The New Kids

Blackhoof sighed. He flew out of the throne room and zipped out of the castle, flying into the city to visit his father.

*   *   *

King Sombra sat on the couch, levitating a mug of coffee from the table in front of him. He took a sip, then started to remember. He started to remember Luna, how she was so kind. How she cared for every pony. How she passed away giving birth to his son. A tear trickled down his face. He heard a knock at the door and stood up to go answer it.

His son, Blackhoof, stood there. Sombra grinned. "Son," he uttered, bringing Blackhoof into a strong embrace.

The fifteen year old alicorn returned the hug, then stepped back. "Father, I need to ask you something."

"Sure, come on in."

Sombra stepped aside, letting his son into the comfort of his home. Then, he shut the door, turning and facing Blackhoof. "What is it you wanted to ask me?"

"Who is my real mother?"

Sombra broke a sweat. How was he supposed to tell him that his mother died? "Your mother... Her name was Luna. She was good and kind, cared about every pony she met. She passed away giving birth to you."

Blackhoof looked confused. "What kind of connection did my real mom have with Celestia?"

"Luna was Celestia's sister."

Blackhoof's jaw dropped. "Celestia's my aunt?"

"Yes. Is that all?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Dad," he said, hugging his father before walking out the door.

*   *   *

Applejack sat in a rocking chair. She was forty years old. She had a few gray streaks in her mane and tail, as well as a few wrinkles. Apple Bloom was about twenty-eight, already had her own home in Ponyville, and was engaged to Pipsqueak. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were already married to each other.

Rarity stepped out of their bedroom, wiping her tired eyes. She too had gray streaks in her hair. The alabaster unicorn kissed her wife's cheek. "Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?"

Applejack smiled. "Yeah, I slept like a foal."

"Good. I always want the best for you, my dear. What say you to some breakfast?"

"I am a mite famished. I'll fix somethin' up."

"No no no, darling, I would like to cook today. I insist."

"If you really want to."

Rarity  trotted off into the kitchen, prepared to make the best meal that her lover had ever tasted. That moment was cut short when both of their cutie marks began to glow. "The map," they both muttered at the same time.

*   *   *

Rainbow Dash yawned and stretched as she drowsily rose from the covers. She looked beside her, and, as always, her lover was not there. Pinkie Pie had always been the early bird of the house. Rainbow Dash had gray strips in her hair, as did every one of her friends, with the exception of Twilight. Being an alicorn, she stays young forever.

She opened the bedroom door with a wing, stepping out to an abnormally quiet hallway. Despite being forty, Pinkie can still be really loud and energetic. She felt a tingling sensation on her flank, then looked back at it. It was glowing. Dash flew out of the household and toward the castle of which Twilight lived in.

Pinkie could be seen along the way, bouncing happily as her flank shimmered. She looked up, grinning joyfully as she could make out Rainbow Dash. "Hi, Dashie!" she yelled. She waved one of her hooves.

They both sped into the castle, cantering toward the throne room, where six chairs sat around a table, where all six of their cutie marks sat upon a 3D model of Canterlot. Rainbow sat in her chair, then Applejack, then Pinkie, then Rarity. Fluttershy burst through the doors, then sat upon her throne as well. Twilight and spike, still fresh as daisies, sat in their chairs as they arrived.

"The map called all of us to Canterlot?" Rarity's eyes shimmered. "I haven't visited in years! I'll visit the castle to see how Celestia's nephew is doing. I'll also check on my boutique, bring a few more dresses there to sell-"

Twilight spoke up. "That's not what the map's called us to do. I received these in the mail without a stamp," she said, levitating a box.

She set it on the map, opening it and turning the box toward her friends. They all gasped. In the box were five necklaces with a crown, all having jewels glowing red. "I think we need to take these with us."

Fluttershy spoke up. "Shouldn't we wear them just in case?"

"Why would we do that?"

"I don't know, I just had the feeling."

Twilight levitated the necklaces over to her friends, putting theirs on at the same time that she had put on her crown. However, when the necklaces touched their necks, they shocked them. Pinkie spoke. "Why is this happening?"

The lavender princess brought a book over to herself, opening it and reading some page in the back of the book. She gasped. "We became the bearers of the Elements of Harmony when we were all twenty years old, correct?"

They all nodded. Twilight turned the book around for all of them to read. "It says that every twenty years, new bearers must be found."

Rainbow looked down at her necklace. She noticed something different. Instead of it being a lightning bolt, it was a broken heart with three lines connecting the two pieces. Pinkie's and Rarity's stayed the same, though. But every pony else's changed. Applejack's necklace, instead of having an apple, had a microphone. Fluttershy's was a crescent-shaped moon. Twilight's, instead of having a six-pointed star, had a skull.

