Chapter 1: Flurry Heart
Harmony looked upon her new creations and spoke. "Each of you have been created from me, without you around me, my power would be naught. You are my companions, my friends. Pieces of my being. Elements of Harmony.
--- The Book of Harmony, Chapter 3 Verses 5-8
It's not that Flurry Heart minded the attention. She didn't, at least, not really. she minded very few things about being a princess. She had never really done a days work in her life, which was fine with her, it sounded boring. She always had anything she needed when she needed it, and that applied to almost anything she could ever want. She was spoiled, and she knew it. And when she really looked inside herself, she didn't care.
However, that fact always bothered her. She should have cared. She should have had some discontent about having what was a very privileged, sheltered existence. She had very few friends. As a matter of fact there were a select few Ponies that she thought she was all that close to. There was her mom and dad, and it wasn't hard to be close to them. She couldn't ask for more understanding parents. There were a few family friends. Like Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity, but she didn't get to see them more than once or twice a year.
And then there was Aunt Twi. Wonderful, funny, scatterbrained, logical, Aunt Twi.
To say that Flurry and Twilight Sparkle were close would be an Understatement. Flurry had never had any siblings, but her aunt filled the big sister role nicely. This was a Mare who was entrusted by the late Princess Luna as guardian of Night and the Moon and she still found time to give Flurry Heart personal magic lessons! Ever since she was ten years old she had made the journey from The Crystal Empire down to Canterlot every month to receive a private tutoring session. It was her favorite part of any month.
She had managed to have quite a quiet walk up to Canterlot Castle. As she approached, one of the servants wanted to announce her arrival, but she waved him off, she wanted to surprise Twilight. However, when she got to the door, she was stopped by one of Twilight's favored guards.
"Sorry kiddo," said Flash Sentry. "No entry. At least not yet."
"Aw, come on, Flash!" Flurry whined. "I came all this way!"
"And you can wait five more minutes," Flash said frankly. "She's in a meeting with the High Lunar Council."
"The girls are here?!" Flurry asked happily. "Cool! I haven't seen them in months!"
"Just a little longer, Princess," Flash smiled. "You can wait out here."
Flurry pouted a little. "Daddy gives you your job, and this is how you treat his daughter?" she joked.
Flash simply smiled. This had the banter between them ever since they had first met. Good old, reliable, Captain Flash.
Flurry rolled her eyes. "Alright," she sighed. "How's Aunt Twi been?"
Flash thought hard about how to answer that question. "Worried," he said finally. "She's doing weird things. Keeping secrets. She doesn't usually do that. But something seems to be worrying her. It's been like this since about a month ago. About a week after you left, I walked in on her and she was cr-"
Finally the doors to the chamber swung open and out poured palpable tension. Like her mother, Flurry heart had a knack for sensing emotions. That's where most of her magic was focused, empathy. So when the doors opened she felt so many things all at once. Sadness. Longing. Loss.... And fear. Fear more than anything. And it wasn't everyday fear. This is the kind of fear that came when you had a very small amount of time to figure out how not to die.
When Aunt Twilight and the others saw her, that fear was slightly abated, replaced by a sort of familiar comfort. "Well, if that don't beat all!" Applejack smiled as she saw her. "Look at you! Look at how much you've grown since the last time I saw you!" AJ ran over and hugged her. tightly. "Oh where did all that time go! You look like a grown mare."
"It's good to see you too, Applejack!" she hugged back a little tighter.
"I see we are still refusing to wear our tiara in public?" Rarity said incredulously.
"We find it to be too cumbersome and uncomfortable," Flurry said back. "We also refuse to call ourselves 'we,' no matter how 'royal' it's supposed to be."
It didn't take long for the straight face to break, and they both laughed and embraced each other. In between them appeared Pinkie Pie. "Diiiiid you get the birthday gift I sent ya?!" Pinkie said excitedly.
"Yeah," Flurry said after thinking for bit. "The giant pink canon. I sorta... have no idea what it's for, or how it works."
"Cheese's canon works fine for the both of us now, so I feel that mine should go to you!" Pinkie squeaked. "But you have to promise me that you will never. Use. It's powers. For evil!!!!"
