It's been over two hundred years since my friends and I took over ruling Equestria. My friends have all moved on since then as well as the original pillars. So now, it was just me, Princess Twilight Sparkle, and Spike. Of all my original friends, Spike is the only one left that remembers the events from what seems so long ago. I've shed my tears over their passing and miss them with every bit of my heart. My heart feels their absence strongly at times. Like right now, for instance.
Spike and I were standing in front of an entrance carved out in stone. Stone carvings of both Celestia and Luna stood tall and regal on either side of the double stone doors. The entrance looked like nothing more than a simple large block of stone with double doors with a wing from both Celestia and Luna outstretched over the top. As if blessing what those doors led down to.
"I remember when you decided to make this when Fluttershy passed away," Spike said as he stood tall beside me. He was taller than me at this point and even though passed his prime, he still had years of life left in him. Years that I intend to cherish for the rest of his days. I leaned against him as he put an arm around my shoulders. "It's a wonderful tribute to them. A way to keep their memories alive." My heart was weeping along with me as the double doors slowly opened with a loud rumble. "Seemed fitting to have this at the same spot where the Tree of Harmony used to be. And to call it the 'Shrine of Friendship' seemed fitting too." Spike walked inside with me when the stone doors fully opened. I was glad that he continued talking because my heart was too heavy to do so right now. The sound of my hoofsteps and his claws tapping against the stone steps may have been soft in my ears but they were pounding in my heart. "Discord was never the same after Fluttershy passed away."
Orb lights lit the way down the stairs and lit the large stone room at the bottom. It was almost a direct copy of Canterlot's throne room, just without the throne itself. In place of where the throne would be, a crystal replica of the Tree of Harmony stood. On either side stood stone carvings of the original pillars, including Stygian. Starswirl wanted it that way when he passed away. With all of them now gone they stood on one side of the room, all in regal fashion, facing the Tree of Harmony replica. On the other side stood stone carvings of my friends, also standing in regal fashion. What lighted the room was the orb lights that were inside the crystal replica of the Tree of Harmony like a floor-mounted chandelier.
Spike walked with me up to the plaque mounted on a carved stone book stand. Then stood silently by as a tear landed upon the plaque. After a calming deep breath, I looked down and started reciting the words. "The Shrine of Harmony. Upon this site once stood the Tree of Harmony. The Elements of Harmony were within her branches. Loyalty, kindness, laughter, honesty, generosity, and magic are the Elements of Harmony. On the right are the first bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Their names and which element they represented are on a plague beath each of them. On the left are the second bearers of the Elements of Harmony with a plaque beneath them containing their names and the element they represented. This site was erected so that their memory and the magic of friendship will never die."
Considering Spike mentioned Fluttershy and because she was the first statue closest to me on my left, she was the first I went to after stepping around the pedestal. Spike followed me as I walked toward Fluttershy's statue. She may be standing but the artist was still able to capture Fluttershy's kind smile. "I remember Discord telling me that without Fluttershy, he had no desire for chaos anymore. He once told me that he thought that Fluttershy was the one that truly understood him. I didn't see much of him after that." He fell silent while I leaned myself against him and let my heart weep for my friends.
It was a few minutes later while Spike was still holding me that everything changed for me. I gasped in shock with my eyes going white as magic overwhelmed me. This is something I've experienced before. It was when we had to figure out why those black vines were out of control. This was the same effect when I drank Zecora's potion. Only this time, instead of the past, I was carried to the future. It had to be the future because there was technology and machinery around that I've never seen before.
I was standing in the middle of a farmer's field. It wasn't Ponyville and the field had all kinds of fruits and vegetables around. Anywhere from fruit trees to vegetable gardens were tended to by earth ponies using equipment that I've never seen before. And all moving on their own with earth ponies manipulating the controls. And like in the past, they couldn't see me or hear me, so I recognized it as a vision right away. But why was I having it? It took me another few minutes of looking around to realize that there were no unicorns or Pegasi around. Only earth ponies. And this field stretched as far as my eyes could see. Just where was I? When was I?
