columns should block any echoes from reaching me, there is absolutely no way you could have known I was here!”
“A lucky guess maybe?” Snowdrop playfully asked as she approached what could now be seen to be a plum colored bat pony, her messy light greenish-blue mane falling in ringlets around her miffed looking face.
“Once is a lucky guess, two or three times if one is feeling particularly generous.” Starseeker said as she too started to approach the other mare, her muzzle scrunched up in annoyance. “Finding me out every single time, without a single miss is most definitely not a lucky guess!”
“I taught you all you know about echolocation you silly filly.” The bat pony firmly stated as she stopped right next to the blind mare, her noses inches away from each other, a ray of moonlight illuminating her flank, displaying a single silver star surrounded by three ink black clouds. “And as a member of the Night Guard whose Special Talent is stealth I say that there is no way that was a mere lucky guess ! So how did you know I was here?!”
“Perhaps you are simply losing your touch?” Snowdrop asked in faux worry, her large silver eyes blinking innocently, as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth.
Starseeker simply stared at the innocent face standing before her, mouth slightly agape in incredulity, before leveling towards the white pegasus her best glare, both ponies keeping their respective poses for several moments before dissolving into a fit of laugher, closing in the last few inches between them amidst their laughs and giving each other a warm hug.
“It’s good to see you again Snowdrop, it’s been far too long.” Starseeker happily proclaimed while nuzzling the pegasus side.
“Likewise Star.” She said returning the gesture. “But you know how busy things seem to get for me nowadays during winter, this is the first chance I got to come and visit.”
“Yeah, right.” The bat pony answered with a huff and an eye roll. “A mare makes one Equis-shattering discovery, revolutionizes how a whole season is managed and suddenly it’s like nopony can do anything during said season without her direct input.”
“You are just grouchy because I found you again.” She playfully stated gaining an faux annoyed look from the other mare.
“I’ll find out how you do that soon enough, mark my words.” Star firmly stated, before turning around and starting to walk down the corridor. “Now come on, can’t leave the Princess waiting after all.”
Fighting back another giggling fit Snowdrop followed her friend now that their own little ritual was over, her mind lost in remembrance.
While learning under the other mare's tutelage it had become readily apparent that Snowdrop had a natural affinity for echolocation, an extremely rare gift for a non bat pony, and so little by little their lessons started to become more and more challenging, until her echolocation could compete with even veterans amidst the Night Guard.
That added with Luna’s lessons regarding how to ‘read’ the wind meant that Snowdrop senses had slowly shifted from ‘impaired’ to above average and finally to exceptional, nopony being able to escape her new ‘sight’. A fact that the plum colored mare whose special talent was hiding took as a personal challenge.
Which in turn had given birth to their little game, Starseeker attempting to surprise Snowdrop, only for the white mare to catch her in the act every single time.
Leisurely walking behind her friend, she inwardly mused if she should tell Star that it wasn’t through her sensitive ears that she always found the other mare, but actually through her nose, as she scented the mare's unique aroma.
‘Perhaps next time.’ She finally decided with a small chuckle while hearing her old friend good naturedly grumbling about being found once again, calmly following after the pleasant fragrant scent of lilacs drifting from the other mare’s small body.
Author's Note
I would like to sincerely apologize for the long wait for this to be updated. I'm looking at the publish dates and I still can't believe how long it took me to gather myself together and finally continue with this story.
Thankfully I'm back in business and already writing the next chapter, so the waiting period for it should be far, far shorter.
So with this chapter we truly start Snowdrop's tale, hope you all enjoy it.
Mandatory disclaimer: I do not own the “My Little Pony” franchise or the OC “Snow Drop”.
Shield and Quill
Walking through the wide marble corridors of the castle, idly nodding her head as she listened to Starseeker regaling her with the tales of her latest adventure with the Night Guard, Snowdrop could feel the small smile that had seemed to have fixed itself upon her muzzle since meeting with her old friend slowly growing with every word the bat pony enthusiastically rambled.
Star’s normal enthusiasm was always somewhat contagious, but adding in her own enthusiasm due to the fact that she hadn’t seen the mare for months thanks to her new duties regarding regulating and supervising the production and distribution of guide-flakes during the winter in order to ensure the cold season happened without a problem, meant that she was fast growing to share the plum colored mare chipper mood.
