What if....

“Congratulations Lord Charles, you are now the legitimate heir to the throne. So, tell me, how do you feel?”

“I don’t know mentor, how am I supposed to feel?”

“Hehe, silly boy, you’re supposed to be excited, happy. Prince Richard has adopted you, and now you are officially part of the royal family, I now even consider you my grandson.

“Wow mentor, that is exciting.”

“Yes it is boy, yes it is.”

“What, what do you mean ‘he’s gone’?”

Twilight sat up surprised. Rainbow had just told her something completely out of the blue. She looked around. Her friends were just as confused as she was. The guards and Shining Armor were all looking away. The princess had opened her eyes and was looking at Twilight with a solemn look on her face, and Rainbow Dash had a serious look on her face.

“I’m sorry Twilight; he was killed in an accident.” Twilight felt the words weigh down her body. She looked at the Princess, who simply nodded in confirmation. She then turned to her friends, but they all had surprised looks on their faces.

“P-poor Charlie… he only wanted friends…” Twilight looked down in sadness. She felt the sting of pain in her heart.

“Charlie, friends… Twilight, please tell me what happened.” The princess suddenly spoke up.

Twilight lifted her head, a sad look plastered on her face.

“He saved me… from the Everfree forest.” Twilight sat down and motioned with her hoof for everypony to do the same. Once they did, she began again.

“I had set out during the cover of night to find out something. That something was something my friends were planning.” Applejack’s ears twitched. She shook her head and got.

“Twilight, we were just planning your birthday party, that was all.”

Twilight looked at Applejack.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t know that at the time. So I had left the town to Zecora’s to get some things so I could do what I had originally planned, spy on you. Once I received the stuff from Zecora’s I left her house and proceeded back to Ponyville. On the way, I had noticed that something was following me.” All of the ponies around Twilight formed a half circle in front of her, like if they were in a theater, observing a fascinating play.  “I used a light spell to reveal the area, but I only revealed a strange cloaked creature. This creature approached me and scared me. I ran away from him in fear, but I only ended up running off course. It was a great mistake for me not to pay attention to my course, for I ended up running off a cliff!”

Everypony gasped when Twilight said this. A question soon resonated from her audience, and it came from Pinkie Pie.

“Twilight, were you alright!?”

Twilight nodded.

“Yes, I was fine, but only due to help from somepony, or rather someone, who helped me. I woke up feeling sore, but my attention wasn’t on my injuries. It was on a cloaked creature that was standing in front of a light. It approached me, which only caused me to panic. It, however, showed me patience despite my panic, and revealed itself to me as Charlie. He told me later that he was of a species named humanity and that he and another were the last of his kind. I found out later that the other was the same one who scared me and who stole food from Ponyville.”

“Hah, I knew it was him who stole the food!” Pinkie Pie yelled out triumphantly. Twilight looked Pinkie in confusion and soon voiced it out.

“Pinkie, how did you know? You know what, never mind. Anyways,” Twilight began once more. “the other human revealed himself to us as Heinrich.”

“Wait” Fluttershy interrupted. “He must have been the same creature who attacked the Princess.”

Twilight sat dumbfounded.

“He what!” Twilight turned to the princess, who once again nodded in confirmation.

“Ugh, Charlie warned me about him. I had threatened to take him in, but he only warned me. Charlie told me that he was some kind of incarnation of himself, and evil incarnation, something that I completely agreed on. Anyways, while I was there, Charlie told me about his history. He told me from a small brown book.” After Twilight mentioned the book, she looked at the princess expectantly. The princess caught on and responded with a question.

“Yes Twilight?”

“Charlie told me about the kingdoms of humanity, and it sounded a lot like the kingdoms mentioned in Star Swirl the Bearded’s book The Old Kingdoms. Did you read that book?”

Princess Celestia nodded. “Yes Twilight, I did read that book; I already knew about humanity and their ancient kingdoms.”

Twilight opened her mouth, but words didn’t come out. She was confused, so she asked the princess another question.

“Wait, how did you know about the humans?”

One of the guards also got up and voiced his question.

“Then why did you ask this Charles about what he was?”

The princess smiled, and then continued.

