The Fate of Equestria
By theimmortalkindness
"Dear Princess Celestia, I feel that everything is about to change."
Prologue
"You will be great, my son, I haven't a doubt in my heart."
Lucio looked at his mother, thanking her not with words, but with his eyes alone. To become a Royal Guard was no easy task, and he knew this. His mother's confidence was contagious though, and he set out with his heart filled with hope. "I will join the ranks of the Guards," he told himself, "I will serve her majesty, Princess Celestia!"
Lucio was an extremely talented unicorn. Everypony in the village knew that he was destined for more than the calm lifestyle to which they were so accustomed. His mother and father had always spoken very highly of Princess Celestia. It was not until he had seen her in person, however, that he began to dream of serving her. A simple trip to Canterlot, a glimpse at the Princess, and, just like that, he had made up his mind.
He made his way past the quaint shops and small farms, where villagers, who knew of his mission, bade him good luck and a safe journey. It was nothing short of a blessing to have so many ponies who believed in him. He felt that he could carry the very world on his shoulders. When nearing the edge of the village, he looked back. He stared for what seemed like several hours. "Back there," he thought, "I would only surely become a farmer's assistant, or perhaps a keeper of wares." He did not think ill of any such ponies, of course. They were living their dreams. It was time for him to start living his.
He looked at his map. The journey to Canterlot, on hoof, would take 5 days at least. He could have gone by wagon, or taken a balloon. "But where," he thought, "is the adventure in that." No, no, a journey by hoof is one that promises many exciting sights and encounters. He thought of the things he might come across. A dragon, perhaps, now that would make an excellent story to tell.
He recalled stories his father used to tell him. "I once met a great dragon," he would say, "though he wasn't nearly as fearsome as you might think. No, I dare say we had a grand time, me and the dragon, chatting and guessing at the location of hidden treasure." It was very believable that such a thing would have happened to his father. He had been a traveler in his younger days, and quite a jovial one at that.
On the first night of Lucio's journey, he came to a small, but very lively, town. He decided he would sleep at the local inn. It was a place, while somewhat dismal looking on the outside, was quite cozy when he entered. As there were a great many parties being thrown outside, he had trouble drifting into his familiar slumber. Rather than curse the festive ponies, though, he laughed. They were enjoying themselves, and the thought of others being happy was always something that comforted him. Perhaps it was this comfort which finally lulled him to sleep.
He awoke early, before Celestia had even begun to raise the sun, curious as to what the second day of his journey would bring. He was surprised when something quite eventful did happen that day. While washing his mane in at the edge of a lake, a great shape exploded from the water, and towered over him. He stood aghast, looking into the eyes of a mighty serpent. "This is my lake," said the serpent, "it has always been my lake. And you are using it to clean dirt from your mane. I'm not sure that I have ever been so disrespected." He had, in fact, been much more severely disrespected on multiple occasions.
"Forgive me, good serpent," said Lucio. He did not back away or even so much as tremble. "I was ignorant that this lake was so sacred to you. I am truly sorry."
The serpent looked at him, confusedly. "Are you afraid of me, unicorn?"
"I can't say I am," responded Lucio.
"You are a strange one," said the serpent. "Most ponies who behold, in front of them, a water serpent, would flee in terror."
"I suppose I'm not like most ponies then," Lucio said, cheerfully.
"No, no, you're certainly not." The serpent gave a long look to the heavens, as if pondering something. "Tell me," he said at last, "do you care for riddles?"
"Of course, though I don't have many to tell."
"I will be the one telling the riddle," the serpent said, proudly. "If you answer correctly, then I shall allow you the honor of dining with me."
"Interesting," thought Lucio, "I've never dined with a serpent before, much less a great water serpent. And how many ponies can honestly say they have." He accepted the serpent's offer.
"Very well," said the serpent. "This is the riddle: I can hold, within me, life, or I can be a feast."