Letting out a sharp snap with her tongue Snowdrop ‘watched’ as they passed another pair of unmoving guards stationed in the corridor, the arch they were stationed upon signaling they were already almost reaching the throne room.
Ears perking up, she listened intently as the sound of hooves clopping against the marble floor reached her, recognizing that particular stride. The sound extremely light but at the same time undeniably strong, as if whoever was walking was determined to reach their destination as soon as possible, stomping determinately forward despite possessing a naturally light stride.
Rushing forward despite her companion’s small shout of surprise Snowdrop turned around the next corridor, the sound of paper being shuffled around all but confirming the pony’s identity to her.
“Hey Silver, how have you been doing?” She cheerfully asked, stopping right behind the white furred unicorn with a silver mane that was intently studying a stack of papers while walking down the corridor
“Snowdrop?” Silver Quill exclaimed in surprise while turning around to see who had spoken, a smile appearing upon her features even as she floated the stack of papers she had been perusing into a saddle-bag, the motion revealing her cutie mark of a quill writing upon an unfurled scroll. “I thought you would only be able to arrive far later tonight!”
“I managed to escape a little earlier. They can handle what’s left with little problem even without my direct intervention.” Snowdrop cheerfully responded as she embraced the silver mare, before adding with a more uncertain tone upon remembering a few of her subordinates’ clumsiness, her ears dropping slightly. “Or at least I hope so…”
“So you ditched your job to get here earlier?” Starseeker asked in a cocky manner standing at the side of the two white mares. “Heh, I knew I was a good influence on you!”
Giving the bat pony a disapproving glare, that was returned with a beaming smile, before gazing to Snowdrop only to notice the Pegasus was giving her an extremely believable faux innocent look, Silver Quill took a deep breath before sighing in resignation.
“While I feel that I should lecture you about the importance of proper care in regards to the weather factory I know you already know all that far better than me probably, while little miss reckless over there simply wouldn’t listen anyway, so I won’t waste my breath.” The unicorn mare said with a shake of her head, while the bat pony at her side happily nodded her head.
“Nevertheless Princess Luna will be thrilled to know you arrived earlier, she has been truly looking forward to your visit.”Silver Quill firmly stated, giving the Pegasus a final nuzzle before stepping back, a small smile firm upon her face. “Come, I’ll escort you straight to the Princess.”
“Oh please there is no need for that, I wouldn’t want to impose.” Snowdrop immediately replied with a small shake of her head even as she followed Silver down the corridor. “There is no need to bypass others whom may really need to see Luna first and trouble the proceeding during the night court, I can wait in line like anypony else.”
“That… won’t be an issue...” Silver trailed off in a sad tone of voice, her ears dropping flat against her head.
Giving the unicorn an strange ‘look’ Snowdrop pondered what Silver Quill meant, an uneasy feeling slowly entering her being as she wondered why her friend suddenly looked so gloom, the fact that the normally ever boisterous and cheerful Starseeker had averted her gaze towards the nearest window upon Silver Quill’s words, her own ears also flat against her head in a clear sign of unhappiness, only compounding the issue even more.
“What do you mean b…” She started to question before a loud shout ringed through the silent corridor, effectively cutting her question short.
“Lieutenant Starseeker, what is the meaning of this?” A dark coated and armored earth pony stallion, his mane hidden beneath his helm, sternly questioned as he quickly approaching the three mares, his eyes narrowed as he glared at the bat pony.
“Hey, Nighty!” Star cheerfully replied while waving a hoof towards the angry looking stallion, an extremely innocent look on her face that fooled no one that knew the mare. “How are you doing, and meaning of what?”
“Lady Snowdrop, Silver Quill.” He politely greeted them as he passed before stopping inches away from the plum colored bat pony. “And its Captain Midnight Aegis lieutenant, you should be more than capable of remembering that by now.”
“But that’s such a mouthful boss! And besides, Nighty sounds better.” Starseeker replied with a solemn nod of her head before giving the two mares at her side a mischievous grin. “Besides, after all those years what is the problem of using a nickname between friends, you two agree with me, don’t you?”
“You mean besides the complete lack of professionalism and the fact we are on duty right now?” The stallion sternly asked as he took a step forward, his muzzle inches away from Star’s.
“What’s your point?” The bat pony asked pretending to be confused, tilting her head to the side as if bewildered by Aegis question.
Closing his eyes for a moment as he let out a long breath, Midnight visibly attempted to calm himself before refocusing upon the troublesome mare. “Lieutenant Starseeker, allow me to rephrase my question. Why aren't you wearing your armor?”