The scene changed in an instant from a farm field to that of a large city. Was it Manehattan? The place looked somewhat familiar but everything was different. There was nothing but unicorns everywhere using machines I've never seen before. And holding a small thin rectangle looking device in their hooves with some even talking into them. Communication device? Some riding in some type of carriage that moved under its own power. I recognized the street lamps, but why were the lamps directly over the street with three different changing colors? All this was a mystery to me, but one thing I finally noticed was that none of the unicorns were using their magic. Why?
Another scene change and Pegasi were everywhere. Now in the clouds and a cloud city no less with Pegasi flying around everywhere. Needless to say, there were no unicorns or earth ponies up here. They still had more of that strange technology that I saw before. Some holding those thin communication devices, some with what looked like some type of wrist device that told time, and some holding a small device that played music. All this was really strange for me to see. All three tribes were living by themselves just like before.
The scene changed once more and I was back in a farmer's field, but a different one than before. Only this time I was standing beside an earth pony mare with an orange coat and purple mane and tail. We were standing in the backyard of their house I think where she and an older mare were tending their garden. And I saw sadness and frustration in her eyes after looking down at her. And something else. Something told me that this pony was important.
"Mom? I've found some ruins outside of the city," she told her mother as her mother was busy tending some vegetables. I stood by listening and watching because curious as to what ruins were found. Because that would give me an idea of where we were. It looked to be a similar town like Ponyville but each house had its own garden.
Her mother put down the trowel and turned to her daughter with a disapproving look. "Sunny! I've told you not to venture outside the town. For one thing, it's just too dangerous. There could be unicorns or Pegasi around. Those nasty unicorns could stab you with that horn and those Pegasi could carry you off and I'd never see you again. It's better to just stick to our own within this small town." Her mother tisked with a roll of her eyes, "I'll never see why you need to endanger yourself so. Other ponies cannot be trusted and we have everything we need right here."
"But mom, it just doesn't feel right. Like the world is wrong somehow," Sunny pleaded with her mother. She even sat down and thrust out her hooves toward her mother. Then motioned in one direction. "And the ruins prove that I'm right. I found the ruins of a beautiful crystal castle." I gasped at that but eagerly listened as there were only two possibilities of which castle that was. And considering that we weren't surrounded by snow it had to be mine in Ponyville.
But her mother just laughed. "Oh you silly little mare, those castles are just old mare's tales. They never existed. Didn't you pay attention during history class?"
"Yes, I did mom," Sunny said, now with a knowing determined look on her face. "And those history books are wrong. The castle ruins I found prove it. In those ruins, I found a secret door that led down into a private small library. There weren't many books there. But I did find a personal journal of the owner of that castle. The mare's name was Princess Twilight Sparkle and she had both a horn and wings." My hooves met my mouth in shock. My castle was in ruins? That also means that Ponyville was in ruins as well. Why?
Her mother gasped as well but apparently for another reason entirely. "Don't say such things," she demanded softly and put her hooves against Sunny's mouth. "Ponies will think you're crazy or something. Each tribe is better off among our own kind and that's all you need to know. Unicorns and Pegasi cannot be trusted."
Sunny yanked her mother's hooves from her mouth and shook her head. "No, I can't believe that. Not with what I've found in those ruins. I'm right, mom. And I know that we were once united, not divided. And I know that there's still hope that we can be united again." I was amazed when her body began to glow but I don't think either one of them saw it. She didn't react to Sunny's body glowing and neither did Sunny, so it must have been for my sake. Was she one of the new bearers? "And I'm going to go back and learn more. I'm going to learn all I can."
The scene changed again. Only this time Sunny was with a young unicorn mare and they were both running out of the town. Some of the town's earth pony residents were behind them shouting for them to leave and never come back. My heart went out to them, so I followed them as they ran from the town to the nearby forest. "It's alright, Izzy," Sunny shouted back to the unicorn mare as they ran toward the forest. "I know where we will be safe. Plus there is something that you have got to see there."