"Well, that's quite simple," said Lucio. "It's an egg."
The serpent had to pick up his jaw from the water. How was it that this pony could answer the riddle so quickly? In truth, he hadn't before told many riddles, and that was one of the only he knew. He was still in great shock, though. Perhaps he had underestimated this strange young unicorn.
That night they dined near the lake, around a bright, warm fire. The serpent shared with Lucio many tales. Lucio listened with wide eyes and open ears, while enjoying the most succulent apples he had ever eaten. Some of the tales made him laugh, while others made him miss his home. Eventually he fell into a very deep sleep, and the serpent retreated to the depths of the lake.
It was on the third day that the life of Lucio would forever be changed.
In a fairly sizeable village there was a fairly sizeable inn. At this inn, Lucio was treated with the sort of hospitality one might deem “appropriate for no less than a king.” It was mid-morning when he heard voices outside his door. He was not, by nature, an eavesdropper. However, it would be quite difficult for anypony to ignore talk of “a witch” and “the vilest sort of curse you, in your wide knowledge of magic, can even fathom.” Lucio, upon unintentionally hearing such things, put his ear to the door.
“Yeah,” said a gruff sounding pony, “they say ‘er name’s…” The rest of the sentence was muffled. “She can turn a full grown colt, like you or me, into…into…well…something small, something…uns…in…insignificant.”
“Can she now?” said another pony, with a somewhat fairer way of speaking. “And she lives here?”
“Right outside of the village, in some little cottage! I seen it before, but…uh…I didn’t get to close, you know, for fear of gettin’ a curse put on me. It’s there though, cross my heart.”
The more soft-spoken pony made a noise that suggested he was contemplating the matter. “That is intriguing,” he said.
“It certainly is,” thought Lucio.
The outskirts of the village were heavily forested, and Lucio delighted in the sounds of birds chirping and the smell of trees in the spring. Perhaps the pony outside his door had been lying. He could have very well been attempting lead his acquaintance into a terrible trap. Lucio imagined the scenario: He would suddenly be pounced on by a band of ragged miscreants, and he would have to explain himself when they realized they had not captured their target. He was amusing himself with such thoughts, when, in the light of the setting sun, he saw a cottage.
He stared in bewilderment. It was a thing so simple, yet shrouded in such mystery. It entranced him but he dared not move closer. Under the hypnosis of the cottage, he was unaware that behind him, a figure was approaching.
“Come to ask something?” said a voice. “If so, I’ll try my best to answer it.”
Lucio turned quickly, ready to express how sorry he was for snooping, and to beg for forgiveness. The pony he found himself face-to-face with did not wear a look of malice, or any sort of negative expression, though. If anything, she seemed in good spirits.
He was thrice surprised. First: when he was suddenly not alone outside the cottage. Second: when the owner of the cottage appeared not cross, but smiling. He was surprised for the third time when he came to his senses, and truly observed the pony who stood before him. She was dark grey, like a storm cloud that one does not curse, but welcomes with open arms. Her mane was the peculiar shade of blue that paints the sky when it is not quite day but not quite night. Her eyes were yellow as the moon, and Lucio immediately found himself becoming lost in them. She was the most beautiful sight he had ever laid his eyes on.
She spoke again. “Is there something I can help you with?”
“Umm…” said Lucio, returning to reality, “my name is Lucio. I…I’m on my way to Canterlot. Do you suppose you might…know the way?” He knew the way to Canterlot fine. He could have told her that he had, by chance, wandered to her cottage, but he decided to ask her a question. The reason for this being, he simply wanted to hear her speak. And speak she did, telling him of the paths he must take, and what sort of things to avoid. He hung on to every word she said, like some sort of treasure unknown in this world.
“And that should bring you to Canterlot, problem free,” said the mare. “It was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Lucio. My name is Midnight sun.”
