55 After Harmony Died

Fifty-five years... that’s how long it has been when the Elements of Harmony died. I remember those days like it was the last week; nopony expected the war was coming.

Two fillies ran in to a large study filled with books about history and mythology long forgotten by most.

“Grampa-Jack! Tell us about the war!” the white Pegasus filly and yellow unicorn filly shouted in unison running towards a black furred and grey mane old stallion with a blackjack for a cutie mark.

“Now, now didn’t I tell you that I’ll tell that story when you’re ten years old?” said the old stallion, clearly more interested in  reading an old book rather than comforting the two over enthusiastic fillies. A beautiful blue unicorn with a red cross for a cutie mark walked in the room “They turned ten today, consider it as an birthday present for them, dad...” she said with an irritated voice “Did you forget that already?”

“Hmm, I did apparently… Well, I guess I have to then… oh! And happy birthday to the two of you.” Black Jack grunted clearly not happy about his daughters’ tone of words.

My story begins fifty-nine years ago, when first of the Elements died.

I was just a small colt living in Canterlot under the reign of the twin alicorns princesses. Me and my friends went to the Canterlots school for gifted unicorns And to be fairly honest I have no idea how I got into the school, my magical talents were closer to an earth pony and my overall grades were decent at best. Must've taken a lot of work from my parents...

The only subject i ever enjoyed in school was history, especially the times of Nightmare Moon's short lived tyranny. I know she's an alicorn but how could anypony make a land flourish in an eternal night? Sure there were the theories about creating plants and crops that could grow with only moonlight but there was never really any evidence of it...

"Im getting sidetracked again aren't I?"

"Yes" all three listeners said together. "Dad, you seem to get worse with it every time we visit you. Are you taking the medicine I gave you?" Jacks daughter asked in a worried tone "You know they're for your own good, right?".

"Hmph" grunted the old stallion and looked at a study table with little jars of pills on it "No fancy medical mumbo-jumbo pills are going to keep me in this world, even if they came from you. Willpower is what it takes!"

The Blue unicorn sighed "Fine, but you'll take the pills before we leave. No reason to make a fuss about it during a story."

My life was simple for many years.

I grew in Canterlot my youth until it happened.

Harmony of Equestria died.

The Element of laughter held a party for princess Celestia for her birthday, foolish thing to do for such an old mare. Pinkamena Diane Pie died from a heart attack due to an extremely high blood pressure.

Honesty died during the grand opening of Applebuck season. She trotted up to an old, big apple tree, supposedly from a hundred years back, one strong kick and the whole tree fell on Applejack the Honest leaving nothing that reminded of a pony that used to walk Equestria.

A month from the loss of Honesty, Loyalty vanished. I personally witnessed her “death”. Some say that she wanted to perform one last sonic rainboom for old times sake, being an old mare, she couldn’t pull herself up and instead she dove into a lake.

I must admit that it was the most beautiful sonic rainboom I’ve ever seen, well also being the only sonic rainboom I’ve ever seen…

Kindness vanished into the Everfree forest around a week after the “Last Rainboom” incident. Many ponies went after to look for her, nopony found a trace of her. Some believe she retreated to a sanctum just to return when time was right. Most on the other hoof believe that she got lost and died in there.  Even now every year thousands of ponies go to Everfree forest to look for her or her remains without any results. It’s a lost cause.

Generosity died a martyr. Somepony so devoted to her work that she worked for week’s non-stop just to get her latest models on display in Canterlots best shops and fashion shows. An old mare, 50 of the most beautiful dresser Equestria had seen and one month, don’t really add up too well. The dresses she finished before she withered away in her boutique became priceless artifacts amongst collectors and fashionistas.

“Dad, you’re making it too crude!”

hissed the blue unicorn “You’ll traumatize your grandchildren!”

“You brought them here for this story, didn’t you?” Black Jack sighed “Now let me tell the young the truth, they deserve to know. Especially when the Government has been lying to everypony for the last few decades”

The final Element of Harmony was that of Magic.

Twilight Sparkle was a unicorn with magic prowess second to alicorns, some said that she could’ve spoken Starswirl the Bearded to sleep by talking about time travel. Ironic in a way…

Twilight Sparkle was broken when she heard the news of her last friend dying, she devoted her last able years to study and eventually master time travel.

The Element of Magic held a seminar; she invited everypony across Equestria. Her goal was to stop or at least find out how the Elements died, and if anything, to spend her friends’ final days with them.

“If I’m not back in five minutes… then I’m lost. Don’t bother looking for me.” Twilight said with a creaky old voice before disappearing in a flash.

Famous last words, too famous actually.

For after five minutes, all hell broke loose.

Changelings who were disguised as our own morphed into their own forms and started attacking in even suicidal ways. Hidden bombs went off inside buildings and Canterlot was in panic. Hundreds died within hours before the Princesses could drive out every last changeling.

The war against change had officially started…