The Lost Prince

The sounds of chirping birds filled the air as the town of Ponyville began to rise from its slumber of the night. Windows were opened, blinds were drawn, and the faces of some very excited ponies appeared, breathing in the smell of fresh dew hanging in the breeze. One particular pegasus was particularly excited, bursting out of her residence in the sky, a rainbow-coloured tail flicking behind her. This eager pony flew head-on to the apple farm on the outskirts of the town.

“APPLEJACK!!!” The pony yelled, swooping down low to the house. “WAKE UP! TWILIGHT’S COMING BACK TODAY!!!”

An orange nose appeared by the window, shortly followed by the groan of a pony who only had about two hours’ worth of sleep.

“Golly,” the earth pony said, “I was so excited I couldn’t rest at all… hold on a moment there, Rainbow, I’ll be down in a jiffy – I’ve just gotta buck a few trees for the festivities.”

“I don’t have time for a jiffy!” The rainbow-maned pegasus complained. “Twilight’s going to be here any second and I won’t be the first one there if I have to wait a jiffy! I’m getting Pinkie Pie!” She gave a quick flap of her wings back to the main square, looking for the cake shop.

Eventually, Rainbow Dash found it, flying through the door and charging up to the counter. Nobody was there.

“PINKIE PIE!!!” Rainbow yelled.

“Oh yay, it’s the day!” A mad, pink fur ball bounded down the stairs and crashed into Rainbow, her curly hair jumping around her equally jumpy legs. “Twilight’s returning to Ponyville! Twilight’s returning to Ponyville!” she chanted, jumping circles around Rainbow with an unrealistically large grin on her face.

“Yeah, and we don’t want to be late, do we?!” Rainbow retorted, putting a restraining leg around the pony. “Come on, we’ve got to get to the main street!”

Pinkie Pie came in through the door. Momentarily confused, Rainbow looked under her leg and found an empty space. “I never get how you do that,” she chuckled.

“Well, sorry Rainbow, but I’m helping Mr. and Mrs. Cake bake a welcome back cake for Twilight!” Pinkie smiled. “You could help us – we need, umm…”

“I wish I could help, Pinkie, but I’ve got a procession to watch!” Rainbow said, hurriedly backing out of the door before Pinkie Pie could place an apron on her.

“Ugh, I hope Rarity isn’t busy either,” Rainbow muttered to herself, dusting some stray strands of pink hair off her light blue coat. “Let’s have a look-see…” She navigated her way over the town and found her friend’s fashionable house.

“RARITY!!!” Rainbow yelled.

“No need to be so loud, dear,” A white-coated unicorn called from her workspace on the first floor.

“What are you doing, we have to get to the main street first so we see Twilight get here!” Rainbow shouted.

“If you must know, I’m designing our dresses for the welcome party, although I doubt they’ll last very long with our daft friend Pinkie Pie in charge of it,” Rarity replied, moving her deep purple hair out of her eyes. “I’m just applying the finishing touches; I’ll only be 20 minutes.”

“20 MINUTES?!” Rainbow spluttered. “TWILIGHT COULD ARRIVE AT ANY SECOND!” And with that, she flew off in search of Fluttershy and her woodland home.

Rainbow landed right next to the front door and rapped on the oak, putting a few dents in it. “FLUTTERSHY!!!” Rainbow called. “HURRY UP AND GET OUT! WE HAVE A PROCESSION TO GET TO!”

The door was opened by a timid yellow pegasus with a light pink mane. “Oh, umm, hello Rainbow Dash,” she murmured. “Umm… I can’t come with you yet, the animals are having a bit of trouble in this last-minute rehearsal… if you can wait just a few minutes, I’m sure we’ll be free then.”

“I CAN’T WAIT A FEW MINUTES!!!” Rainbow exclaimed. “WE’VE GOT TO BE THE FIRST TO GREET TWILIGHT!!! We are her best friends, REMEMBER?” and she sped off back to the centre of Ponyville, landing right in front of the fountain to wait.

