Harbinger Rising

The sound of Twilight's hooves trotting across the polished stone floors of Canterlot castle echoed around her. During the day there was a never-ending bustle of activity that made it seem less empty and cold, but when the hour was as late as this and there were only a scant few guards to patrol the halls, Canterlot almost felt spooky. Still, Twilight kept her gaze forward as she navigated the familiar corridors and passed through doors that the night guards pushed open for her. She was not royalty herself but since the end of the war she, as well as the rest of her friends, had been treated with no less respect than the princesses.

“Psssst! Twilight!”

The purple unicorn stopped mid step and looked around, eyes wide in surprise. There was nopony to be seen, not even a passing castle guard. Then she saw it, a quick movement in one of the shadows. Twilight narrowed her eyes and blinked. It was hard to tell the Shadow Guards apart from one another when they had their armor on but the voice was too familiar to mistake. “Graffiti?”

“Over here!”

Twilight looked around once more before heading toward the young dark gray mare hidden behind a tall marble pillar. She wore armor that was a size too big for her and when she moved, her helmet slid down over her yellow cat eyes so she had to reach up and adjust it constantly. Her wings, bat-like in appearance, fluttered in frustration at her sides before tucking themselves close to her body. “What are you doing hiding over here?” asked Twilight, her voice low simply because Graffiti had spoken so quietly.

“I saw you teleport in and snuck away from my post to come find you.”

One of Twilight's eyes narrowed. “The job of an intern is to learn exactly what their chosen vocation entails. I don't think sneaking off is a very efficient use of your time. Besides, you know the princess probably already knows, right?”

“She's too busy. That's why I wanted to come find you.” The young pegasus slid her helmet off and the magic surrounding her fell away to reveal a rather normal looking pony. She shook out her light blue mane, trying to unstick bits of hair that had matted to her pale gray coat with sweat. “She and Luna have been in the throne room with Gorlois and Synge for hours.”

“That's King Gorlois and Queen Synge to you, Graffiti.”

“Nopony's been allowed in or out and – shoot!” Her helmet slipped out from under her feathered wing and fell to the floor with a clatter. Twilight watched the younger mare scramble to pick it up and gave a small shake of her head. Graffiti was quick, adventurous and brave like her father, Spectrum, but she had a tendency to be as clumsy as Raindrops, her mother. “Twilight, I think something's up.”

“Like what?” the unicorn asked patently. “There's been peace across the world for the past fifteen years. You're here almost every night, Graffiti. You know Princess Celestia holds audience with the rulers from the dragon and gryphon clans quite frequently.”

“But not together, not with Luna.” Graffiti's pink eyes widened. “You should have seen how serious the day patrol was when we came on shift. All of the interns were told to wait down the hall while the night guards were briefed and everypony has been walking around on edge all night.”

“Then you should probably get back to your station before you're noticed to be missing.” A frown tugged at the corners of Twilight's mouth and her brow furrowed thoughtfully. The big meeting wasn't supposed to be until tomorrow. It made Graffiti's worried expression even more dramatic.

“Do you know something?”

“What?” Twilight blinked, then shook her head and smiled like a mother with her own child. “Of course not. All I know is that the princess wanted to see me so I should hurry up before I'm much later.”

“Good luck, Twilight.”

Pressing the helmet back down over head head, Graffiti's form and color shifted back into that of a Shadow Guard. She gave the unicorn a nod before slinking off into the deeper shadows of the castle. Sometimes Twilight found herself amazed all over again at the changes to the world since the Harbinger War. Since the beginning of ponykind it was only a stallion who could hold such a position of honor as to guard and protect those who sat on the throne. It was Rainbow Dash who had changed all that. She was the one who led the army that day, had organized points of attack and implemented militaristic strategies nopony else would have thought of. Princess Celestia asked her to help her find the most suited for the life of a guardspony and Dash had insisted that mares be given equal opportunity as well. And so, appointed new Captain of the Solar Guards herself and replacing the injured Shining Armor, Rainbow Dash was the first mare among the privileged few and paved the way for so many others like Graffiti.

The sound of a deep laughter rumbled down the empty halls, a sound like thunder on a warm summer night. Twilight couldn't help but smile to herself, recognizing the rich bass of the voice of the king of gryphons. Well if he was laughing that was a good sign, wasn't it? She glanced after where Graffiti had disappeared, then headed once more for the throne room.

Light spilled out from beneath the tall double doors two stoic guards stood blocking. They only had to see Twilight coming before their horns glowed with an ethereal green light and the doors were magically pulled open. A cool breeze rolled from the brightly lit throne room and Twilight entered, wondering how all of Equestria could be dying of heat-stroke in the humid summer yet the temperature around the sun princess was always perfectly refreshing.

“Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia greeted evenly as the unicorn approached. “Forgive me for summoning you at such a late hour.”