Looking downwards towards her body, as if the lack of said armor had just now dawned upon her, before looking back towards the black coated stallion with a sheepish grin, rising an hoof to rub the back of her head, she chuckled at the question.
“Ehh, you see, there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for that! Earlier today while thinking about how to catch Snowdrop here off guard I suddenly had an idea.” The bat pony started to explain, the faces of her audience varying from bemused, to unamused. “Metal clinks! No matter how well oiled and treated our armors are, they are still made of metal, and so they clink!”
The way the plum colored mare said that simple fact, as if she had reached some profound epiphany , caused Silver and Snowdrop to trade bemused glances, while Midnight Aegis simply kept staring at his lieutenant.
“So I realized that, no matter how stealthy I was, or how little noise I made, my armor could be clinking slightly as I moved and that Snowdrop could be using that to pinpoint my location!” She happily continued, nodding her head as if to punctuate her discovery. “And so, when I saw Snowdrop touching down on the gardens and heading into the castle, I ditched my armor so that its noise wouldn’t compromise me so that I could finally catch her off guard!”
“Although, considering she still somehow found me anyway, I guess that plan is a scrap.” She continued, a wondering tone entering her voice as she rested her chin upon one hoof. “Heh, it was worth a shot anyway.”
Midnight Aegis, Captain of the Night Guard, stared at his lieutenant, a mare who had served alongside him for years, beaming face for a long moment, as if to make sure he had really just heard what he thought he had heard.
“So what you are telling me is that you took off your armor while on duty, and knowing you that most likely means you simply dumped it into a corridor before rushing off, in order to attempt to prank Lady Snowdrop. Is that about right?” He asked in a surprisingly calm tone of voice, eyes locked upon her own.
“Yeah, that sounds about right.” Starseeker confirmed after thinking about it for a moment, an small embarrassed grin on display as she spoke.
“Go. Put. Your. Armor. Back. Now.” He firmly stated, carefully enunciating every individual word, his voice being clearly kept forcibly calm and collected, his eyes burrowing at the mare’s skull.
“Right away boss, don’t worry about it! See you later Snow, you too Silver.” The bat pony cheerfully replied, an unrepentant smile firm upon her face, before taking flight and darting back through the corridor.
“Moon above, give me strength.” Aegis mumbled in a barely audible whisper, before turning towards the two other mares, a contrite expression appearing upon his usual stone like face. “I apologize for you having to see such an unsightly display.”
“Nonsense Captain, we are more than acquainted with Starseeker’s usual antics, think nothing of it.” Silver Quill calmly replied with a hint of a smile, Snowdrop nodding her agreement at her side. “I’m escorting Snowdrop to the throne room, would you like to accompany us?”
“It would be my pleasure.” The dark stallion readily agreed, turning around in order to head to the throne room, displaying his kite shield cutie mark as he started to walk alongside the two mares as they approached their destination.
“Announcing Lady Snowdrop of Cloudsdale.” One of the two guards standing by the doorway loudly proclaimed as Snowdrop entered into the large throne room, a sheepish smile on her face.
It had been years since Luna had granted her the title, for all intents and purposes turning her into minor nobility, and yet she still couldn’t really deal with ponies calling her that, or the small privileges the position granted, for to her eyes she was simply Snowdrop and would always be so, no more and no less.
Shaking such thoughts off her mind she entered the large room, quickly snapping her tongue in order to ‘see’ her surroundings, eager to met Luna after such a long time, but not wanting to bump into anypony else in her eagerness.
But the image the echoes caused by her small snapping sound brought back to her nearly made her stop mid stride in surprise and incredulity.
The throne room was a large circular area, with a high vaulted ceiling, dozens of large marble pillars scattered amidst it and surrounded by several magnificent stained glass windows, all leading to two thrones at the opposite side of the intricate large double doors, one pristine white and the other midnight black.
But it wasn’t the layout of the room that had surprised the mare, everything being exactly as she remembered from her previous visit to this very room, even if said visit had been over a year ago during the day court.
What had surprised her was not what was in the room, but rather what wasn’t.
Normally the throne room would be full to the brim with petitioners, commoners and nobles alike, clamoring for the attention of the princesses, demanding justice, requesting aid, or simply vying for the attention of the two diarchs.