And wait.

…And wait. Eventually the others arrived, bringing along all of their items for the big day. Rarity shoved a golden piece of woven armour onto Rainbow Dash before she could complain about how heavy it would be – but it turned out to be rather light.

“It’s a wonderful silk they make in Canterlot!” Rarity explained. “It is just the smoothest thing you’ll find anywhere in Equestria!”

“I think you’re right,” Rainbow agreed, stretching her wings. “I could fly through the sky with this for sure!”

Applejack began to set up her apple-bobbing store while Pinkie Pie returned to Mr. and Mrs. Cake to help unpack the cakes. Fluttershy ordered her animals into neat lines for their coming performance. Rainbow flexed a few times while clearing the stray clouds creeping slowly over Ponyville. It would be good to have a clear day for Princess Twilight’s arrival.

Other ponies began to join the five, lining the streets with banners and flags, waiting expectantly. Just as Rarity finished fitting her final costume to Applejack, the faint sound of trumpets reached their ears.

“Here she comes!” Rainbow exclaimed, quickly landing to stand with her friends. “Oh, it’s been far too long!”

“I agree,” Applejack remarked.

Squinting into the sun, the ponies saw a small dot of a chariot approaching their town, which gradually grew bigger until everypony could see the passenger – Twilight Sparkle, their princess. They cheered as the soldiers pulling the chariot touched down on the rough dirt. The princess waved regally to her subjects, taking her time to greet everypony present.

“Twilight!”

Twilight turned and smiled to see her five best friends waiting in front for her. “Hello everypony!” she grinned as she trotted over to them. “So how has Ponyville been while I was away?”

“Nothing unusual in the slightest!” Rainbow reported as they all hugged each other. “The town’s been pretty quiet, and we’ve been doing our best to keep it that way.”

“The harvest’s almost ready to be pulled in,” Applejack said, “and I think that this year’s got one of them bumper-size labels on it! My apples are the biggest we’ve ever seen them – we’ve got our work cut out this time!”

“That’s brilliant!” Twilight said. “Fluttershy, how are all of your animal friends?”

“Oh, they came along to sing for you, actually…” Fluttershy blushed. “They would really like it if you heard them.”

“Of course!” Twilight said. “They can sing while we start the festivities. Which reminds me…” Twilight raised her hoof and yelled,

“LET THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN!”

And Fluttershy’s band launched into their first tune.

* * * * *

While everypony was having fun, Twilight took the chance to reconnect with her friends. Wandering through the town, she talked to as many ponies as she could to find out how things in Ponyville had been going for them – as their princess, it was important for her to know her subjects’ best wishes for the future.

After a circle of the festival, Twilight saw Applejack’s stall was free. She was offering the chance to get a horseshoe encircled around a peg by throwing it. Twilight trotted over and asked if she could have a go.

“Of course!” Applejack said, smiling. “Take your pick of which horseshoe you want to use.”

Twilight scanned over the selection with her discriminating eye. It caught on a blue horseshoe for someone the size of Big Macintosh. She picked it up in her mouth and took her place in front of the peg.

“Go on, Twi!” Applejack urged as Twilight lined up her horseshoe. “Concentrate...”

Twilight looked down her nose at the target, bringing her head down and then flinging the horseshoe to score a perfect hit.

“YES! I did it!” Twilight exclaimed, high-hoofing Applejack.

“Nice work sugarcube,” Applejack said. “How about you go and see how Rainbow’s doin’? I heard she really wants to talk with you. Somethin’ about flying.” Applejack winked. “She’s been dying for a practice partner who can fly at least half her speed.”

Twilight blushed, her natural ability being the only reason she could fly at that speed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to,” she said, flying off in search of her blue friend.

* * * * *

“So, feel like busting a few clouds today?” Rainbow challenged, pointing towards a group floating towards the town. “Whoever gets rid of the most, wins. Are you game?”