“It is a truly beautiful name,” said Lucio. Midnight Sun felt kindness in his voice, and rather than parting ways, they continued to speak. Midnight Sun learned how Lucio set off from his village, and of his ultimate goal of becoming part of the Royal Guard. Lucio, in turn, discovered that Midnight Sun was not, in fact, a witch, but nevertheless had an immeasurable amount of skill in the ways of magic.
They spoke not only throughout the evening, but through all of the next day, and the next, and the next. The thoughts that filled Lucio’s mind were no longer of the Royal Guard, but of Midnight Sun. Rather than desiring to serve the princess, his one and only desire was to be with Midnight Sun. It was quite simply, true love. He was in love with her, and she with him.
It seemed like they had been together forever, rather than simply a few weeks. “Come on,” said Midnight Sun, “you won’t be disappointed, I promise.” The forest opened, and as they stepped out, Lucio was stricken with awe.
They stood on a cliff, staring out, across vast fields of flowers, at the brilliant setting sun. Despite his efforts, Lucio could find in himself no words. Yet there were words, common words that filled his mind like the stars in the heavens. He looked happily at the pony by his side.
I love you. I love you.
Many years later…
The pony was exhausted and dehydrated, and she wasn’t quite sure where she was going. With her vision blurred and her head pounding, it was difficult to do much of anything, but she kept walking. She walked toward the voices, for she hoped that voices meant help. Closer, closer; she could make out shapes, all sorts of colorful shapes. She had not enough energy left to even call out. She collapsed.
“I don’t see what all the hype was about,” said Spike, the dragon. He walked beside Twilight Sparkle on a particularly busy day. “I mean, sure it caught my attention, but-“
“Spike, look!” cried Twilight. A white pony with a mane the color of the dawn had stumbled into Ponyville. She collapsed in the midst of a crowd.
“She passed out,” said the nurse, “I reckon she’s been without water for at least two days, poor thing.”
“Where do you think she’s from?” asked Twilight, “Do you think she was running from something?”
“Your guess is as good as mine, bu-“ They were interrupted by the voice of the waking pony.
“Wh-where am I?” she said, forcing open her yes, which shared the same color as her mane.
“Ponyville,” said the nurse. “You’re very weak right now, so don’t try to move too much.”
“How did I get here?” asked the pony in the bed.
“We were hoping you could tell us,” said Twilight. “Where are you from?”
The pony lowered her head. “I don’t know. I can’t remember much of anything. I think...I was on some sort of errand.”
“Well, sweetheart,” said the nurse, “can you remember your name?”
“Yes,” said the pony, “it’s Morning Star.”
Chapter 1
"I'm...not so sure about this," said Morning Star, walking nervously behind Twilight Sparkle.
"Relax," said Twilight, a bright smile spread across her face. "You'll fit right in."
As they reached the park, Morning Star saw four ponies, all clearly having a wonderful time. Pure joy such as this was a thing quite unfamiliar to her. She felt herself unintentionally smiling.
Twilight took the initiative to introduce the cheerful ponies. "This here is Fluttershy."
"Umm...welcome to Ponyville," said the light-yellow coated Pegasus.
"Rarity."
"It's absolutely dreadful to hear that you fell unconscious. You poor thing. Don't hesitate to stop by the boutique if y-"
"Is this her?" exclaimed a bouncing pony Morning Star had not seen a moment ago. She had a pink coat, and an even pinker mane. "Omygosh! Hey hey hey. I can tell we're gonna be gooooooood friends. Have you been to that one place? Oh yeah, of course you haven't. You've only been here for, like, a day, right?" She gasped. "I have to show you all of Ponyville!"
"That would be Pinkie Pie," said Twilight. "And this is Rainbow Dash."
"Ahem. Rainbow Dash what?"
Twilight breathed a friendly sigh. "Rainbow Dash, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria."
"And I'm not afraid to prove it," said Rainbow Dash.