Pinkie was directly in Flurry's face now, staring directly into her soul. "I promise," Flurry smiled, utterly baffled.. "I shall use it's great and powerful magics only for good."
One confetti filled hug later, Flurry caught the worried gaze of Fluttershy. "You look skinny," she said softly. "re you getting enough to eat?"
"Yes!!" Flurry answered as quickly is possible. "Fluttershy, thank you for your concern, but trust me I'm fine! I swear!!"
Too late. "I'll send you some snacks." There it was. The guarantee that in the mail in the next week would arrive food. Too much food. Veggies. Hummus. And the most insanely huge cheese basket ever created, courtesy of Fluttershy and Big Mac. It's not like she wouldn't eat it, but Flurry did have what passed for a decent figure, and she'd have liked to keep it that way.
"Hey kid!" Rainbow Dash called over. "Are you practicing those tricks I taught you?"
"Every day!" Flurry jumped in the air and soared over to Rainbow, somersaulting as she approached, landing on one hoof right next to her.
"That's my girl!" Dash put Flurry in a headlock and gave her little noogie.
"Ahem," came a stern regal voice from the back, and the room fell silent. Twilight Sparkle stood tall, looking down at all of the rest of them with her best "royal teacher" look. "Flurry Heart! Who were the first two ponies to sprout from the Tree of Harmony."
Pop quiz time. She had this. "The Goddess Harmony, and her brother, Entropy," Flurry answered.
"And what became of Entropy?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"He was cast out when he tried to kill his sister for attempting to bring what he called an 'unnatural order' to all life on Equis," Flurry recalled quickly. "Saying, as he was thrown into the pit 'In the beginning there was the seed, but in the end there shall only be entropy.'"
"And who was the first pony to ascend to become an Alicorn?" Twilight fired at Flurry.
"Seraphim Glare," Flurry said smugly. "He earned that rank after the three tribes were unified, as such he passed his rank to his daughters, Celestia and Luna, shortly after their birth. Unfortunately, the death of his wife, Queen Platinum, caused him to lose any sanity or control he may have had, causing him to start a genocide that would only end thanks to the sacrifices of too many ponies."
"Until he tried to start trouble a little while ago," Dash said, smugly looking at her hoof. "But he wasn't prepared for how awesome we were."
"Twilight, come on!" Applejack protested. "How much are you gonna grill the poor filly before you even say hello?"
Twilight gave a soft smile. "Just one more," she said softly. "Ten years ago, Celestia, Luna, and Discord all... moved on from here. What did each of them say s they departed from the realm beyond."
Flurry closed her eyes. She was very young, but she could still remember this, very vividly. She was there. "Celestia spoke to the new guardian of the Daylight, saying that of all the students she had, she was the most caring, loving and compassionate. The Sun was in better hooves than it had ever been."
"Better words were never said about Princess Cadence," Rarity said. It was true. Flurry's mother was the kindest pony she knew. And their was a never anypony better to raise the sun."
"Luna turned to her successor and told her," Flurry had to choke back tears as she looked at her aunt. "The night has been abused, by myself and others. I trust you will not make the same mistake. You're the only one I can trust, Twilight."
A tear dropped from Twilight and she smiled. "And then Discord ruined the whole thing by showing up with a huge inflatable duck around his waist. 'I've been waiting my immortal life for this occasion, so can we stow the sentiment?'"
Flurry burst into laughing, and ran up to hug her aunt. "I got here early," Flurry squeaked. "Sorry. I didn't want to wait."
Twilight smiled softly and looked up at her friends. "We'll table the discussion we had today for later," she said. "Tomorrow we'll talk bout the arrangements for the Summer Sun Celebration."
The Council said their farewells and left.
"So? What's the lesson for today?" Flurry asked happily. "Transmutation? Working on my Empathy? Something a little stronger?"
"I have something very special planned for the next few days, actually," Twilight said slyly. "But first, I want to hear how you're doing? How are your parents? I never manage to get over there as much as I like."
Flurry stalled. She really didn't want to talk about home. It wasn't as if anything was wrong, it's just that something had happened. Something that no one was making very big deal about, but it reminded Flurry Heart of a horrible prospect. "Well," Flurry started hesitantly. "Mom's been spending way to much time worrying about the Summer Sun Celebration. She keeps wanting to 'practice' but there's no really good way of doing that, considering."
