Trinity of Time: Fate and Change

Ugh... My body is all sore... I can barely move... Hmm? Why is the ground so soft? Where's all this light coming from? I'm not dead, am I? ... I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. That sounds like something I would've done after last night. In what ways could I have killed myself? No, now's not the time for that. It feels so warm. Sunlight? Yeah, that's probably a better explanation. So then, why's the ground all soft. What time is it?

"How are you doing?" I heard a warm, caring, familiar voice ask me. "Luna was worried when you didn't come back, so she flew out to search for you." Wait, they know I sneak out? "Your expression tells me you're pretty surprised. Did you really think it was necessary to hide something as harmless as a nightly stroll?" I merely moaned. My eyes were too weak to open. I felt her cold slipper on my chest. That feeling of glaciated metal immediately woke me up. I realized I was panting, covered in sweat and tears from last night. Did the Princesses really take the time to bring me back to my room? Hmm... Let's see... the walls are a soothing, violet hue. In the corner, a neatly kept desk stood amidst a crowd of dolls, toys, cards, board games, building blocks and video-games. Yeah... This was my room. Nopony else was this childish at my age. Heck; the floor was covered in those "styrofoam puzzle pieces," with the letters and symbols in the middle of them. "You just had a bad day, that's all." she added. I sat there, silent. Finally, I built up enough courage to ask her a question that has haunted me for far too long.

"Princess, why did you choose to take care of me like this?" She gave me no reply. For a while, we sat there, completely still. Neither of us made a single sound. Her silence worried me. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I snapped right there, in front of Her Royal Majesty. "I'm sick and tired of running away! I don't want to hide behind this mask of lies, pampered in layers and layers of makeup!" The strangest part is, no matter how outraged I seemed, none of my limbs, excluding my mouth and eyes, moved a single inch. Celestia wasn't looking at me in the eye anymore. It's the first time I've seen the Princess lower her head in shame. Her tricolor mane, usually wavy and in constant motion, stood still, hiding her teary eyes.

"Please Celestia! Answer my question!" There was another long silence like this, before she finally spoke. I heard a crackle in her voice, as if she was holding back a long lost feeling of sadness. "You're right... It was not my call to keep the truth away from you..." Then what is it you're trying to tell me?

"Fifteen years ago, while I was still mourning the loss of my dearest student Twilight Sparkle, my faithful little sister Luna heard cries at the castle gates. She went ahead to investigate on her own. Naturally, I was worried sick. First the Elements, then Twilight's friends, and finally, Twilight herself. One by one, they all left my side. Yet, I knew I would only be mourning for a time, waiting for the cycle to begin anew." She looked up at me, and saw the puzzled expression I bore.

"You see Lavender, long ago, six young ponies from all over the map of a once broken Equestria came together, and created the Elements of Harmony. Unfortunately, during a battle against Discord..." She stopped for a second, her voice trailing off into the distance. I said nothing, waiting patiently for her to continue her tale. Was that remorse I saw in her eyes? Tears... I don't think anyone has ever seen the Princess cry before. "I'm... I'm sorry Lavender... It's just... Sometimes, these old memories get to you." She inhaled a deep breath. "As I was saying, during a battle against Discord, the six faced no other choice, but to take their own lives in order to eliminate Discord. And I..." She coughed. "I was too late... I couldn't help them anymore..." Celestia looked down at her hooves. In that instant, I knew thousands of years worth of memories whisked by, in a single reflection.

"Crystal told me she would take care of things. She told me one day, the two of us would meet again." Her eyes trailed off in the distance, admiring the bright, glorious sun of noon. I couldn't possibly imagine how painful it must be for her. "Then, one day, thousands of years later, we did. A young foal came here in hopes of becoming part of the Canterlot Magic Academy. By some sort of unexpected phenomenon, she was able to turn a baby dragon into a full sized adult, although her spell was still very imperfect at the time." The Princess of the Sun turned her head back towards me again, staring into my eyes. "I was overjoyed when I saw the little filly face to face. She was a completely different color scheme, with a different mane, and different talent. However, those eyes could never betray me. Sure, they were of different color, but that sparkle... I've only seen it once before, thousands of years ago."

I didn't want to interrupt. However, she still hadn't answered my questions. "When Luna found you outside in the cold, wrapped in a soft, white blanket, and comfortably tucked in a small basket, she brought you inside. I thought about sending you directly to the orphanage, or maybe even gift you to a family I had known personally. However, all that changed when I read the note stuck by your side." She pulled out an old scroll. The edges were a little roughed up, and parts of it were wet. However, it didn't matter, as there was only one word on it.

"Fate? What does that mean?" Celestia chuckled a little, and then giggled just a little louder. "From that point on, I knew you were the one. I see in you that same sparkle Twilight possessed." Okay, I'm confused. "Don't you understand Lavender; you are the new Element of Magic."