But if what she had heard was to be trusted, then there was absolutely no one but the guards at the doors and Princess Luna herself at the throne inside the massive room.
‘This can’t be right.’ Snowdrop incredulously thought, letting out another sharp snap in order to confirm what the first had shown her even as she walked towards the throne, her primary feathers extended in order to catch any air currents ponies moving around would be causing.
But the truth remained the same, the echoing sound and the utter lack of any air movement proving to the blind Pegasus beyond a shadow of a doubt that, with the exception of the two night guards at the door and Luna herself, she was the only pony inside the throne room.
An uneasy feeling entering her body as she remembered Silver Quill's earlier words, she approached the two thrones and the alicorn sitting upon the dark obsidian one on her left, a heartfelt smile surfacing despite her unease as she took in Luna’s silently observing form.
“Princess Luna, thank you for receiving me.” Snowdrop formally said while bowing before the throne.
But even as she said the traditional greeting her mind was awhirl with what could possibly have caused the throne room to have been so unnaturally deserted, and what it could possibly mean for Luna.
Author's Note
So with this chapter I finish introducing the ponies that shall later accompany Snowdrop in her adventure, next chapter she will meet with Luna and realize how depressed the Moon Princess really is and see the warning signs that almost everypony else overlooked.
In a separate note, before writing this story I had never truly realized how deceptively difficult it is to come up with good pony names, but in the end I’m quite happy with my choice for the three of them.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter; please let me know your thoughts about it.
Mandatory disclaimer: I do not own the “My Little Pony” franchise or the OC “Snow Drop”.
Lonely Moon
“Lady Snowdrop, we greet you and welcome you to our court.” Princess Luna simply stated, her features almost stone like in their unresponsiveness as she intoned the formal words, her tone of voice sounding almost hollow to the blind mare’s ears, only a slight shine upon the Princess eyes betraying any emotion as she took in her old friend bowing before her throne.
“Princess Luna, Moon Warden, I thank you for granting me this audience.” Snowdrop replied back, the formal words easily rolling off her tongue despite the fact her mind was thundering with worried questions and troubled musings, trying to understand what exactly was happening. The fact that the normally boisterous and warm hearted Princess of the Night she knew so well was acting so stiffly, her voice so unnaturally cold and distant, only making her worry even more.
“Your thanks are received. Now speak, why do you come before our throne this night.” The Alicorn kept saying the formal greeting in an almost mechanical fashion, Snowdrop’s sensitive ears allowing her to almost see the hollow sadness carried within the Princess voice.
‘Something is definitely not right.’ She decided with finality, her mind trying to ponder how to question to her old friend about what was wrong, to enquire what was bothering her without breaking protocol and breaching court etiquette.
Her mind drawing a complete blank as she remembered what she could about court proceedings, she suddenly came with a plan about how to proceed and immediately decided to implement it. Despite the fact part of her mind knew that Silver would be exasperated upon hearing about it, Midnight would probably complain and grumble about what she was about to do, and Star would most likely deeply approve of said plan.
Suddenly jumping forward with a quick flap of her wings Snowdrop swiftly crossed the distance separating her from the Moon Princess, foregoing all proper protocol, unneeded etiquette and silly pomp in favor of embracing her oldest friend into a warm hug, gently nuzzling her side with her head.
Her friend was in pain, etiquette and proper behavior could go buck themselves for all she cared until Luna was feeling better, after all, the fact she had just made an completely unforgivable breach of decorum for a petitioner visiting the Princess court wasn’t nearly as important as comforting her distraught sounding friend.
“I missed you Luna.” She honestly stated, pretending to not notice how the Moon Warden had completely stiffened for a moment at the contact before starting to relax and tentatively start to return her embrace, as if she was no longer used to receiving such a sign of affection and wasn’t really sure how to respond. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Likewise Snowdrop, your presence is a much appreciated gift.” Princess Luna softly said after a moment of silence, a small but true smile slowly surfacing from beneath her stony features as she gently nuzzled the blind mare in return. “We have missed you too, my friend.”
Hearing some true emotion returning to the Moon Princess voice, even if said emotion was a deep loneliness with the faint tinges of happiness mixed within her words, Snowdrop redoubled the strength of her embrace, trying to convey to her oldest friend just how much she cared about her, how happy she was that they were finally able to see each other again.
But even then she couldn’t help but ponder what could have happened to Luna to leave her so emotionally distraught, what could have happened to her in the year they had stood apart to fill her voice with such sadness and loneliness.
