As the school bell tolled for the evening, Nightshade hobbled down the steps. Her flank and shoulders still hurt from were Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had kicked her. As she walked down the steps, a sniggering from the doorway came from behind her. It was Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.
"She you tomorrow, Blank-flank!", jeered Diamond Tiara. She and Silver Spoon hoof-bumped each other as they pushed roughly passed her. Nightshade winced as Silver Spoon stomped on her hoofs.
"Don't forget to watch where you fall, Stumble-shade!", she jeered at Nightshade. As they walked away, Nightshade looked hopelessly after them. She knew she shouldn't listen to them, but it was hard having no one to listen and make you feel any better about it. Ms. Cheerilee came from the school room. As she locked the door, she noticed Nightshade sitting by herself as usual on the bottom most step, wrapping a bandage around one of her bruised legs. Cheerilee came down the steps and sat down next to the young filly. Out of all the students she had ever taught, Nightshade seemed to posses something the others didn't...a sort of calming wave of energy. The filly seemed to hold some kind of air of majesty around her, but now, seeing Nightshade all bruised up, Ms. Cheerilee couldn't help but feel responsible for not being able to protect her.
"Here, let me help you, Nighty." said Cheerilee. Nighty was the nickname Nightshade had asked Cheerilee to call her. Thank-full for the assistance, Nightshade sat still while Cheerilee help her with the bandage. Nightshade knew she should take something to the teacher, but she didn't know what to say. There really was nothing.
"I don't think the others like me that much...." she said at last. The sigh that Cheerilee gave in response told Nightshade that the teacher had noticed. As Cheerilee finished wrapping the bandage, she looked at the young filly. In glow of the dying sun, the filly looked beautiful. Her coat looked like the night sky had come down into a being to grace the small form of the pony. Her mane and tail, even with the odd cyan streak, looked like a painting....like it wasn't real. To Cheerilee, it looked almost magical. As the two sat there, it took not to long for them to notice the unexpected visitor walking up to the school house. With her horn a blaze with the glow of her purple magic, and majestic wings folded neatly to her side, Twilight came to a halt in front of the two.
"Princess," said Cheerilee with a bow. "What have we done to earn this most wonderful surprise?" Nightshade, instead of bowing, fell back into the shadows to hid her new bruises from the princess, and try to prevent awkward question. But, it was no use. Twilight had noticed the new bruises, and of course the white bandage couldn't hide well in the shadows. Her lips pursed in displeasure, but only Nightshade noticed, for it was gone in a second. Instead, a warm smile broke across her face as she beckoned to Nightshade to come out of the shadows and join the conversation.
"Actually, Ms. Cheerilee, I'm here to talk to Nightshade. There is much I would like to discuss with her." Twilight wrapped a wing around Nightshade. This made her have a feeling that she had never felt, or couldn't remember feeling. It made her feel so warm and safe. But she couldn't put it into words. Cheerilee look puzzled, but she knew not to argue with the wishes of a princess.
"Very well. See you tomorrow, Nighty. Have a good evening, Princess." After Cheerilee said this Twilight looked up at Cheerilee, for her eyes had been fixed on the filly under her wing.
"Nightshade will not be attending school for a couple of days, as she will be going to the royal palace in Canterlot with myself and my friends." Cheerilee nodded and said goodbye to Nightshade and telling her to have a good time. As Cheerilee walked down the road toward her home, Twilight lead Nightshade in the other direction. She still hadn't let go of the filly. But, Nightshade didn't notice...nor did she really care. At the moment, she suddenly remembered something....as if it can from a different life. She remembered why she felt so good when she was being held by a protective wing.
"Mommy, what's my special talent?" the foal looked up into a face it knew well. The face was that of her mothers. She smiled at the foal and nuzzled her affectionately.
"What do you mean, my little princess?" Her voice was like music to the foal's eyes.
"Well, Tia has the day-time and she has to raise the sun and set it. Lunny-moony has to raise and set the moon and stars and she has the night-sky to look after. You and daddy, do something...but what about me? What do I have?!" The mare chuckled as the foal pouted. She wrapped a wing around the tiny little body and brought it close to her. The foal snuggled close ,and her little eyes close in content.
"Well, you know darling, the thing you must learn is that there are so many illusions clouding your future and destiny. But, you, you have the ability to cloud the future and past for everyone, including you own family. You are my little illusionist, Nighty." But by this time, the foal was fast a sleep. The mare chuckled and kissed her forehead.
"Good night, my little princess."
"Nightshade? Nightshade!" Twilight looked at the filly as her eyes focused again.
"Yeah? Sorry..I-I must have dosed off." Twilight laughed.
"Well, we're here." The form of Twilight's library and home loomed out of the darkness. Nightshade was confused.