“I’m game,” Twilight accepted, launching herself into the sky. “Come on then!”

“All right!” Rainbow Dash yelled, pushing off and landing a hit with the first flap of her wings.

Both winged ponies soared through the sky like comets in the night. Other ponies in the street stopped to watch this battle of tallies between them. They began to cheer for their favourite.

“GO RAINBOW DASH!” An orange-coated pegasus with a purple mane said. Scootaloo made sure her voice was heard as she pushed her way through the crowd. Her friends Applebloom and Sweetie Bell weren’t far behind.

“Oh, I don’t know which one to choose!” Applebloom complained, her eyes watching the two ponies. “Umm…”

“COME ON TWILIGHT!” Sweetie Bell roared, causing a few angry looks to be shot her way. “Sorry…”

For every cloud Twilight destroyed, Rainbow destroyed 2. It was obvious who was going to win to Twilight. Rainbow Dash had double her score and she knew there was no way of getting that back. Unless…

No! Twilight chided herself. You’re a princess; you wouldn’t go around creating tornadoes. Instead, Twilight took it like a good sport as Rainbow kicked the last cloud and won the match.

“Come on Twilight, surely you were practising in Canterlot?” Rainbow teased, while she accepted the applause from the crowd below.

That sparked a memory in Twilight’s mind. “I almost forgot!” she said. “I want you and Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy to meet me in the library. I have something very important to tell you.”

“Sure,” Rainbow said, “but really, what were you doing in Canterlot apart from royal duties and stuff?”

“In the library,” Twilight repeated. “I can’t say it out here, there are too many ears.”

This caused Rainbow Dash to look left and right in a suspicious way, causing eyes to be turned. “You’re right,” she said.

“I’ll go find everyone else,” Twilight said. “You head to the library.”

“Yes ma’am!” Rainbow saluted before flying off. “I’ll be there – IN TEN SECONDS FLAT!”

* * * * *

“So Twilight, what’s all this about here?” Applejack queried as Fluttershy closed the library door. “Something terribly important but so secret you can’t tell us in public?”

“Exactly,” Twilight confirmed. “Back at Canterlot, I had been talking with Celestia about my recent studies, when she suddenly asked me whether I had read about anything that might happen soon; she said she had a feeling something incredible was going to happen, and asked me and you girls to help look out for it. ‘But no-one else,’ she warned, ‘just in case it’s very bad.’”

“So we’re looking for something incredible?” Rainbow chortled. “I’m right here! The fastest pegasus in Equestria!”

“Rainbow, this is mythological,” Twilight pointed out. “It’s like the prophecy of the stars releasing Nightmare Moon from her prison in the moon.”

“Oh, I see,” Rarity said. “So, something rather impressive that could happen?”

“Ooh, this is going to be FUN!” Pinkie Pie shouted, bouncing round the room. “Maybe it’s a giant ancient fantabulistic birthday party for Discord! Or… flying pigs! Yes, flying pigs! Aww, that would be sooo CUTE!”

“Pinkie… I don’t think it’s going to be an ancient birthday party,” Twilight sighed, “But that’s a good point – when is Discord’s birthday, and I do wonder if he likes partying?”

“We’re going off course here!” Rainbow complained. “We’ve got our task from the royal herself – look out for any interesting things that happen! Come on girls, we’ve got to start searching!”

“It’s almost dinner-time!” Rarity said, shocked. “I’m not going outside just to look for something incredible when I could be eating a delicious cake!”

“Rarity’s right,” Twilight said. “I’m feeling a little peckish myself – the journey here takes so long we had to start early and I missed breakfast. And then I guess we were all too busy at the festivities to think about lunch. Spike?”

Twilight’s purple dragon hopped down the stairs from Twilight’s bedroom. “Hello, Twilight!” he said happily. “How was Canterlot?”

