Decades had passed since the treaty was put into place. So many that the residents of Equestria are sceptical it even happened. It has become a subject that has ponies divided on whether it is a piece of Equestrian history or just an old folk tale. No one bothers to ask the Princesses about it, as they just shrug off the question, but it was decided that since it happened seemingly centuries ago according to some books, and it didn't affect ponies' ways of life, it wasn't really a life-changing issue. Everyday life in the cities and towns of the kingdom is just how it always is; calm and peaceful with everypony going about their business.
Such as Ice Dust, a young pegasus stallion. He was named after his ice-blue mane and tail which left a narrow stream behind him as he flew at high speeds. He and his wife of one year, Crimson Shimmer, were about to have their first foal, and he was determined to get a present for it. He and Crimson lived in a little house a few miles outside Ponyville that they'd bought a while after dating for about two years.
The two had met at flight camp, when they both still lived in Cloudsdale. Ice Dust was a cocky show-off of a colt that all the fillies fainted over. He was a hunk, and he knew it. He took full advantage of that and his natural athletic skill to get top scores in the class training sessions, with a flourish. Crimson Shine was much more focused and level-headed, keeping to herself. They had first met during a team-building exercise at the start of camp, where they didn't exactly talk much apart from sharing their names. He wasn't that interested in the little wall-flower, though he had to admit she looked kinda pretty.
The next day came lap trials, where Dust, naturally, had the score to beat, and no one came close. Until it was Crimson's turn, and she had beaten his score by two seconds. That's when he started taking notice. After that they began talking to each other and practising together in teams. While Dust helped Crimson come out of her shell more and more, Crimson was helping Dust with his cockiness and roaming eye, though the former still lingers inside him today. After camp was over they agreed to keep in contact and keep hanging out. They'd developed a very strong bond during those weeks, which only grew stronger as they became years. They started dating as teenagers, then a few years later got engaged, and now married one year ago, living in a small house of their own with a foal on the way. Remembering all these happy times always brought a smile to the young stallion's face.
But back to the story.
Ice Dust was trotting through the Ponyville square, where the shops and local stalls were open for business as always on the warm sunny day. He smiled, nodded and waved at various ponies who'd had the courtesy to greet him on this fine afternoon. The shops and stalls had either produce, common jewellery or everyday items on sale; nothing that Dust was looking for. He needed something special. Something unique. What would the fun be in some cheap foal's toy?
"Hey Dust!" The pegasus's ears flicked as he heard his name, and turned to see another stallion, a unicorn, standing behind a stall. "I've heard about you and Crimson, congratulations on your little one! When's it due?"
"Heh, thanks Rubix," Dust said softly, smiling back, "well, any day now really! Outside for the nice weather?"
"As always!" The unicorn, Rubix Cube, beamed brightly as always. When you're the owner of the Ponyville toy store you pretty much always need to keep a chipper look on you, it's probably a toy store law. "Out to get your little one a gift?"
Dust nodded. "Pretty much. But I want it to be really special."
"Ah! Look no further my friend!" Rubix grinned brightly and lowered his head behind the stall. He quickly re-emerged with something in his mouth, and trotted around the stall to meet Dust. He was holding a teddybear with a cute expression on its face, its blue fur peppered with white dots and a star on its forehead. "Behold! This Ursa Minor doll will be perfect! It's soft and cuddly, and will protect your little foal from even the scariest night creatures!"
"Just as hammy as ever," Dust chuckled, rolling his eyes, "what makes this doll so special then?"
"Ahh, an excellent question Dust!" Rubix beamed, looking oh so proud of himself, "This doll glows in the dark, and on clear nights, it'll sometimes show constellations in the fur itself!"
"No kidding?" Dust muttered, his intrigue sparking, "Where'd you come across something like this?"
"Strangest thing," Rubix dropped his usual grin for a more quizzical looking expression, "I'm really not sure. A hooded mare walked into the shop with it and sold me it."
"Huh," Dust tilted his head, staring at the doll, then looked back up to its owner, "alright then, how much is it?"
"I was charging twenty bits for it," Rubix answered, his wide grin returning, "but for you my friend, I'll give you half price!"