I flew after them as they ran and ran until we got to what was left of Ponyville. I couldn't stop and had no time for tears but it tore at my heart. Houses, shops, and even city hall were in ruins as plant life had overgrown where nature had reclaimed her territory. Vines covered what was left of the buildings. And trees covered the streets in spots and made the old town look more like what the Two Sisters' castle looks like. But as the picture of the old ruined castle popped into my head, my eyes spotted the ruined remains of my own castle in the distance. "Come on, it's just up ahead," Sunny encouraged Izzy as they now were walking toward my old castle.
Barely the first floor was left of my castle. The front door was gone, so after they walked up the steps they just walked through what was left. "This way," Sunny said then turned left from there toward what was left of the map room. Or what was left of it. Most of the floor was intact and some of the walls but that was it. Even the map itself was gone. Vines had started to break apart what was left of the walls and grass had started creeping up from the floor. What was troubling were the scorch marks on the walls, as if the castle itself was attacked at some point in time. "It's under the floor," Sunny told the other mare as she reached the center of the map room and tapped on the floor with her hoof. It sounded hollow. I remember having this idea at one point about a private library similar to the one that Celestia and Luna had in their old castle. And it would be appropriate to hide it under the map. Especially after seeing all this. Guess I know what I'll be doing next. Sunny tapped on the floor a few times before a part of the floor slowly slid open with a soft sound like rock sliding against a rock. Once the hidden door opened, it revealed stairs leading down. "Come on this way," Sunny said with excitement and almost pranced her way down the stairs. Izzy followed behind her silently but with curiosity on her face.
As I followed them down the stairs, I was curious how it looked for obvious reasons. For the first time in my life, I was about to see something that I haven't done before. Paradox theories suddenly popped into my head as my eyes scanned the small room. It was definitely small. The room was a simple square room with just enough space for two bookshelves on the far wall and a small reading table in the center with two small sofas on either side of the small room. A single glowing orb lamp hanging from the ceiling completed the picture.
"Over here," Sunny waved Izzy over, "this is what I wanted you to see." Izzy walked over while still looking around a little hesitantly. The young unicorn was still looking unsure of herself and her surroundings but walked up to the small table in the center of the small room. And down to my private journal. It was the journal I started keeping after my friends started passing away. It was laying open on the table. Sunny turned the pages until she got to the first page where I wrote my name down. "For a while now, I've been feeling that something just wasn't right with the world. I never saw why earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi couldn't live together. That we could live together peacefully. And I was right Izzy." Sunny, tapped the front page excitedly as Izzy stepped up beside her. "I found this first. It's a journal of a mare named Princess Twilight Sparkle. A princess! She had a horn and wings."
"Really?!" Izzy looked down in total shock at this and began reading the first page where I wrote down my name.
"Really!" Sunny stepped back and then around the table up to the two bookshelves. "The first time I found this place, it was just an accident. But I spend all of that first day just reading her journal. And on these two bookshelves are history books which prove that what we've been taught all this time is a lie. It's all been a lie, Izzy. Earth ponies, unicorns, and Pegasi all used to live in perfect peace with one another. And get this!" Izzy looked up at Sunny's glowing face that showed pure excitement at the knowledge she was gaining. I started feeling a kinship with her because there was so much of myself in her face. The excitement of learning. "Unicorns can do magic!"
"What?!" Izzy's face lit up in shock and awe. "But I haven't been able to. No unicorn has."
That's when Sunny grabbed a book and practically tossed it onto the table. "Magic for Beginners," Sunny said as she tapped the book. "This is just the first volume. It's written for unicorns. It makes sense, doesn't it? Why do you think your horn is on your head? For looks? Wings on Pegasi are for flying. Well, according to this, you are supposed to be able to use magic. That's what your horn is for."
"You think so?" Izzy asked as Sunny pushed the magic book over to her.