"Why here?"
"Well, I have some friends I would like you to meet." As they went inside, Nightshade looked around. The five most well know ponies were standing there, waiting for her and Twilight to arrive. The brave and loyal Rainbow Dash with her rainbow mane and cyan coat. Scootaloo and the other fillies of the Rainbow Dash Fan-club always talked about her. Then, next to her, in her customary hat, was the honest Applejack. Applebloom always said how cool and kind her sister was, and just by the feeling of friendliness coming off of Applejack, Nightshade had to agree. Then, looking immaculate and beautiful, was Rarity. Her purple mane was done up in her customary way and her coat has sleek and shiny. Nightshade knew her generosity first hand. The clothing she had came from Rarity by donation. Then, slightly hidden in the back was the shy and kind Fluttershy. Nightshade had helped her with her animals when one or more ran out of the doorway. Lastly, bouncing up and down as she normally was, Pinkie Pie. She was the joy of the whole town with her wild and fun parties and her personality was absolutely amusing.
"Hey girls! This is the filly I was talking about. Her name's Nightshade." said Twilight, closing the door with her magic.
"How ya doin' kid? Boy, I see Diamond Tiara got you good, huh?" Said Rainbow Dash.
"Well Ah'll be! Why, if Ah was there, ya'll woulda see me ropin' up that snotty lil' nuisance." huffed Applejack in southern drawl. The others laughed.
"Really Applejack. You should learn how to handle it properly. Why I would have dealt with it with much much punishment, and perhaps hard labor." said Rarity in her sophisticated voice. Applejack snorted in response. Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing to give her opinion.
"Well," she said in her song-song voice. "I would've fed her cupcakes until her cutie mark exploded!" she finished with a gleeful smile. Rainbow Dash burst out laughing.
"Pinks, you can't do that! But I'm sure that doesn't stop you!" Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash kept on laughing at this, and soon the others joined in.
"Well, I would've like Diamond Tiara to say hello to a new crocodile adopted. I think Mr. Chompers would have had a lovely time meeting her, but I'm not sure if Diamond Tiara would've." said Fluttershy in her quiet voice. Everyone stopped laughing. Then out of the blue Applejack and Rainbow Dash started snorting with laughter.
"Well, Ah'll be, Fluttershy!" sniggered Applejack. "Ah never new you got in in ya to say or do somethin' like that!" Everyone else laughed, even Nightshade.
"Well, we'd best get on to why I have brought you all here to meet this extraordinary filly." said Twilight. Everyone stopped laughing and became quite serious, though Pinkie Pie kept bouncing. Twilight continued, " Well, I think I know why Nightshade is so special."
"W-what?!" exclaimed Nightshade, looking confused. "I'm not special! I'm just an ordinary filly! I-I don't even know where I came from!" At this Twilight and the other smiled.
"You do know who we are and what we represent, am I right?" Nightshade looked blankly at her. Well, of course she knew who they were. Everypony at school said how they were the Elements of Harmony, but what did this have to do with her? She decided to test her luck.
"Well, yeah. Everypony knows that you guys are the Elements of Harmony. But, what does this ha-" But Twilight raised a hoof to silence her.
"I did more reading on the Elements and the history of Equestria." She said. Rainbow Dash sniggered and Nightshade heard her say something that sounded like "Egghead". Twilight ignored this. "Well, it turns out there was a seventh element." The others looked shocked. But, before any of them could say anything, Twilight continued.
"The seventh element belonged to a sister of Celestia's. Now this sister went missing around the time Princess Luna become Nightmare Moon. Nobody knows what happened to her. So I did more research and found this." She passed around a book with an open picture of a painting of the royal family. As the other five girls saw it, they all gasped and gazed at Nightshade.
"What?" she said. Twilight gave her the book. In the painting was the Queen and King of Equestria (who vanished long ago), a younger Celestia (with a pink mane) and Luna and...Nightshade shook her head, staring disbelieving at the third foal in the painting. A young alicorn foal. She had the same color coat as Nightshade, the same mane and tail with the cyan streak. And, no cutie mark, just like her.
"Th-that's me." Nightshade whispered. "But, that can't be me! I'm not an..." But a memory was rising to the surface of her mind. She remembered fly past the clouds. But she couldn't fly. She had no wings.
"The princess lost her wings when her power of Illusion was broken by Nightmare Moon. The seventh element is called Illusion." Twilight walked slowly over to where the filly was standing, dumb-founded. The others watched quietly, Pinkie Pie still bouncing.
"Nightshade," said Twilight carefully. "You are the lost princess." Slowly, Twilight sank into a bow at her hooves, and the other followed suit, all bowing to the lost Princess of Equestria, the Illusionist.