"She's been doing this for ten years," Twilight laughed. "You'd think she'd have confidence in her Daybreaking abilities by now..."
"And Daddy...," Flurry started. This was it. Once she said this out loud it was official. It was starting. Nothing she could do to stop it. "Daddy found his first grey hair last night," she tried to say lightly.
"Oh, my," Twilight giggled. "He must be insufferable. I remember him working on that mane for ages when he was in school! He used... to..."
Twilight stopped. Tears were pouring down Flurry's face.
It slowly dawned on Twilight what was upsetting Flurry. "Oh sweet Celestia," Twilight whispered. "Is that why...?"
"It's not fair," Flurry said bitterly. "It's not fair. I get to stick around forever, and Daddy has to..." she trailed off. She couldn't say the next word. "It's not fair."
"And it's not time! Oh, sweetie come here!" Flurry ran to Twilight and buried her face in her shoulder, sobbing. "It's not time for that yet. It's not even close to time yet. I promise. Your Dad has so many good years ahead of him."
Flurry stifled a sob into Twilight's shoulder.
"Listen," Twilight said softly. "You've been given a long life and I know it may not seem like it, but it's a gift. You have so much time to do so much good. Meet so many people, make so many friends. And I know it seems cruel, but you can't just shut yourself down because tie has to march on. Just because you may outlive them doesn't mean you should stop loving them."
Flurry slowly managed to compose herself. She had very few friends. She was close to very few people. Considering the nature of existence, she wanted to avoid it if she could. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as he looked at her aunt. "Well," he said quickly, trying her hardest to change the subject. "Are we going to get to the lesson? Or am I just here to visit?"
Twilight smiled. "Yes, your lesson," she said firmly. "Today's lesson is a milestone and I know you'll be very excited. I think it's time you saw the First Edition."
Flurry's jaw hit the floor. She couldn't believe it. She had read copies for her studies, but this?! She was finally about to take a look at the original. The actual original. Penned by Honesty himself and enchanted to keep writing long after he passed on. The first book that detailed the story of Equestria. From the birth of Harmony, all the way to the passing of Celestia and Luna.
She was going to be able to read the original Book of Harmony.
Twilight led her into a little back room that was accessed to a door behind a curtain in the Throne Room. It was hardly a secret passage, but you would miss it if you weren't looking. In the room were two small bookshelves crammed with very very important books. This was Twilight Sparkle's private collection. The oldest and most powerful spellbooks, ancient maps, diaries, all of it was here or reference when she needed it. And there, sitting on a small lectern that sat at the front of the room, was the Book itself.
It was much smaller than Flurry Heart had imagined. Far less grand. Flurry imagined a huge, jewel encrusted tome. So heavy it required four strong stallions to lift it. However, that wasn't the case. It was leatherbound, was closed with a leather clasp, and while larger in dimensions then an average book, it hardly looked abnormally large. Looking at it you would be forgiven for mistaking it or a diary or travel journal. It didn't even look all that thick. Flurry heart reason that, like in all of the copies that she had seen, there were multiple columns of text on each page. There wouldn't be enough room otherwise. The cover was almost blank, except for a golden H that rested in the center. Flurry wondered if that stood for "Harmony" the book's subject, or Honesty, the books author. Flurry wasn't necessarily disappointed, but it was certainly a surprise.
Twilight and Flurry walked up to the book, Flurry walking a bit slower, not wanting to upset the book somehow. Twilight calmly opened the book and began to flip through it. "Truth be told, I wasn't planning on showing the original copy to you until much later. However, certain... events. Have transpired that make me think that now is the time. First and foremost," Twilight flipped to the very end. "This."
Flurry was awestruck.
So far there had been twenty-two chapter of the Book. Each of these chapters took you from one hugely major event in Equestria's history to the next, with every significant event in between. As time passed, more and more chapters added themselves to the book. The last chapter thus far had began with a little unicorn being taken in as a princess's pupil and ended with two alicorns and a Draconequus ascending to the realm beyond.
So what appeared on one of the final pages of the book shocked Flurry to her core.
23
The rest of the page was blank.
"A new chapter?!" Flurry gawked. "But... It's been ten years! This usually takes longer doesn't it?"