“I wanted to know if this creature really was a human, and Twilight, there were some things that Star Swirl the Bearded didn’t mention in his book, but wrote about them on a set of scrolls. I read these scrolls and realized that there was another race among us, because some of these scrolls mentioned recent activities, or they were recent back then.” Princess Celestia got up. “I decided to find this ‘human’ and see it for myself.” She smiled. “I can tell you one thing; he wasn’t very good at hiding. I found him easily and kept an eye on him, and so did Princess Luna. There seemed to be nothing special about him, for he lived in a hole, or so I thought. I read the scrolls once more and found out about where he lived, and that was in a tower.” She turned to Twilight. “I will tell you more about this when we get back.”

Twilight let all that information settle down in her, then looked at the princess and nodded.

“Thank you princess.” Princess Celestia nodded, so Twilight got up and stretched.

“So, after telling me his history, he did some nice things for me. He showed me his library, which happened to have all stolen books, and put on a play for me.” Twilight chuckled. “He’s quite the accomplished swordfighter. The only thing that didn’t fit in was Heinrich. He decided to play all the parts and with little enthusiasm.” Twilight sat down once more.

“Twilight.”

Twilight turned to the princess, who was the one who called her.

“Yes princess.”

“Did you see his magic?”

A collective gasp elicited from a few members of the group.

“Wait, he knows magic?” Rainbow asked.

Twilight nodded.

“Yes, he told me that he knew magic. He also told me that humans were born with magic abilities, but they were limited. He said that they were actually weaker than unicorn magic. I’m afraid, though, that he never got the chance to show me his magic.” Twilight got up and looked around.

“By the way, where are we?”

“We’re next to the barn.” Applejack said. Twilight turned and noticed a large red building behind her.

“Well, I think we should get to the library before I tell you anything else.” Everypony nodded, so they got up.

“Follow me back to the library everypony.” Twilight began to walk back to the library, with everypony else following.

“So Twilight, tell me, what was he like.” Twilight turned her head and noticed that Rainbow was flanking her.

“Oh, Charlie was a kind human. Well, I only have Heinrich to compare to, but he nevertheless picked me up when I fell off the cliff and took care of me.”

“Well, you must have been fine when you landed, because you’re walking just fine.” Twilight opened her eyes wide and noticed that she was fine.

“Oh, well Charlie must have been over exaggerating when he said that I sprained my legs. In fact, I must have been over exaggerating too… hehe.” Twilight said before silence befell the group once more. It did not last, however, for a certain baby dragon walked up to Twilight.

“I’m just glad your alright Twilight.” Twilight smiled and stopped, prompting the entire group to stop. She gave Spike a big hug before she began to walk once more, with the group behind her following suite.

They reached the library in no time. Twilight opened the door and was immediately greeted by another guard.

“Halt, who goes… oh Twilight, you may come in.” Twilight thanked the guard and walked in with the group following her. She gasped, though, when she noticed a few other ponies, two of them in purple armor and one wearing a crown.

“Princess Luna!”

“Hello Twilight, it is good to see you are alright. The human did not treat you poorly did he?”

“No princess. He treated me just fine.”

“That is good to hear Twilight.” Princess Luna looked behind Twilight and gasped. Twilight turned and noticed Luna walk up to Princess Celestia.

“Sister, are you alright! I received your letter and came here as fast as I could.”

“Yes Luna, do not worry, I subdued the energy sphere before any other damage could happen.”

Princess Luna nodded. “Alright sister, but there is one more thing.” Princess Celestia nodded so Princess Luna continued.

“There was a large shockwave. I observed it as it hit Canterlot. I hope there is not any severe structural damage.”

“Do not worry Luna; I do not think that there was any severe damage.”

Luna nodded. “Alright, thank you sister.”

Celestia nodded, and then turned to Twilight. “Now that we are finished, would you like to continue your story?”

Twilight smiled. “Sure. Where was I… oh yeah. Charlie…”

“Wait!” Pinkie Pie interrupted.

Everypony looked at Pinkie. She blushed, and then continued.

“Guys, it’s 12:00. Look!” She pointed at a clock on the wall, and indeed it pointed at twelve. All of Twilight’s friends and then approached her and gave her a hug.

“I don’t get it, what’s going on?” Shining Armor asked.