Something was terribly wrong with her old friend, and Snowdrop had every intention of finding out what it was.
Enjoying the cold night air as she walked alongside Luna through the palace gardens Snowdrop let out a near silent sigh in relief, for after nearly half an hour of catching up with the Princess and regaling her with how things were going on with her life in Cloudsdale, the Moon Princess was finally in a slightly better mood.
“Are you sure it’s alright to just leave the throne room just like that?” Snowdrop curiously enquired after a moment of thought, slightly worried that her whisking Luna away for a stroll could cause problems, while gently rubbing her shoulders against the larger mare in an effort to reassure the Moon Princess. “Night Court will not end until several hours from now after all.”
“That will not be a problem Snowdrop, in the case of somepony coming to our court seeking our aid one of my guards will be more than able to seek us out, not that that’s likely to happen.” Luna morosely stated, sadness clear upon her words as she gazed upwards towards her moon with a blank stare.
Ears flat against her skull Snowdrop inwardly berated herself for bringing up the subject and causing the Princess mood to plummet once again, even if she was desperately wondering what could have happened with the Night Court for no pony to be attending it tonight. Or the saddening and worrying possibility that was carried within her friend’s words that this was not an separate and unique occurrence, but something that had been happening for some time already.
“Really, Luna? It’s only the two of us out here, no need to keep up the stuffy speech!” She firmly stated, forcing as much cheerfulness into the words as she could while attempting to distract the Princess with some light teasing. “You can still use the normal ‘I’ instead of the royal ‘we’ when around me, you know.”
“Unless… Oh please don’t tell me the nobles have finally managed to turn you into a pompous snooty snob?!” The blind mare cried in mock horror, stopping upon her tracks and lifting a hoof towards her mouth as if distressed, all the while giving the Moon Princess her best shocked stare.
“Oh, the horror, the horror! I have failed you my friend, they finally got you too! The end is nigh!” She finished in a dramatic shout, collapsing upon the ground in over exaggerated despair and covering her face with both wings.
After a moment she lifted the feathery curtain she had draped over her head and ‘stared’ Luna straight in the eyes, inwardly enjoying the fact she had managed to make her friend to stop moving and blink in surprise, the bemused look on her face clearly showing she hadn’t expected Snowdrop to speak about her Royal speech, especially in such an over the top manner.
“So what say you to this, oh, moon maiden, will you abandon the words of royalty that cover your silver tongue for but a few short moments so that you may converse with this poor, lowly mare?” She continued, giving her words as much pomp and circumstance as she could while raising her nose high into the air like some of the more ridiculous looking nobles tended to do. “Will you forsake your royalty to mingle with the riffraff, oh, Princess of the Night? Will you dare to commit such an affront, abandoning your nobility and embrace the words of a mere commoner? Will you heed the request this one has made to you this night?”
For a moment Snowdrop feared she may have pushed just a little too far, as Luna simply stayed there staring at the young Pegasus as if she was some kind of alien entity, only for her fears to be proven completely unfounded as the Moon Princess suddenly threw her head backwards and roared with laughter.
“My apologies Snow, you are right. I guess I have been spending far too much time amidst the high nobility.” She said in a far warmer tone of voice, hugging the white mare close with a large ebony wing, a small smile firm upon her face. “Far too much time amidst their trite plots and thoughtless plans, and not nearly enough time with those with whom I can be myself I’m afraid.”
“As long as we have that cleared out, apology accepted.” Snowdrop cheerfully stated, nodding her head while adopting a faux serious look.
“Now let’s go Luna, this night is far too beautiful to be wasted talking about silly nobles.” She said while taking the lead, journeying deeper into the gardens, an amused huff coming from behind indicating that the Moon Princess was following after her.
Lying down amidst a flowerbed that was all but overflowing with moonflowers, their sweet fragrant smell permeating the slightly chilly night air, Snowdrop rested her head upon Luna’s side, enjoying the peace and the quiet as they stood amidst a field of white.
Her ears flicking upwards she momentarily focused upon the song of the night sky, enjoying its subtle but undeniably powerful melody that was carried amidst the night winds.
“Your night is especially beautiful tonight Luna, truly great work.” She truthfully stated, her words calm and content as she appreciated both the faint song she could hear coming from the stars and her friend’s presence at her side.