Twilight nodded. "It was nearly a Millennium before what I hesitate to call my chapter started," Twilight sighed. "We are on the precipice of something of great importance. As for what it is? To be honest, I'm afraid to find out."
Something hit Flurry's empathy hard. It was that fear again. The same fear that hit her when she first walked into the room. She was keeping her composure, just like she always did, but for some reason, Twilight was terrified. "Aunt Twi, what's wrong?" Flurry asked. "What are you not telling me?"
Twilight looked right into Flurry Heart's eyes, and Flurry felt a mix of the nameless fear, but also longing, and genuine parental worry. "Come back to the throne room with me," she sighed. "What your sensing, I have to deal with on my own. You don't need to worry about it, at least not yet. Besides, I have something for you! Your very first field assignment!"
Flurry hopped her way into the throne room, too excited to merely walk. "Ohmigosh, ohmigosh, ohmigosh!!!" Flurry squeaked. "Where am I going? Griffonstone? Minos? Dragonlands?!"
"Ponyville," Twilight said smugly.
Flurry stopped hopping. "Ponyville," she said lightly. "Huh. Uhh... Listen, I know I'm going to seem like kind of a jerk saying this, but isn't Ponyville kind of... podunky?"
"That 'podunk'," Twilight said dryly. "Was my home for ten long years. young lady!"
"Bad word," Flurry said quickly. "Quaint?"
"Better," Twilight smiled. "Yes, it may be a little... quaint, but I learned some of the most important lessons of my life in that town. I think you could do the same. The Summer Sun Celebration is the day after tomorrow. I want you to oversee it's organization."
"Yes, that's what we want," Flurry said dryly. "Me organizing things."
"I figure that there would be enough ponies round to prevent anything from catching fire," Twilight giggled. "In all seriousness, me and your mother are swamped, I'm busy doing this and a thousand other things, we could really use the help."
Flurry rolled her eyes. "Alright," she went in to hug her aunt. "Anything for you, Aunt Twi."
"Thanks," Twilight said, hugging her niece. "Meet with the ponies running the celebration. The list is here." She handed Flurry a small list of names. "You're also going to have to meet up with Starlight Glimmer, she's the curator at the Museum."
"Your first student?" Flurry asked. "Cool!"
Twilight nodded. "She and her husband are hosting the event," Twilight explained. "Be excited! You get to meet your Crystaler. Also, and I can't stress this enough, this is important..." Twilight held Flurry's shoulders. "Make some friends."
"I've heard that before," Flurry said dryly.
"Hey!" Twilight laughed. "At least when I tell you that, the fate of Equestria doesn't depend on it!"
"You wouldn't tell me if it was!" Flurry protested. "The friendships had to be genuine in order for the magic to work."
"You're right!" Twilight said happily. "So guess you should treat that instruction as if it both is and isn't a matter of life and death!"
"Aunt Twi-"
"Look," Twilight interrupted. "I know you find it hard to get close to people. Until today, I never really understood why. I know it's hard that time with friends might one day come to an end, but you can't let that hold you back. You have to put yourself out there and spend the time you have wisely. And it isn't wise to spend it alone. Trust me, it's worth the time you get. I promise."
Flurry smiled.
Flash Sentry opened the door behind them and walked in. "Sorry to interrupt your respective Majesties," Flash said. "But a letter has come in for Princess Twilight."
"Thank you, Flash," Twilight said. "Who from?"
"Don't know," Flash shrugged.
"Well who put it in the drop box?" Twilight asked.
"I don't know," Flash said. "One of my men handed this to me, I was doing my job, AKA standing outside this door."
Twilight nodded slowly. "Sharp as a tack, as always."
"Thank you madam," Flash said sarcastically. "I try. Sheesh."
Flurry giggled as Flash left the room. She knew what this was. "'The time you get is worth it'," she repeated. "So why don't the two of you quit flirting and get on with it?"
"I," Twilight lied. "Have no idea what you're talking about. If I did, it would be none of your business regard--"
Twilight trailed off, and the wave of emotion that hit Flurry nearly cased her to stagger. The fear was back in full force, but it soon subsided into a searing, white hot, barely contained rage. She had never felt anything like this. Flurry was terrified of what her aunt might do in this state.