"Wow, really?" Dust asked with a little grin, which was answered with a nod. Dust's grin grew wider as he took ten gold coins from his saddlebag and placed them on the stall counter with his mouth. Rubix smiled and used his magic to float the bear onto Dust's back, under the strap of his saddlebag so it wouldn't fall off as easily.
"Thank you very much Dust!" The unicorn beamed, trotting back to behind his desk and magicking the coins into a little cash box, "Good luck to you, send my regards to Crimson!"
"Will do," Dust nodded and trotted off, taking care not to make the doll fall off his back. He walked his way out of the square to get away from the crowds of ponies, making his way to a nearly empty street. Dust glanced down the narrow lane, nodded and fastened the strap of his saddlebag tighter to make sure the doll stayed in place. He broke into a jog down the narrow street, which turned into a sprint, and spread out his wings, flapping them as he lifted off the road like a jet. He sped up as he gained altitude, beginning to leave a light blue streak behind him as he shot off out of Ponyville.
Just over the Everfree Forest and I'm home free, Ice Dust thought to himself, speeding over the Equestrian countryside towards the forest in question. It was notorious for being very dark, easy to get lost in, and being the home to dangerous creatures not everypony would stand a chance in a one-on-one fight with. Dust wasn't worried though; all he had to do was fly over it, nothing to fear.
...although he did feel himself slowing down rapidly. Strange, he didn't feel tired at all. Flying back and forth from his house to Ponyville was nearly an everyday thing so he'd grown quite used to it. The freezing chills of wind made it clear for him - rough winds ahead.
"Great, perfect timing," Dust mumbled to himself, powering through the freezing wind. He squinted his eyes in case something came flying his way, but he could still see well enough. He started smirking. Nothing Ice Dust can't handle!
Dust blinked. He felt weird around his waist. Wasn't there a...?
He turned his head and his jaw dropped like a lead weight; the ursa minor was flying away in the breeze! Dust took off right after it, swearing under his breath. The doll must've come loose from the wind hitting it.
But now that he was facing the direction the wind was blowing, he was flying much faster, speeding like a bullet after the doll. His mane kept flapping in his eyes but he had a lock on his target. He felt a new confidence; he'd catch that dumb toy no problem. The things I do for my unborn kid.
Dust spread his front legs as he neared the doll, making an attempt to grab it. It was twitching about unpredictably in the strong breeze, but he thought he could catch it if he was careful.
Easy...eeeeasy...
...
YES!!
Dust smirked widely as he held the doll tight against him in his front legs. All that was left was to get home.
Which was easier said than done. The strong winds made turning very difficult; in fact he found himself tumbling off course, and the last thing he saw before shutting his eyes tight was the Everfree Forest rapidly approaching him.
Ice Dust groaned, feeling dull pains all over his body as he regained consciousness. He was laying on his back, sprawled out on what felt like grass, and could hear the chirping of birds and cricketing of insects. He slowly opened his eyes, small rays of evening sunlight escaping through the thickly leaved trees he was looking up at. He must've had a nasty crash thanks to that wind.
Grunting, he slowly folded up his wings, wincing from the sudden sharp pain he got in them, and rolled onto his hooves, managing to stand back up and shake himself off. He surveyed himself for damage, brushing any leaves twigs and dirt out of his mane. Aside from a few scratches here and there, he seemed to be okay.
...wait, where was his saddlebag and the ursa minor doll?!
Dust cursed under his breath and looked around the small clearing frantically, hoping to find his two lost possessions, but they weren't on the ground. Just as he began to panic, he had a thought; "Did they maybe get snagged on a branch?"
He gently flapped his wings to test them; they seemed fine apart from a small sting in his left wing but he ignored it. He hovered up towards the higher branches, inspecting them carefully for his things.
"Come on come on...there you are." Dust let out his first smirk in a while as he spotted his saddlebag dangling on a higher branch. It was a bit of a ways away and guarded by a plethora of branches, but if he reached far enough he could probably get it. He reached his foreleg out to it, trying his best not to let a branch stab him in the eye. He began to grunt strenuously, stretching his hoof out to his bag as far as he could.
"Hrrrgh...gotcha!" The pegasus proclaimed to himself, managing to wrap a bit of his hoof around the strap of the saddlebag and yank it towards him, pulling it through the branches, "And this is why I'm awesome. Now, where did that-"
"Looking for this?"