“I thank you for your kind words Snow, even though I know they are nothing more than mere platitudes said to appease me.” Luna tiredly replied, sadness and grief once again re-emerging within her voice.
“Luna, how could you say that!” Snowdrop sternly stated, inwardly bemoaning how poor Luna’s mood still was despite spending over an hour trying to uplift it. “You know I would never fall so low to lie to one of my closest friends, so you know that when I say your night is beautiful that I mean it!”
“And how much stock should we put upon the words of a mare that never even saw what she is talking about!” The Alicorn of the Night harshly replied, the anger that had been buried deep within surfacing for a moment. “Why should we hear the words of one that has no idea upon what she speaks of?”
“I may not be able to see it Luna, but that does not mean I cannot hear it.” Snowdrop firmly replied, not backing down in the slightest despite being confronted by an angry Alicorn.
“And what I hear is a song of beauty beyond compare, calm and compassionate, but still strong and decisive, just like the Princess whom embodies it.” She continued, nothing but truth in her words as she ‘looked’ at her old friends with warm eyes. “And so, when I say your night is truly a wonder you better believe it!”
The Moon Princess locked eyes with Snowdrop truthful stare for a long moment, pain, sadness and anger flashing within her own blue orbs, until after all but deflating in place she allowed an extremely tired sigh to leave her lips.
“I’m sorry for snapping at you like that Snow. I know that you are speaking the truth.” She sorrowfully said, gently nuzzling the smaller mare in apology. “By no means does it excuse me from unjustly shouting at you, but the last few months have been far too harsh my friend. Sometimes I feel as if my temper is being held in check by but a single strand, and I'm terribly sorry that you ran afoul of that.”
“It’s alright Luna, I understand how sometimes things can simply be too much.” She replied with a small sad smile, her mind remembering her own foalhood. “Please don’t worry about it.”
A moment of companiable silence passed between them, as they simply lay amidst the sea of white of the moonflowers, the Moon Princess wings gently cradling her smaller companion.
“It’s ironic isn’t it?” Princess Luna finally muttered breaking the silence, a slight bitter tone clear upon her words. “Nearly all of our subjects shun and shy away from our night sky, forsaking its beauty without a second thought. No matter what we do, or how much effort we put forth, they simply turn away from what we pour our heart and soul into offering them without a hint of hesitation.”
“But the one mare who fully understands the true beauty of our night sky, that appreciates it as the gift it truly is, is one who has been forbidden its full splendor by the cruel whims of fate.” She said with a bitter chuckle, sad eyes gazing at the Snowdrop own unseeing eyes.
Looking at her friend's morose form Snowdrop wondered how to deal with Luna’s depression, something that was apparently going on for quite some time. Only to decide that she knew far too little about the whole situation, something she would try and remedy first thing the next morning. For the moment she would try and offer what support she could towards her friend, and perhaps convince her that others did appreciate her night.
“Your nights are beautiful beyond compare Luna, majestic and mysterious, but still soothing and comforting. Sooner or later everypony will have to bow down to the inevitable and agree upon that.” She honestly stated, giving her friend a beaming smile. “Just give it some time, I’m sure they will come around.”
A long moment of silence followed her statement, the Moon Princess simply staring at the moon high above as if pondering her words, before breaking the silence with a barely audible whisper.
“Yes, you are right. Our majestic night cannot be so easily denied, it cannot be so easily overshadowed by our sister’s light.” Luna quietly said in a wondering tone, as if talking with herself and not to the Pegasus by her side, her soft words cutting through the night’s silence like a knife while blank eyes stared at the silvery depths of her moon high upon the sky. “In the end everypony will have to appreciate the beauty of our night, they will come to see the error of their ways and enjoy the splendor of our dark and jeweled sky.”
“Even if we have to make sure of it ourselves...”
Snowdrop felt a unexplainable shiver going down her spine as she heard her friend's words, upon hearing the anger and loneliness all but dripping out of every syllable she had just uttered, showing a deep pain that simply could not be something recent, but a deep wound that had to have been festering for months on end, if not even longer.
Leaning against the princess side while gently nuzzling the distracted mare’s neck she attempted to give her what little respite and comfort she could. But at the same time Snowdrop inwardly decided that she really didn’t like how Luna’s voice had just sounded.
So hurt and pained, angry and lonely, and so very much cold .
Sitting upon a table within the palace library, fighting back a yawn due to having been awake during most of the night and waking up early in order to try and find out exactly what was happening with Luna and the Night Court, Snowdrop followed Silver Quill’s movements while waiting for her reply to her queries regarding what was happening with both Luna and her Court.