“It's all right.” Twilight bowed before the princess, then rose and looked at the dark brown gryphon to her left with a respectful dip of her head. “King Golrlois.” She repeated the gesture to the large sapphire dragon on her right. “Queen Synge.” From a smaller seat beside the throne Celestia occupied came a very loud and rather deliberate cough that made Twilight bite on a smirk. “Princess Luna.”

Luna waved a hoof, a teasing smile on her lips. “Please, Twilight. How many times do I have to tell you to drop the 'princess'?”

Celestia gave her younger sister a meaningful side-eye before focusing her attention on Twilight. “I hope we did not disturb your evening?”

“Not at all. Clover and Sweet Dreams were asleep already, and Lucky Star is spending the night at Applejack's with Cortland. I was just up reading.”

“Of course you were,” said Luna evenly, though there was laughter in her dark eyes.

“Luna, please.” Celestia's quiet warning was enough to make the moon princess sit a bit straighter in her throne.

Twilight looked back and forth between the sisters, the small interaction between them making her nervous for reasons she couldn't find. “Is...everything all right?”

“Twilight, I've asked you here tonight because I need you to do something for me.”

“Of course, Princess. Anything.”

Celestia seemed to frown for the quickest of moments but her usual serene expression returned before Twilight could question it. “I was hoping you would be willing to go on a trip to Stableside and speak with some of the ponies that live there. As you know it is one of our older establishments; quite a few veterans of the Harbinger War built the small town from the ground up and many would be glad to see you again.”

Twilight nodded with enthusiasm. “I'd love to go to Stableside! Who am I to be speaking with? Am I going to teach or to give a talk? A magic demonstration? Do they have promising young unicorns you want me to recruit for magic school? Oh, I've always wanted to recruit young unicorns for magic school!”

“I am afraid it is not quite as much of a leisurely trip as that.” The quiet gravity in Celestia's tone made Twilight pull back her enthusiasm. Once more the princess frowned but this time she did not try to hide it. “There are five young ponies there I would like you to make contact with. All of them were alive during the war but they were very young and I am not certain you would remember them.”

Twilight grimaced. “Unless they were unicorns...” She'd spent a great deal of time with the unicorns just learning magic in the days before the war. Theirs were names she would never forget.

“Only one, though she may have been too young to be a student of yours at the time. He name is Checklist.”

“It doesn't ring a bell.”

“Well she remembers you. That is, she did.”

“Did?” Twilight's brow wrinkled. “I don't understand.”

“She has stopped dreaming,” said Luna. “I cannot visit her when she sleeps.” The alicorn looked at Celestia and added, “My sister cannot see her either.”

Surprised, Twilight looked up at her beloved mentor. “But...but you can see-”

“Nothing,” confirmed Celestia. “She still lives, as do four of her friends. But like Checklist, they cannot be seen either.”

“I'll go right away!”

“There is more.” With a graceful incline of her head, Celestia looked to Gorlois. “If you would be so kind as to share with Twilight what some of your ilk saw.”

The old gryphon took in a slow, deep breath and nodded almost lethargically. “Of course.” His deep voice was as slow as his movements, colored by a thick accent. “It was several weeks ago, but the temperatures were still much the same as they are now. You may or may not be aware but the caves of these mountains are filling up rather quickly.” From across the room Synge made a noise of agreement. “I sent several small groups out to locate different areas that would be good for starting our own colonies. While not all of us wish to leave there are those that would be happier to have roosts of their own, ones they would not have to share with big dragons and little ponies. Please take no offense.”

“No offense taken,” offered Celestia. “Please, your majesty. What was seen.”

“Yes, yes, what was seen. During a return flight back to these mountains from the area that was once known as Galloprey, my gryphons paused for a time of rest in the woods that surround Horseshoe Lake. They chose to stay closer to the heart of the woods rather than stay near the water itself simply because they wished to have peace and not be disturbed by a small group of ponies already there and enjoying themselves in the water. While they were certainly well isolated by the tall trees it was not impossible to escape all sound. Laughter and voices could be heard for quite some time until all of the sudden they stopped. It was of no concern for my kin, they simply assumed the ponies to have pulled out of the water and gone home. Then there was a cry. I am ashamed to say my gryphons did not respond as quickly as they could have. By the time they had risen above the treeline and could see the water, they found it completely frozen. And then, in a blink of an eye, no ice at all. No ponies, either. Just a boat, and nothing more.”

Twilight's brow was furrowed in thought. “Could your gryphons tell if the ponies in the lake were arguing or not?”

“They said they heard much laughter.”

“Not Windigos then.” The unicorn turned to Celestia and Luna. “Has anything like this happened before?”

“Not in the written history of Equestria.”

Looking back and forth between the gryphon and the dragon, Twilight asked, “What about your histories? Have you ever heard of anything similar?”

“Once,” admitted Synge, her whispery voice thoughtful. “But many things were happening all at once. Fire from water, snow from sand. It was a war among the dragons.”

“And nothing else out of the ordinary has been reported to have happened,” injected Luna. “Tia-my sister and I have been keeping a close watch on Stableside to be sure.”