“It was great, Spike,” Twilight smiled. “Now, do you think you could make me and the girls a spot of dinner? It would be wonderful to have some good home cooked food for once.”

“Sure!” Spike agreed, rushing into the kitchen.

“Right afterwards, I’ll probably go to bed,” Twilight remarked. “It’s been so tiring up in Canterlot with all of the royal duties I have to do.”

“We understand,” Rarity said. “After dinner we’ll have a look around town while you rest.”

“Thanks, girls,” Twilight said, “and good luck!”

* * * * *

As the moon rose over Equestria, the citizens of the land each returned home to fall asleep peacefully. Lights were switched off, doors were locked and curtains were drawn. Mothers sang their babies to sleep, fathers returned tired from work and crawled eagerly into beds, and children dreamed of their fantasies. All but one.

Lyra Heartstrings was anxious; more anxious than she had ever been before. She tossed and turned in her bed, trying to rid her mind of the distractions whizzing round in it so she could get some sleep. Pulling her duvet higher up her body, she sighed and tried to relax. But she couldn’t. There was just a nagging feeling right at the back of her head, as if something… incredible was about to happen. She couldn’t explain what, it was just like a primeval reaction. Maybe it was just something in the air.

Lyra stepped out of bed and walked over to her window, opening the curtains and allowing some fresh air to seep into her room. It did no good to her troubled self. Lyra sighed again and leant her head on her hooves, staring outside into the stars and the moon. It was a beautiful night – the clouds were absent and so the sky was completely visible. Lyra envisaged Princess Twilight stargazing at this moment if she hadn’t been so tired from her visit to Canterlot.

Searching the sky, Lyra found two stars that were much brighter than the others. But when she looked closer, they didn’t look very much like stars… then she saw where the light was coming from. Two far mountains in the distance had their summits illuminated by a strange, white light. Lyra felt the ground start to rattle.

“Earthquake!” Lyra gasped, hurrying downstairs and running outside so the house wouldn’t collapse on her. She turned to look back at her house and saw Canterlot Mountain’s summit also glowing white.

What’s going on?! Lyra thought to herself.

The three summits suddenly each fired a beam of intensely white light at each other, forming a perfect equilateral triangle as they clashed. The power reverberated through the ground, the earthquake getting stronger, but no-one else seemed to wake up, oblivious. Then, three more beams fired in between the others and converged upon the centre of the triangle. Within this centre, there formed a ball, pulsating with stored power. And within the ball, Lyra could see the silhouette of a pony starting to take shape.

The three beams connected to this ball slowly lowered the silhouette down to the ground. As soon as the pony’s hooves touched the hard dirt, the beams almost immediately retracted, the mountains stopped glowing, and the night was dark once more.

Lyra walked cautiously up to the white ball of energy, studying it closely. What is that? She wondered curiously, reaching out to touch the surface.

Lyra yelped and suddenly jumped back as the ball of white energy dissolved into the air to leave the owner of the silhouette behind. An alicorn stallion with no cutie mark.

Lyra cautiously approached this strange adult, lying unconscious on the ground. The pony’s coat was a sharp white; it was difficult to look at for too long. His mane was sky blue and red, trimmed short and styled backwards as if the pony was flying extremely fast. Lyra studied the horn – it was pointed at the tip, with the trademark grooves on every unicorn’s horn winding themselves down to the forehead. The tail was like a flowing river, deep blue strands weaving within each other and giving off the effect of a ripple, tipped with gold.

Well, I can’t just leave him out here, Lyra thought. I’d better get him inside. Maybe some hot chocolate and a few of Bon Bon’s sweets should wake him up. Using her magic, Lyra used a levitation spell to carry the pony back to her house. Once inside, she pulled up a chair and settled the pony comfortably in it, draping a blanket over him. Then she went to the kitchen to prepare the hot chocolate.

* * * * *

The stallion began to pull out of unconsciousness, his eyes opening a crack as they adjusted to the bright light in the room.