"According to this, yes." Sunny then turned toward the bookshelf again, picked out another book, and put it on the table as well. "This book is about the history of Equestria when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled." I recognized the book. It was the one about how Celestia and Luna ruled together. "And get this, Izzy. Princess Celestia raised the sun! And Princess Luna raised the moon! Can you believe it?" Izzy's eyes were busy looking back and forth between the three books on the table. There was so much shock and awe in her eyes that she couldn't say anything. "Everything we've been taught is a lie. A complete lie and it's all here. It's all here, Izzy for us to learn. And I want to learn it all. What do you say, Izzy? Learn with me as my friend?"
Even though Izzy was still shocked by what she saw, I also saw a need in her eyes. Izzy nodded to Sunny with a smile on her face and stuck out her hoof across the table bumping Sunny's. "Sure!"
And that's when everything started fading away. Spike's concerned voice then hit my ears.
"Twilight? Twilight!" I heard him almost shouting at me as the real world came back into view once more. He was now directly in front of me with my head in his claws.
"I'm alright, Spike," I told him through a sad smile as my mind started processing everything I just saw. With a slight shake of my head and a deep breath, I steadied myself. "I'm alright, I just had a vision."
"You're eyes went white like that time when you drank Zecora's potion," he said, now moving to my side and put his arm around me again. "What did you see?"
"Something very disturbing, Spike," I finally said after taking another deep breath to calm and steady myself. Then turned and started toward the entrance, now with determination in each step. He was right beside me as I explained what I saw. "I saw the future. And it was a future apparently without magic."
"What?!" he stopped only for a second because of the shock of what I just said. "How is that possible?"
"Because friendship is magic. And in the future, the three tribes separate once more and there's virtually no friendship. At least not between the tribes anymore." Once reaching the surface, I turned around and used my magic to shut the stone doors. "In my vision, I saw unicorns not using magic at all. And one unicorn mare named Izzy said that she didn't even know that she could use magic. That unicorns weren't using it." After the doors shut, I looked at them after a long sigh. "I saw a future where the three tribes separated once more, friendship was all but gone, unicorns not using magic, technology so advanced that I didn't know what I was looking at, and my castle along with the rest of Ponyville was in ruins."
"W-what?" Spike was understandably shocked and I couldn't blame him for that.
"From what little I saw, I think the three tribes went through some type of war but I can't be sure," I told him as my mind now had something to focus on. "However, it does shed light on recent events," I continued softly as my mind started spinning like mad. "A group of earth ponies wants to start a farming town in the fertile land of White Tail Woods. A movement that seems to be gaining support for separating the tribes once more based off of lies and hate."
"What do you want to do? You could always stop them easily," he offered with a shrug. "Force the group to disband."
"No, Spike. I won't do that. I won't become a tyrant." I shook my head fiercely at that. "No. One thing I've learned is that friendship can't be forced. If a group of ponies wants to hate then trying to force them to stop will only add fuel to their fire. Sure, I could ban them from Equestria but at what cost? Become a tyrant to save Equestria? That goes against everything I've ever learned and love."
"Oh...kay, then what can you do?" he asked now with genuine curiosity and concern.
"The future I saw was without friendship because I think the idea of friendship was rejected by pony society. I can't force friendship. However, I can't let it die either. Therefore, there's only one course of action." I closed my eyes and lit up my horn with a heavy heart. And with a few tears escaping from my eyes and with my heart weeping at what I had to do, the stone entrance to the Shrine of Friendship was slowly being lowered into the ground.
"Twilight? What are you doing?"
"For the magic of friendship to survive the coming storm, I'm going to have to do something I never thought I'd do." The entrance to the shrine lowered into the ground where the earth began covering it. "Instead of spreading the magic of friendship. I have to bury it."
"WHAT?! WHY?!"