“I’m afraid this has been happening for quite some time Snowdrop, this rift between the nobility and Princess Luna.” Silver Quill said with a tired sigh while mechanically reshelving a few books to their proper stands inside the library. “It’s not a sudden change, it has been gradually growing for the last few years from what I was able to observe.”
“But that can’t be right, last time I was here I didn’t see any of this, and that was little over a year ago!” Snowdrop angrily retorted while rubbing her head in an attempt to stave off a headache, her lack of sleep making her a little snappish. “How could Luna’s growing isolation have started that far back? And how come almost nopony noticed it? It makes no sense!”
Snowdrop simply could not understand how things could have gone so wrong without anypony noticing it. Could not understand how in Tartarus an apparent feud between the nobility and Princess Luna could have even started, much less devolved to the point most ponies were now actively boycotting the Night Court altogether!
“During the last time you were here you mostly visited us during the Day Court, and most nobles and even Princess Luna herself have been doing their level best to hide the growing schism from Princess Celestia.” The unicorn mare replied matter of factly, stopping to give the blind Pegasus a sad gaze.
“I’m quite sure Princess Celestia has almost no idea of what is truly happening in regards with the Night Court, that ponies have been all but shunning her younger sister and boycotting her Court for months already.” She continued while grabbing her glasses with her silvery aura in order to rub her tired eyes. “Not only does nopony within the nobility report this issue to her Majesty, but the Moon Warden herself is going to great lengths to keep the appearance of normalcy when she interacts with her, hiding it behind a mask of aloofness.”
“But how could her not notice it! Luna’s currently is an emotional mess; anypony that knows anything about her at all would see it immediately!” She angrily retorted, incredulity clear in her face upon the mere idea of anypony failing to see the quite drastic changes upon the Moon Princess behavior and mood, much less her own sister.
“Oh, I’m sure Princess Celestia realizes something is not quite right. But has no idea how serious the situation truly is, how poorly Princess Luna is dealing with it all.” Silver Quill immediately replied, turning around to give the Pegasus Mare her full attention.
“Combining that with the fact both the aggravators and the aggravated of the whole situation are trying to keep it all under wraps, alongside the fact the Day Court is always full to bursting with petitioners occupying all of Princess Celestia time, the Sun Bearer simply hasn’t truly noticed what is happening.” She continued, a hint of bitterness entering her words. “Or perhaps she simply doesn’t want to see what’s happening…”
“The fact the commoners themselves started to avoid the Night Court due to both rumors disseminated by the nobles or wanting to avoid the whole mess really hasn’t helped matters. The situation has devolved to the point that I think that you are the only pony from outside her Highness personal staff to openly interact with Princess Luna in months.”
“Quite frankly Snow, I have long since run out of ideas regarding what I can do to try and help the Princess with dealing with it all. Arranging things so that you could visit being one of my last gambits in order to try and uplift her Majesty spirits at least a little.” The Unicorn mare bitterly stated, putting her glasses back upon her muzzle, a brittle smile upon her features.
Snowdrop simply stood there in shock upon hearing that, realizing that the situation wasn’t as bad as she had initially feared upon meeting Luna last night. Oh no, it was infinitely worse.
The entirety of the nobility actively shunning both Princess Luna and all but attacking her Night Court, the common ponies staying clear of the whole mess either due to fear of reprisal from the nobility or due to believing the rumors being spread about Luna. Everything festering for months on end to the point the whole Night Court had been deserted night after night for months already. All the while Luna’s big sister utterly failed to notice anything was even wrong in the first place.
“Oh, dear Faust…” Snowdrop slowly muttered, disbelief sadness and exhaustion battling for dominance within her voice, Silver Quill simply placing a hoof upon the Pegasus mare shoulder in pained understanding.
‘What do I do?’ The blind mare questioned the universe at large, trying and failing to find a way, any way in which she could help fix this whole mess, all the while fearing that there simply was no answer to that particular question.
Author's Note
Regarding the lack of the 'old-language' in Luna's speech pattern.
In my head-canon back in the past that way of speaking was normal, after all it wasn't an 'old'-language back then, with all ponies talking like that. And so the only thing I kept of that was the use of the Royal 'we' when she is either in a formal environment or when she loses her cool.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter; please let me know your thoughts about it.