“Silly, it’s Twilight’s birthday today! Tomorrow is her birthday party!!!” Pinkie responded with delight.

“Oh, well happy birthday little sis!”

Princess Celestia observed as Twilight’s friends embraced her. It warmed her heart, but soon they broke the hug. Pinkie Pie turned and looked up to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who was by her side.

“Hey, are you guys coming too?!”

Princess Celestia smiled, and then turned to her sister. Luna was smiling and also faced her sister.

“What say you Luna, do you wish to join me at Twilight’s birthday party?”

“I would love to big sister!”

“So that means yes!” Pinkie Pie yelled. “It’ll be great; there’ll be so much fun!”

Princess Celestia chuckled, and then turned to her sister. Luna was smiling down upon the six friends, but she soon noticed that her big sister was looking at her. She turned and looked up at Celestia, who was no longer smiling.

“Luna, I need you to do something for me.” Luna nodded, so Celestia continued.

“I found this.” Celestia levitated the fruit in front of Luna, who took it in her magical grasp.

“I need you to go to Canterlot and place it in a safe place. Nopony must find it… nor can they eat it.”

“Hey, what’s that?” Celestia turned and noticed that Twilight, her friends, and Shining Armor, who had walked over and gave Twilight a hug earlier, were staring at them.

“Oh this,” Celestia had maintained a calm posture despite the fact that everypony was staring at her and Luna.

“It’s a fruit I found, but it’s actually inedible.”

“Oh.” Twilight said before turning her attention to her friends once more.

“Alright sister, I will take it. I will ask later, though, as to what it is.” Princess Luna finished before clearing her throat.

“Alright, my sister and I must leave to attend to royal duties before we return for the festivities.” Once she said this all the guards mobilized. All the unicorn guards and some of the pegasi guards walked up to Shining Armor, who spoke up to them.

“Alright, we have finished our job here, now we can go home. All guards report to the train for head count so we can leave.” Soon after he said this the guards began to walk out of the library. Shining Armor walked up to Twilight and gave her a hug.

“Goodbye Twilight, hopefully I can see you at your birthday party tomorrow.”

“I hope I can see you too Shining Armor!” Once Twilight finished he walked out of the library as well. Soon after Shining Armor left Luna spoke up.

“We must go now too, goodbye everypony.”

Princess Luna walked out with her pegasi bat guards following her. Princess Celestia walked to the door as well, but before she opened it, she turned to Twilight and her friends.

“Goodbye everypony, goodbye Twilight.”

“Goodbye Princess!” Twilight called out before Celestia walked out.

Once they were outside Princess Celestia turned to her guards, who followed her out of the library.

“I need you to take the chariot back to Canterlot, as I need to see something.”

The four guards looked at each other, and then one spoke up.

“But your majesty, where are you going?”

“I need to see something in the Everfree Forest, alone.”

The guards’ eyes suddenly shrunk. “Your majesty, you can’t go alone into the Everfree forest alone! It’s very dangerous!”

“Do not worry; I won’t be gone for long.”

The guard who spoke shook his head.

“I’m sorry your majesty, but we can’t allow that.”

The princess’s face suddenly changed from a content smile to a frown.

“So be it, but you need to stay close.”

The princess jumped and took to the skies, with the guards following suite. They flew high in the sky until they saw the Everfree Forest, and then Princess Celestia flew down. She kept to the tree line until she came across something she recognized.

Looks like this is what they were talking about.

She flew down towards a small circle of fallen trees. To the group who saw them it appeared that they were broken at the stump. Princess Celestia stopped and scanned the area below her.

“What happened here?” A guard whispered.

“I don’t know, it looks like an explosion, I mean look at the way the trees have fallen. It’s such a clean cut.” Another guard responded.

“What you aren’t paying attention to is what’s in the middle.” Princess Celestia’s sudden voice startled the guards.

“Look and see for yourself.”

The guards looked down at the middle of the circle.

“I don’t really see anything your majesty.” One guard said. “It’s dark, but I just see a rock.”

The princess smiled. “Alright, but let’s see what that rock really is.”

They flew down towards the rock, but as the guards got closer they saw something else turned to its side. It also appeared to be moving.

“Th-that’s impossible!”