A Duo's Power Book 1: Repercussions

Twilight and Bright Light spent their days at school and at home, doing what mares were supposed to do under the tyranny of the kings of Equestria. They cooked and cleaned and did all manner of housework. While at school, they learned from the propagandistic titles of books written by those hoof chosen to tell Equestria’s history…or, at least, Sombra and his line’s version of it. Since history’s victors very often are put in the position of storyteller, this meant that entire generations of ponies grew up without hearing of Celestia, Luna, or anything of the true Equestria. Sombra and his successors were the only ones written of. Each day, the small ponies were forced to sing the Equestrian “national anthem,” a horrific tune written by Sombra himself.

However, for Twilight and Bright Light, school was a place of escape. Home was hell as their mother and father were both severely overworked. The family patriarch, Night Light, often came home with bruises and lashings from where his supervisors had beaten him. Meanwhile, their mother, Twilight Velvet, very often suffered from diseases due to poor living conditions. Even Twilight and Bright Light had felt the sting of this wicked time. Twilight, in particular, had nearly died when a severe case of the pony pox swept through Lornstown. Life played a sharp game with the sisters, as Bright caught the pox from Twilight, but did not experience it at quite the same level. So, while her sister lay near death, Bright was forced to watch, knowing that she was carrying the same disease.

Thankfully, both sisters recovered and now enjoyed a place of scholastic honor. While Bright had always looked up to Twilight and envied her brain, she was no academic slouch. Each sibling made good to great grades and always received commendations from their teachers. Though these came as welcome events, Twilight and Bright Light always knew that there was more to Equestria’s story than what they were told. Though they knew nothing of Celestia and Luna, it seemed that they shared a connection with the old rulers. The sisters of Lornstown were benevolent, kind, and amiable to everyone they met. Twilight taught Bright the importance of being a good friend to everypony, even if they had to do it in secret. It seemed to be the only way to survive the cruel world that they found themselves in.

One day, as they were heading home from school, Bright noticed a pony trotting along wearing nothing but rags. It was a tan mare, of average height, and she carried a sandy, tousled mane. Her eyes were cast downwards and she looked as if she would keel over any second. It was one of those moments where one knows the plight of somepony else, even without knowing them personally. The severity of the emotional cart that this mare now pulled was striking. Her legs trembled as she maneuvered herself down the sidewalk, looking more and more pitiful as the seconds rolled by. It tore into young Bright Light’s heart to see someone so down and distressed.

“Twilight?” She asked as she suddenly stopped.

“What is it, Bright?” Twilight asked, looking down at her sister.

“What’s wrong with that mare?”

Twilight looked up and saw the disheveled soul. “I’m afraid…well…that she doesn’t have a home.”

Bright’s mouth dropped open. “But…everyone needs a home!”

“I know, Bright,” Twilight said. “Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. King Bosha has made it very difficult for ponies to be able to afford their homes. We’re very fortunate to still have a roof over our heads, especially considering the beatings dad takes every day.”

“Well…can we help her?”

Twilight smiled. “I suppose we can at least offer her a smile and a kind word.”

Bright lit up and darted across the street to where the elder mare was turning into an alley. The young pony chirped a greeting as she ran up to her and then stopped. Suddenly, Bright felt somewhat eerie. Here was somepony who was absolutely at the end of their rope, yet they continued to keep going. On the one hoof, this was admirable. On the other, she was now in an alley with somepony she didn’t know who was obviously hauling an emotional weight that was inconceivable. Bright wondered how the elder homeless mare would respond to her…would she be kind? Would she receive her nicely?

“Um…hello,” Bright repeated. “My name’s Bright Light…what’s yours?”

“Does it matter…?” Came the ragged answer.

Meanwhile, Twilight arrived out of breath. “Bright Light, please don’t ever dart across the road like that! There was heavy taxi traffic! You could’ve gotten hurt!”

“Sorry, sis,” Bright said, blushing a bit in the dark. “But, I was just talking with my new friend, here!”

“Friend?” The raspy homeless pony asked. “I haven’t had a friend in a very, very long time.”

“Pardon me,” Twilight said, “but…is there any way we can help you?”

Suddenly, the homeless one whirled on them. “There is no help, don’t you get it?! No help is coming! King Sombra’s line dominates the land…no help…none…just none…it’s worthless…hopeless…”

“What’s worthless?” Bright asked.

The old mare didn’t seem to hear her. “…the quest…is gone…diminished…faded…”

“What quest?” Twilight asked.

The mare then turned up and looked them dead in the eye. “The quest that I’ve been on for nearly 500 years!”

Twilight’s eyes nearly bugged out. “You…you’re…”

“You’re darn right, I’m that old!” The mare growled, “and I don’t wanna make a big scene out of it, either! Fact is, I was cursed to live to this age…cursed by that darned sorceress…”

“Wait-wait-wait-wait,” Bright said, “what curse? What sorceress?”

The mare gave them another look. “What does it matter to you, anyway? I ain’t never seen you before in my life.”

“Well,” Bright said, “we just saw you from across the road. You looked really upset. I just thought…maybe…”

“Yeah, well, ya thought wrong!” The mare thundered. “Now, go away. Nopony else has ever given me the time of day. Why should you? I’m worthless! I’m nopony! I’m a homeless hag in rags that’s hated by all of this wicked, repulsive city! So, why don’t you do me a favor and leave me be?”

“Because that’s not what friends do,” Bright said.

“…friends…” The elderly one said in a voice that was almost in tears. “I remember when Equestria had friends…and laughter…and the princesses…”