"We all know that," said a yellow-maned pony in a hat. "I'm Applejack. I live down on Sweet Apple Acres with my brother, sister, and granny. Stop by sometime and have one of our famous apple fritters. It'll be on me."
To be welcomed so warmly. The teary eyed Morning Star introduced herself, and thanked them over and over for the kindness she was being treated with. Through the rest of the day, Morning Star felt a bond forming between her and these six ponies. It was the first time she had ever known friendship.
***
"Thank you so much for letting me stay here, Twilight," said Morning Star, gazing in wonder at the multitude of books surrounding her.
"It's the least I can do," said Twilight, "besides, I have an extra bed."
"Feeling better, Morning Star?" asked Spike, putting away a book. She had had the pleasure of meeting the friendly dragon while in the hospital. She was still, however, unable to prevent a surprised look from appearing on her face when he spoke. She had only heard tales of dragons, but she couldn't, despite her efforts, remember who had told them.
She lay in bed that night thinking of the day's events, and trying to piece together something of her past. "Wherever did I come from?" she thought. "Where was I going? And what in Equestria was I supposed to be doing?"
She slept, and with sleep came dreams. She was floating through a sea of mysterious color, neither dark nor light. Floating with her was a scroll. "Open me," it seemed to say. Some instinct, however, told her to do the contrary. So she ignored the letter, and continued her listless floating. There was a powerful voice, and suddenly the scroll was open. Dark, shapeless entities came pouring from the parchment, and they overwhelmed her.
She woke, panic-stricken. She surveyed the room. Twilight was sleeping peacefully in the other bed. She felt safe knowing she had a friend with her. Did the dream mean something? Probably not. Was she supposed to be delivering a scroll of some sort? Unlikely. She dismissed these thoughts, and once again fell asleep.
The library was empty when she woke. She thought that, perhaps, she had overslept. A quick glance at the clock, and this theory was disproved. It was about the time any pony would be getting up. Where, then, were Spike and Twilight? She peaked through the front door, and noticed a familiar face hopping through the town.
"Heya Morning Star!" said Pinkie Pie, "Want an eclair?"
"Uhh, no thank you," said Morning Star, "I was actually wondering if you know where Twilight is?"
"Of course! She's in Canterlot. Official student duty. Maybe it wasn't student duty." She put a hoof to her chin. "Well, I know she's in Canterlot, seeing Princess Celestia about something."
Princess Celestia. The name sounded familiar. "Thanks, Pinkie Pie." Morning Star turned to walk away, but Pinkie Pie had called her name.
"Do you want to see all of Ponyville or not?"
Morning Star thought about the offer. She couldn't think of a better way to spend the day. "Of course."
***
"And from here," said Pinkie Pie, "you can see the whole town."
"It's brilliant," said Morning Star, almost hypnotized by the beauty of Ponyville at sundown.
The two ponies heard a faint voice. "Pinkie Pie! Morning Star!" It was Twilight, galloping toward them. She had to catch her breath once she had reached the top of the hill. She took a moment to take in the sight of Ponyville. "Wow. It really is beautiful. Anyway, I have good news."
"What sort of good news?" asked Pinkie Pie. "Let me guess! The princess taught you a spell that turns anything you touch into chocolate cake! That's it, isn't it? Oh, Twilight! BEST! NEWS! EVER!"
"Actually, Pinkie Pie, Princess Celestia is organizing a celebration. She wants everyone to be there."
"Oh," said Pinkie Pie, "well, good news is still good news."
"She wants you to come too, Morning Star. I told her all about you. She said she might know of a way to shed some light on your situation. But i'm not sure wha-"
"Really?" said Morning Star, anxiously. "Can she help me to remember?"
"If anypony in Equestria has the power to do that, it's the princess."
Morning Star smiled and looked behind her. It was much darker now, and a faint glow on the horizon served as the only reminder that the sun had ever been there. While night may have been falling over Equestria, the light in her heart, in her soul, shone ever brighter.