A room. The stallion instantly freaked out, although managing to contain it within him through supreme self-control. Still, he had no idea how he had turned up here, in a room of all places. The last thing he remembered was him being outside, his vision going whiter as the real world had faded around him…

Another pony trotted into the room and the stallion almost screamed, his eyes widening substantially at the mare’s arrival. The aquamarine pony hesitated as she noticed the stallion was awake, a cup of hot chocolate held suspended with what the stallion assumed was her magic. The mare opened her mouth to speak, but faltered slightly. “I… I brought you some hot chocolate…”

The stallion smiled appreciatively and nodded, still wondering where he was and what he was doing here. The mare moved the cup over to a chair which the stallion noticed he was lying in, and placed it on the table beside it. The mare spoke again, this time with a little more confidence.

“What’s your name?”

The stallion had to think for a moment, which surprised him as he usually could remember his name quick as a flash. “Nova,” he finally replied. “Nova… erm…” And now he was stumped on his second name. Brilliant, the stallion cursed himself. You’ve forgotten your name – a vital part of information for an introduction. That was before he realised he didn’t have a second name.

“Just Nova,” he confirmed, trying to move his hoof so he could pick up the cup of hot chocolate. The hoof stubbornly disobeyed his instructions and stayed put.

Hmm… looks like I need a little more rest before moving my limbs, the stallion thought. Ah well. Actually, why am I so tired?

“Uh, Nova?”

“Sorry,” Nova apologised, realising the mare had been speaking.

“My name’s Lyra,” the pony said, twiddling her light cyan coloured hair into knots. She was quite obviously nervous about this meeting. “Umm… I play the lyre.”

Nova caught sight of her cutie mark – a golden lyre. “You must be very good at it then to have a cutie mark of it,” Nova pointed out. Lyra blushed and turned shyly away.

“It was just a hobby,” she said modestly, “but it turned out to be what I was meant to do.” She looked back at him and asked, “What about you? Why don’t you have a cutie mark?”

Nova began to laugh. “What do you mean, I don’t have a cutie mark? I’ve got a cutie mark, it’s a… a…” Nova had another memory lapse. Lyra sighed and moved the blanket Nova was under away from his flank. There was nothing there.

“…Oh,” Nova said. “I could’ve sworn I had one…”

“What’s strange is that you’re an adult with no cutie mark,” Lyra said. “Can you explain why?”

“Well, I did have a cutie mark, but I have no idea where it’s gone,” Nova responded. “What a mystery…” Nova pulled the blanket back over him as he started shivering, and then it came to him he had just moved. His energy was back.

Nova gingerly stepped off the chair and back onto all fours. He let out a sigh of relief. “Do you know what happened to me?” he asked Lyra.

“Well…” Lyra started. “Three mountains started glowing white and then they made a ball of white light in between them, which you were in, and then they lowered you down to the ground and stopped glowing, and I found you unconscious.”

“Ah, the three shrines,” Nova muttered. “That’s interesting.”

“So anyway, I brought you in and made you some hot chocolate,” Lyra continued. “Oh, I almost forgot Bon Bon’s sweets!” She rushed back to the kitchen, leaving Nova in the lounge.

Nova began to take in his surroundings. The room was covered in pictures framed with oak – pictures of Lyra and a beige-coated pony with curled pink and indigo-like hair. It looked like they had been many places, though Nova didn’t recognise any of them. Apart from Canterlot. Nova could notice those palace spires anywhere.

Lyra came back with a bowl of sweets wrapped in blue paper, with a golden stripe encircling them. “Here,” she offered, handing some to Nova. “Oh, you’ve been looking at my pictures. That’s Bon Bon there. She made these sweets, and they’re a delicious strawberry flavour.”

“Mm hmm,” Nova mumbled, while sucking on the sweet. “Wow, you were right, these are of good quality. Also, it looks like you were in Canterlot in that picture there. What were you doing there?”