All six of them got out of their chairs and headed toward the train station to find whoever were the next bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

*   *   *

Blackhoof strolled along the streets, eyeing the various shops that were open that day. One of them sold vegetables and fruit, several sold foals' toys, and a few sold dresses and accessories. The Canterlot Carousel was run by some pony who had been like a mother to him, as did all of her friends; Rarity.

He kept going. He promised a visit to Curious' house at noon, and it was eleven forty-five. She had wanted the others to be there too, so she asked them as well.

The purple wooden front door to Curious' home came into view as Blackhoof sped up. He soon arrived on her driveway, then skidded to a stop. He could hear loud snaps coming from inside, and fierce yelling, mixed with the crying of a mare. The curtains draped over the windows, unlike every other time. He could hear Curious pleading, "Please, st-AH!"

Another snap. His heart thundering in his chest, Blackhoof cantered onto the front porch and knocked frantically. After a few seconds, a curtain moved, but before he could look, it was back where it was. He heard voices. "It's your friend. Go get the door." A few seconds, full of the sound of whimpering, passed. "Now!"

Another snap.

"I guess I have to do everything myself!"

The handle jiggled, then the purple door opened, revealing an ivory earth pony stallion with a whip on his back. "Your highness," he muttered, bowing in front of him.

Blackhoof beckoned for him to rise. "What's going on in there? Your walls are not soundproof. I can hear... screaming... and snapping."

The stallion stammered. "I-it's a mov-movie th-that we're watching... right, Curious?"

After a couple seconds of silence, Blackhoof could hear a faint "uh-huh."

Blackhoof didn't know what to do. Was he really watching a movie with Curious' voice in it? And the sounds were too loud to have possibly been a television program. He had to get to the bottom of this, and fast. "Sir, I think you are lying to me. May I see my friend please?"

The stallion began to sweat. "No. Bye. See you later, your majesty."

He began to close the door, but Blackhoof stopped it with his magic. "Show me Curious Canter," he said with anger in his eyes.

The ivory earth pony left the door and trotted in the direction of the living room. It took a minute, but finally, he and Curious Canter stepped outside. Curious was wearing a black cloak with sunglasses. Blackhoof furrowed his brows. His horn lit up as the cloak and sunglasses floated off of her.

She was a mess.

She had a black eye. Several wounds from the whip, as well as twice as many bruises. A few of the marks from the whip were hit so hard that they were cut open. Her nose was bleeding, as was her lower lip. From how she looked, it was as if she couldn't stand up.

Blackhoof covered his mouth with a hoof. For the first time in months, his eyes stung with tears. He turned his head at the sound of five sets of hooves galloping their way. He quickly turned back and stepped forwards. "I am shocked, sir. Why would you treat such an innocent, sweet pony like that?!"

A few guards patrolling the streets had gathered around as Blackhoof continued. "You are under arrest for foal abuse. Take him away."

The guards walked forwards, cornering the stallion. They cuffed him and carried him away. Curious stood there and cried, shaking. Blackhoof held her close with a wing and led her inside. A minty green earth pony mare walked out of her room. "What was all the commotion?" Her eyes widened at Curious' condition. "Honey, what happened?!"

She looked at Blackhoof and bowed immediately. "Your grace," she said before rising. "What happened to my daughter?"

"Her father-"

She grunted in frustration. "I am so sorry about my husband, he has been abusing her for the longest time and forced us not to tell any pony. I have wanted to, but when I did, he had always denied it. Thank you for coming. I suppose your friends are here as well?"

"Yes, we have come for a meeting that Curious had wanted us to attend."

The minty mare lit up. "I've got some snacks for you and your friends. Curious, I'll get you some bandages and frozen peas."

Curious smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

Blackhoof felt a tingling sensation on his flank. He looked there, and his cutie mark, a skull, was glowing red. Natural Note, Gemdancer, Delicate Dreamer, Goldenheart, and Moonlit Shimmer all cantered into the house, their flanks shimmering with red hues. Natural and Blackhoof both had a magic surge. A white flash, then all of them, except Curious, were gone.

*   *   *

Once the world came into focus, Blackhoof and his friends could make out the train station. A train zipped their way. The train from Ponyville. As it came to a halt, the doors opened, revealing six mares, all of them Blackhoof recognized as the Elements of Harmony.

Twilight Sparkle levitated a box in front of herself. Rarity ran toward Blackhoof, stopping right in front of him and bowing. "Fantastic to see you again, Prince Blackhoof. How have you been?"

"I've been fine, thank you."

Twilight looked at him and gasped. She opened the box, then pulled out a crown, placing it on his head. The tingling in his flank stopped. Twilight gasped. "You are the next Element of Magic!"