My voice, and my body, was shaking as the earth finished covering up the entrance to the Shrine of Friendship. "My castle looked like it had been attacked. Friendship was being rejected, especially between the three tribes, Spike. I wanted this shrine to be a tribute to everything I believe in. I wanted ponies to come here and enjoy and share. But after what I've seen, I fear that it may be destroyed, Spike." I looked over at him after releasing my magic with tears in my eyes. "I can't bear to see that happen. If I would even be alive if that happens. The magic of Friendship must be able to be rediscovered again."
"How?" he asked then turned to follow me after I did.
I had turned around and was walking my way back to Ponyville because I had to make some preparations. "The magic of friendship will be found again. By an earth pony mare named, Sunny. She makes her first unicorn friend in a town nearby. I have to help her."
"Alright, but how are you going to do that?"
"Remember my idea about a private library and study room like Celestia and Luna did in their old castle?" I asked, stopping just outside of the Everfree Forest.
"Yeah," he said, stopping next to me and looking down at me. "You haven't built it yet."
"She finds it, Spike. She finds it and because she finds it, I can put history and magic books in there at least." With determination in my eyes, I looked up at him and spread my wings to take flight. "Among other things. I think she will become an element bearer. So, I've got to help her. The magic of friendship will be found again, so we've got some work to do." With that, I took flight toward the School of Friendship with Spike flying behind me.
^_^
"So, what are we doing here, Twilight?" Spike asked after we both landed and headed up the steps to the front entrance of the school.
"We need to get some things for my private library that Sunny's going to find," I told him while opening the door, stepping inside, and headed straight for the headmaster's office. "For the future generation to rediscover the magic of friendship then they'll need some lessons. And for that, they'll need books." As we walked through the halls, we didn't pass that many students.
"It seems the school has been getting fewer and fewer students each year," Spike mentioned as we passed only one student in the lonely halls. We both gave her a smile and a friendly wave as we walked by her. "If those visions were true, which I think they were, then the divide of the tribes would explain what's happening now."
"Unfortunately, yes." After turning a corner, the headmaster's office was just up ahead. "I'm afraid that the seeds of that future have already been planted." Now at the headmaster's door, I knocked a couple of times.
"Entre Vous," the headmaster said comically.
With a light giggle and a slight roll of my eyes, I walked in. "You've always had a way to spread joy and give me a laugh." He was sitting behind his desk as we walked in. His high energy and silly personality were so unlike his slim build, gray coat, and black mane and tail. When one walked into his office they expected him to be curt, business-like, and unforgivingly firm. He was the total opposite of that. Like right now, he stood from his chair and came around the desk over to me in such an overly silly Prench way that had always lifted my spirit.
"Mon Cheri," he said in bad Prench as he walked up, took my hoof in his, and gave it an exaggerated kiss. "Your name may mean sunset time but you brighten the halls with your presence."
With a roll of my eyes and a slight giggle that brought a smile to my face, I lifted my hoof and lightly booped him on his nose. "Silly stallion." Then walked around him toward the bookshelf behind him. "Need to get some books from you."
"From me?" he asked, now curious as he followed me around behind the desk. "What would you need from me? You made this school and quite literally wrote the book." He watched me take copies of all the textbooks after looking them over first then floating them over to Spike. "Going to start another school? We got programs for that and unfortunately, I don't think starting another one will help bring up attendance any."
"I know," I said softly with a sigh after taking down the last book. Then turned around to face him. Only this time without the smile. "And no, I'm not starting another school. I know why attendance is low and I also know that there's nothing any of us can do about it." He looked up at me with concern now that the smile was gone from my face. "I saw a vision just a short time ago while visiting the shrine. A vision where the three tribes had separated once again. Perhaps even civil war, though I'm not sure on that last part." Now he was simply looking up at me in total shock and disbelief. I didn't blame him for I hardly believed it myself. "It was a future with far more advanced technology where unicorns don't use magic. And the three tribes don't trust each other anymore."
"B-but...you can stop it right? You're the Princess of Friendship after all."