Celestia sighed quietly. “To be fair, no one seems to know of the incident at Horseshoe Lake.”

“If it was over in an instant, I'm not surprised.” Twilight shook her head and turned worried eyes to Celestia's face. “Checklist and the others, her friends? They were the ponies in the water that day, weren't they?”

The sun princess nodded gravely. “We believe so, yes.”

“Well that settles it then. I'll go tell Clover what's going on, then I'll go get the girls and-”

“Twilight.”

The unicorn looked up at Celestia, surprised at being interrupted. “Yes?”

“Both Fluttershy and Applejack have young ones at home. I don't think it is the best idea for them to go with you. And Rainbow Dash is in no condition to go anywhere.”

Twilight blinked, reevaluating. “Okay. I'll get Pinkie Pie to come with me. Her kids are older and maybe Merry May or the Doctor and Scribes would be willing to come. I bet if I asked-”

“Twilight.”

Her ears drooped at being interrupted a second time. Something in the gentle tone was reminiscent of being corrected when she was a filly and it made her stomach knot. When she spoke again her voice was a hesitant higher pitch. “Yes?”

“This is not a task for the remaining Elements. I know it is what you are used to, but even if all six of you were still alive today and did not have families at home counting on you, it would still not be a task for you.”

“But, then...” She didn't understand. Before the war it had always been the six of them that took on these kinds of tasks and adventures. True, it was still hard to think of Rarity not being a part of it, and yes she could understand Applejack, Fluttershy and Dash not being able to join her. “...then who am I supposed to take?”

Celestia said nothing for a moment, only looked at Twilight with that same compassionate patience she always had. Then, with a very small smile she said, “I trust you will figure it out. You will leave first thing in the morning.”

“In the morning! I have to figure out who I'm taking tonight?!”

“Sister.” Luna's brow was drawn and her gaze was far away. “I believe-”

“Yes,” said Celestia quickly, her eyes also taking on a glazed look. “I believe you are correct.” She blinked and the slight smile she'd worn before grew as she looked at the exasperated Twilight. “It is time.”

“Time?!” Twilight all but yelled. “Time for what? I have no idea who I am supposed to take!”

Luna chuckled. “Not for you, Twilight Sparkle. For Rainbow Dash. She is about to have her fourth.”

The unicorn exhaled. “Oh, good. Wait, now?! I have to go!”

Without so much as a word of goodbye, Twilight's horn lit with a pink glow that quickly surrounded her body. She was gone with a POP! leaving the four rulers to chuckle after she had gone.

“I feel it,” Luna said quietly. She looked at her sister, a mixture of sadness and excitement in her expression. “Did you feel it before Solara was born?”

Celestia nodded mutely, then rose to her hooves and bowed respectfully to Gorlois and Synge. “Thank you for joining us tonight, you majesties. I wouldn't wish to keep you from your families any longer and it appears we have somewhere we need to be.”

“You will keep us updated?” asked Synge, rising as well.

“Of course. For now we must bid you both a very good night.”

The sisters stood side by side and waited patiently for their guests to leave the vast throne room. Once the doors were closed and they were alone, Celestia looked at her sister. “When Cadance was born I felt nothing. I thought it may have been that I did not know her family, was not as close to her physically when she was born. But when Solara was born I felt as though I had aged. It was not the same as it was the days leading up to the war or even the days of rebuilding afterward. This was a tiredness I had not known before.”

Luna looked at Celestia with sympathy. “Tia...why didn't you say anything? The entire time you kept up with your duties, held audiences. You never showed how you were affected.”

“Because that is what a ruler does, little sister.” Celestia smiled wearily. “It may still be years before we are finally permitted to rest. What would be the point in acting any differently? You've seen how timid and afraid Solara is. She may not decide to take my place.”

“I don't believe you would have felt what you did if that were true. She is still young yet. There is time for her to decide.”

“My point exactly.” Celestia titled her head slightly. “What do you feel?”

Looking down, Luna thought a moment before answering. “Like I've lost a part of myself.”

“A hollowness.”

“Yes.” The younger alicorn looked up. “What is that?”

“I believe it is the knowledge that we have finally come to a place in our lives where we have true friends and family. And soon we will have to say goodbye. We have said it may times to our subjects over the years but they never meant as much to us as these ponies do, and we were never the ones to do the leaving.”

With a sad sigh, Luna leaned her head against Celestia's withers and Celestia draped a wing across Luna's back. The night princess whined softly. “I don't want to leave my sons. I don't want to leave Pinkie Pie. She was the first pony to truly give me a chance.”

“There is still time, sister. Solara must agree and Rainbow Dash's child must grow old enough to agree and be taught as well.”

“Either way, we will have to say goodbye in the end.”

Celestia nodded solemnly. “Yes, we will have to say goodbye.”

“Isn't it strange? We have both felt a longing for the end for many years and now that it seems a possibility we want to hold onto the time we have left and make it last.”

“Come. Let's go meet this child who may very well be one of the next equestrian rulers.”