“Oh, that was us enjoying the sights before Hearth’s Warming Eve!” Lyra said.

“Hearth’s Warming Eve?” Nova said. “I’ve never heard of it.”

“Really?” Lyra said, astounded. “It’s the legend of the founding of Equestria, when we discovered – “

“Equestria? Where’s that?” Nova asked, confused.

“What do you mean, where’s that?” Lyra was startled. “We’re in Equestria now!”

“Well, I used to rule over the land of Marelon,” Nova said. “I had never heard of an ‘Equestria’ there.”

“Rule?!” Lyra’s attention was captured. “You mean, you ruled over a whole land, like our Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?”

“Celestia and Luna, did you just say?” Nova’s happiness could not be contained. He grinned and his face shone like the sunrise at the Summer Sun celebration. “Thank Galaxia they’re alive! I thought my sisters were dead when I went!”

“SISTERS?!” A lot of information had been revealed in the chat, but none as mind-blowing as this. “But – but Celestia and Luna don’t have any siblings! At least, I didn’t think they had any… maybe Princess Twilight knows.”

“Wow, it sounds like I have a lot of catching up to do,” Nova remarked. “New princesses, new land - obviously a lot has happened in such a short space of time. Who is this Princess Twilight?”

“Tomorrow I could introduce you to her,” Lyra suggested. “She might be interested in this Marelon you mentioned. Sounds like ancient history or something.”

That sparked Nova’s mind into coming up with a horrifying, yet incredible theory. “In such a short space of time, I travelled from ancient history to the present?” Nova muttered to himself. “I don’t believe it!”

“Don’t believe what?” Lyra asked.

“Never mind,” Nova quickly said. “Anyway, where are we?”

“Ponyville, of course,” Lyra giggled. “Didn’t you recognise it? Surely you must have been here before.”

“Ponyville, eh?” Nova said. “Yes. It’s where I worked.”

Lyra stepped back, astonished. “I am assuming you’re a prince,” she gasped, wondering why a royal would be doing work in Ponyville.

“Yes.”

“What sort of work were you doing?”

“Well, early in the morning I would head over to the mine for a couple of hours to find some gems,” Nova began. “After that I would head to the farm just off the main road following the dirt track to help with bucking some apples off of the trees at harvest time. Otherwise, I would kick about a few clouds with a pegasus friend boasting a rainbow mane. Then – “

“Woah, hold it right there,” Lyra interrupted. “A pony with a rainbow mane? What was this pegasus’ name?”

“Umm… something like Flowing Spectrum,” Nova said. “She was a quick one. I managed to teach her the Sonic Rainboom during our free time. Have you heard of the Sonic Rainboom?”

“Yep,” Lyra said, “and in fact, we have a rainbow-maned pony living in Ponyville who did it during the Best Young Flier’s Competition.”

“Well, that’s interesting,” Nova said. “What’s the name of – “

“Rainbow Dash,” Lyra interjected again. “She also helps clear away the clouds over Ponyville – unless, of course, there’s scheduled weather that requires clouds to be present.”

“Looks like I’ve got some people to meet as well,” Nova said.

Then there followed an awkward silence between the two ponies – all questions had been exhausted and there was nothing left to talk about. “Shall we… get some sleep?” Lyra said.

“Good idea,” Nova agreed, letting loose a yawn. “I’m drained after that battle.”

Lyra opened her mouth to ask another question, but didn’t, as she felt she had already intruded too far into the strange stallion’s life. Prince Nova… I rescued a prince.

“You can sleep on the sofa if you want,” Lyra said. “You can use the blanket I gave you.”

“Much appreciated,” Nova thanked. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Lyra said, switching off the lights, leaving the lounge and shutting the door quietly behind her. As soon as she did so, she heard the faint sound of snoring. And surprisingly, when Lyra climbed into her own bed, she fell asleep straight away too.