Dust's shoulders jerked up in shock at the sound of a new voice nearby. He looked around him quickly, with his eyes locking on a peculiar looking mare holding up the ursa minor in her foreleg. He landed down on the ground in front of her to get a better look; the mare had a grey coat with black stripes on it, a messy black mane, bright orange eyes and a silver ring through her nose. She wore a dark red hooded cloak, and Dust could spot a necklace of either claws or fangs around her neck. Dust recognised this kind of creature, though what would a zebra be doing in the Everfree Forest?
"It fell out of the sky all of a sudden," the zebra explained, in a strange accent Dust had never heard before, "I have a feeling it belongs to you."
"Oh thank Celestia!" Dust exclaimed, taking the doll (which was strangely immaculate despite crashing through some trees, you'd think it'd have some dirt or rips or something) and stuffing it into his saddlebag, throwing it onto his back tight. "Thank you very much! I bought it for my s-" Dust froze, eyes widened. "Luna damn it! I'm gonna be late!"
"I too am in a hurry," the zebra replied calmly, aloofly looking about, "I must find my pet and prepare for the dark times ahead."
Dust blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Um, yeah it is getting dark. I don't think it's safe around here at ni-"
"I've had a vision, you see," the zebra interrupted, either not catching the irritated look in the impatient pegasus or just choosing to ignore it, "conflict and death will plague this peaceful land. Friends will be turned against each other, and the Great Divide will be reopened."
"The Great Di-" Dust replied sceptically, then shook his head, "that's an old mare's tale, and one I don't have the time to listen to. My wife could be giving bir-"
"I have seen how it will happen," the zebra interrupted once again in her calm aloof tone, "one wreckless soul will stir the uneasy peace, the Treaty shall be broken, and only one brave pony can-"
"OH SHUT UP!!" Dust yelled in the zebra's face, "My wife could be giving birth right this minute, and I have to be home five minutes ago, so take your voodoo preachy crap to somepony who actually wants to hear it." Dust turned and trotted to the middle of the clearing, eyeing up a gap in the trees just big enough for him to fly out of.
The zebra didn't seem the least bit fazed by the pegasus' outburst; in fact she was acting like he'd never said anything at all. "I must search for my pet dragon, it's nearly time for his meal."
Dust just groaned loudly and took off straight up through the gap into the evening sky. Thankfully the winds had died down so he fired like a rocket towards his home.
Ice Dust began to slow down his flight, the blue streak disappearing as he prepared for his descent to his home, a quaint little cottage that'd be perfect for a small family. Dust's heart nearly stopped as he saw a white wagon with a large red plus on it parked outside his house, cursing to himself that if the delivery had happened already Crimson Shine would never forgive him for missing it. He landed into a sprint through the small white gate and ran up the small embankment to his door, nearly taking the thing off its hinges as he burst into the house.
"Crimson!" He yelled, dashing over to his wife who was laying on her side on the sofa, moaning and screaming in pain as a white mare with a light pink mane and a red plus cutie mark wearing a nurse's uniform tended to her and kept telling her to breathe deeply and push.
Dust put his forehooves over his wife's, trying to comfort her. "Crimson! Crimson, look at me! Stay with me!"
Crimson Shine slowly opened her eyes, bloodshot and tears joining the gorgeous magenta eyes Dust had fallen in love with as a teenager.
"I-I can't...I can't do this..." She panted wearily, her red flowing mane, usually straight and gorgeous, messed up from the pressure.
"Yes you can," Dust muttered sternly, "just breathe and push. Focus on me, bite my leg if you need t- agh!" Crimson was thinking exactly the latter, it seemed. She panted and moaned loudly as she bit down hard above Dust's hoof, tears escaping down her face through her golden yellow coat. Dust could swear she was drawing blood.
She suddenly let go, letting out a pained scream. "AAAGH!!
...
Dust slowly glanced up towards the nurse, hearing the sound of a baby crying.
The zebra slowly trotted to the gap in the forest clearing where the impatient pegasus took off, looking towards the darkness between the trees and nodding. A baby dragon, black with purple scales along its back, jogged out to meet with its owner, who gently patted its head and looked up towards the pitch black night above.
"Let us all hope your foal proves to be a more considerate character."