"I'm sorry, my friend," I whispered, put a wing around him, and hugged him from the side. "This is one time that I can't stop it. If society wants to reject friendship then there's nothing I can do but prepare for the time when they seek out friendship once more."
"Is that why you want the books?" he asked softly, still with a shocked look on his face.
"Yes. I saw a young mare that I think is another bearer of one of the elements. She will be convinced that friendship is possible between the tribes. And I have to help her. Until that time, I'll have to take steps that the magic of friendship can be found once more." I took a calming breath again before looking down at him with sadness in my eyes. "Since the vision, I'm already starting to see that future start to unfold. The Council of Friendship was the first, some earth ponies wanting their own farming town, and the decline of students here at the school are just some of the signs. I'm afraid the change has already begun. Pony society is starting to reject friendship."
"W-what are you going to do?"
"I've already sealed away the Shrine of Friendship before coming here," I said while still hugging him. "With these books and others, I plan on building my own private study beneath the map in my castle. In time, that room and the shrine will be found again. It will be a time where the magic of friendship and me will be nothing but legend. And during another era of Equestria's darkest hour, just one young mare will start the journey back toward peace between the tribes once again. Until that time, the magic of friendship and I must fade into legend."
"B-but-"
"It must be this way, my friend. For friendship and its magic must survive the coming storm. If it doesn't, it could be lost forever. Ponyville and my castle were in ruins in my vision. My private study was still there and I'm sure the shrine was still intact as well. So, to preserve the magic of friendship and its history. I must bury it, so it can fade into a legend. In the hopes that it will once more be found again."
"I..."
"I'm sorry, my friend but this is how it must be." He didn't have a horn, so I lightly kissed the top of his head. "I've got much to do, so we'll talk later." Then walked around his desk toward Spike. "Come on, Spike. There is much to be done."
^_^
Some time into the future, Twilight's private small library underneath the map room lays waiting to be discovered. Two bookshelves stand tall against the far wall and are filled with books just waiting to be read. Waiting to correct the lies that have been spread throughout the centuries. Two small sofas on either side of the room face the lonely table in the center of the room. On this table lays two books and a stack of papers. Twilight's friendship journal on one side and her book of memories on the other. And between them is a letter. A letter to Sunny being held down by a single glowing gem. And as the sounds of war vibrate the walls of the small study, the gem illuminates these words of hope:
Dear Sunny,
If you are reading this letter, then that means my efforts to keep the three pony tribes together have failed. I, Princess Twilight Sparkle of Friendship, have failed to keep friendship alive. And I've passed away and long since turned to dust. However, as time moves on and ponies come and go, there are some things that never truly disappear. The magic of friendship. I know you won't understand it as you read this but in time hopefully, you will. By the time you read this, unicorns won't use magic. Magic exists and so does the magic of friendship. Within the walls, you will read about history, magic, and much much more. These books I put there myself for you, and hopefully the friends that you make among other tribes, to read, enjoy, and to learn from. To further prove that Alicorns existed, those with the strength of earth ponies, the horns of unicorns, and the wings of Pegasi take the gem that rested upon these papers and let it guide you to 'The Shrine of Friendship.' There you will see further evidence carved into stone. The names of my friends and the Elements of Harmony they represented are enshrined there. Friendship is magic, Sunny. It is the one thing that can truly unite us all. As long as ponies want it. Friendship can't be forced upon somepony. Only offered and accepted. So, I offer mine to you through the ages of time itself. You can ignite the spark of friendship between the tribes once again, Sunny. The magic of friendship is here for you to find, read, and learn about. Then spread throughout the land. It won't be easy and you'll face many obstacles with your friends. But if you will accept my friendship with you then I, Princess Twilight Sparkle the Princess of Friendship, decree to you this mission: Make some friends, rediscover the magic of friendship, and help bring magic, friendship, and harmony back to the three tribes and to all of Equestria.
Your friend,
Princess Twilight Sparkle
The Princess of Friendship
Bearer of the Element of Magic.
