Author's Note

In case anyone thought about the title of the story for more than a second, it's a reference to Natural Born Killers (1994 movie). Not really inspired by its plot, just letting the reader now.

Prologue

Flurry Heart hadn't had a heartwarming day at school. It wasn't like she ever had a great day in that place, not even on the last day before graduation. She appreciated that her parents had allowed her to attend regular classes at the Crystal High School, but she wished that for once she would feel regular herself. She couldn't concentrate with all the looks and the whispers, and to make matters worse, the pressure from the teachers. As an alicorn with immeasurable potential, she was always expected to be top of the class, to the detriment of her peers' opinion of her:

Who does she think she is? A goddess?

Such a teacher's pet, she must really love authority.

She can't help to feel superior, can she?

Are we supposed to praise this royal parasite?

She's not invited to the party, of course.

Flurry remembered some of the gossip, but couldn't raise a hoof at anypony. The other fillies and colts were her peers but also her subjects. It wasn't her role to argue with them, but to rule them one day. She just needed to do what had already been established during Princess Amore's reign: to protect the Crystal Heart and embrace the Crystal Empire's traditions. Or at least those were her parents' wishes.

Ever since she understood her role in life and how different she was from most ponies, there were thoughts of whether she would ever be emotionally strong enough to succeed her parents and be what the crystal ponies needed. Those thoughts would never leave her, no matter how hard she tried to clear her mind.

Flying back home from school, Flurry's eyes scanned the Empire from above. She could see the reflective beauty of the crystal houses and streets under the summer sunset. She was trying hard to focus on that landscape and not her own thoughts.

In no time, she reached her home, the Crystal Castle. She decided to land on a balcony of the massive crystal tower. She landed close to a guard, who promptly saluted her and opened the balcony's door for her. In response, Flurry just briefly smiled and nodded at him before walking inside the castle. And that part of the castle was her own bedroom. She didn't blame the guard for being right outside, but she wished she could dismiss him and have some privacy. Instead, she opted to put her school saddlebags down and go through the other door that led to a hallway within the castle. Again there was another guard standing beside the door. There was a salute and Flurry smiled back.

Flurry continued down the hallway, looking down at the pace of her own hooves. She had walked down a spiral staircase and was on the first floor of the Castle. She was nervous to meet her parents since school was officially over. Even worse, she still had to assist to the Crystal Prom: an event held by the school for graduating students. Alone.

She couldn't refuse to attend it, could I? Not even being an adult mare already. She depended on her parents after all. I guess being a princess means I'll just leech from the Empire's wealth till the day I die, she thought as she followed the purple carpet's trail.

Flurry finally reached the doors to the throne room, which were more austere in design if compared with those of her bedroom. One of the two guards standing at them rushed to open the door for her with his hooves. As always, Flurry reciprocated their salute before entering the room. The door was closed behind her.

"Welcome home, sweetie!" Cadance greeted.

"Oh, hey sweetheart," Shining's voice followed.

Flurry squinted her eyes to look towards the throne that was far away from the door. With her eyes feeling tired from looking at all the reflective crystal structures around for the whole day, she could see the two blurry but familiar figures of her parents.

"Hi mom, dad," Flurry said and started approaching them. She blinked her eyes rapidly for a second and the images of Cadance and Shining became clear to her. They were sitting close to each other on the large crystal throne, smiling at her. When she was about a few steps away from them, she stopped her hooves. Looking at them, Flurry sniffled and cleared her throat. "Today was the-"

"Last day of school, yeah! We're so happy for you, Flurry!" Cadance almost jumped from the throne and rushed to hug her daughter tightly.

"Couldn't be more proud of my filly." Shining had also got up and joined the hug.

"Uh..." Flurry frowned at their words but maintained her warm smile while being hugged by her parents. "Why proud, dad?" She broke the hug to exchange glances with both Cadance and Shining.

"Well, let's just say your final grades were teleported to us earlier and... " Shining turned his head towards his evidently excited wife.

"You're top of the class, Flurry!" Cadance said, letting out a whinny. She couldn't hold back her emotions and, spreading her wings, pranced in place for a couple of seconds. Then she stopped to breathe and giggled at her own actions.

Flurry chuckled, listening then to her parents' shared laughter. "It's not that great, really," Flurry commented. She saw both her parents become silent in reaction to her words. Almost immediately, she looked away, pressing her lips together.

"Flurry, what do you mean?" Cadance said, slightly frowning and looked at Shining, who scratched his mane looking back at her.

Flurry lowered her head, shaking it. "Sorry, never mind that. I meant to say that there are many other students with excellent grades as well." She raised her head and gave them her best smile. Pretend for them, please. At that moment in her head, she only wanted to have a last meal and then fall into an eternal sleep.

And so, Flurry's stomach growled. "So um..."

"Oh, Sweetie, you must be starving!" Cadance's mother instincts took over her. "How about we head out for dinner?" She exchanged glances with both Flurry and Shining.

"Whatever my filly decides, I'll agree on." Shining nodded once with a smile, raising a hoof and playfully shaking Flurry's shoulder a couple of times.

Flurry inhaled and licked her lips. "Well, uh, yes. But could it be fast food, maybe? There are just some things I really need to talk with you two about."

"Of course, sweetie. And your father and I also have things to discuss with you," Cadance replied. She started walking towards the door and Shining followed. "A thing, specifically," she finished, already a few strides away from Flurry.

Flurry stood there, looking at her parents moving away. She was pressing her forehooves against the fine carpet. Her nerves were getting the best of her. "Please don't tell me it has to do with the Crystal Prom." She gulped and her body was shaking. She looked down and slightly moved her hooves to see the circular marks she had left on the carpet. "Because I won't go." Her pupils contracted, realizing what she had said. She couldn't believe she had refused to do something, to her parents.

Both of her parents had stopped their paces and turned around. Shining was looking away and back at his wife and daughter. From years of experience, he had realized that sometimes it was better to remain silent and let his wife do the talking. On the other hand, Cadance was walking back to Flurry. Unlike her husband's, her eyes did not move away from her daughter. It wasn't either a cold or warm stare, simply a neutral one.

"It's not that, dear". Cadance inhaled and stopped walking. Standing in front of Flurry, she raised a hoof and caressed the side of her daughter's muzzle. "Let's talk more about this with full bellies, okay?" Cadance smiled at her.

Flurry's lip was shaking. You know I'm not okay, mom. She could barely hold eye contact with Cadance; with her own mother. She was so close yet so far from her. Flurry knew she could break down there and cry; maybe hug her parents with all her alicorn might. To what avail?, she wondered. Nothing would change. She would still remain in the same path; with the same destiny. She decided to just shut up her inner voice once again.

"Okay, mom", Flurry said, almost whispering. Crestfallen, she walked next to her mother and later also to her father as they were leaving the throne room. Shining opened the door with the bright cerise magic coming from his horn. The mares walked through the exit first, greeting the guards with nods and following the hallway that would led them outside the Crystal Castle.