"Aunt Twi, what's wrong?" Flurry asked.
"Your train leaves in a few hours," Twilight said staying remarkably composed. "I've had your bags sent, you should get ready..."
"But wait, Aunt Twi!" Flurry called as Twilight hurried out of the room.
"Like I said," Twilight called back. "I don't want you to worry about it, at least not yet!"
Flurry was left in the throne room, alone. She wasn't so sure it wasn't the time for her to worry.
He sat quietly in her room, and waited for her. She'd be there, and sooner rather than later..
The plan was complicated. Perhaps over complicated. A lot of things depended on factors he had no control over. A lot of it relied on pure dumb luck. Part of the plan was actively counterproductive to the end goal. He didn't regret that part though. If the plan failed that way, he would at least have the knowledge that he stuck it to his sister. He liked that. She could watch from up above and weep a her philosophy crumbled around her. But he didn't expect that to happen. His sister was almost as cunning as he was. The plan wouldn't fail that way. This was the only plan left.
The plan wouldn't fail. He had to keep reminding himself of that. Over and over again repeating it in his mind. The truth was there were a thousand and one ways this plan could fail. All things said, this was an insane gamble. A risk he didn't like to take. If it didn't go his way, that's it. It was over. Trapped forever, no chance of escape.
He looked down at his rusty cursed skin and growled. It was so stifling. He just wanted out. To be contained like this. To be trapped in that stinking hole with that insufferable dog and Equestria knows how many damned souls. Countless years with nothing but the sound of screaming damned souls. Not that he was disturbed by it mind you, it was the boredom that was getting to him.
"Only the willful actions of an Alicorn could open the gate" his sister said. He remembered that. Unfortunately Alicorns had proven damn near impossible to tempt, so he had to use... other means of coercion.
He sat in the room and waited for the Alicron to enter.
The door soon burst open to reveal an angry Twilight Sparkle. She met Scratch's eyes and snorted. "You."
"Let's face it," Scratch said frankly. "I'm not the scariest thing you've ever had in this bedroom.
"Where are they?!" Twilight screamed.
Scratch raised an eyebrow. "Where're who?"
"Don't try to get cute with me!" Twilight said through gritted teeth. "You have my friends and I want them back."
Scratch shrugged. "I don't have your friends."
"I- What?!" Twilight managed. "But the note-"
"Said 'If you ever want to see your friends alive again, come to your bedroom. Alone,'" Scratch recited. "I know. I wrote it. And it's absolutely true. If you didn't come here alone you'd send guards, and that would make things complicated for when I do manage to kidnap your friends. Things might get messy. But, since you did, in fact, come alone, I can nab you too. And you're all going to the same place! So you'll be able to catch up!"
Twilight turned quickly towards the door to call for help.
"Before we fly off the handle," Scratch said calmly. "You know my predilection for being in two places at once, while simultaneously being nowhere. I am, as we speak, having similar conversations with your friends. If this one doesn't go smoothly, those conversations might turn lethal. I'll be nice to them, if you're nice to me."
Twilight stopped dead, her eyes darted around the room as if she was desperate to find a way out. She closed her eyes when she couldn't find one. He had her. There was no way out for her now. A huge grin split across Scratch's face.
"One question," Scratch said quietly. "Why don't you use my real name. Scratch isn't my name. It's what a few Hillfillies callded a silver-tongued monster that lived in the swamp. It would be hard for other ponies to accept, but you know my real name. You can call me by my real name. Celestia always called me by my real name. We've sat down for chess so many times, but you still won't call me by my real name. Say my real name. Please. It's important to me that you do."
"No," Twilight said immediately. "That is your real name now. You're simply not that pony anymore. Any right you had to wield the name the Tree gave you was lost when you were cast out. You're a shell now. Just a pathetic, useless, dying old animal who can do nothing but scratch at the gate."
Scratch laughed his common, casual laugh. "You know, you're right!" he said brightly. "There is a certain poetry to that. Thank you."
"I've already put the wheels in motion," Twilight said defiantly. "I've put a plan in motion to stop you, and the Windigos."
"Oh, I know," Scratch grinned. "And I really want to, from the bottom of my heart..." He leaned in right next to Twilight's ear.
"I want to thank you."
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Not bad so far, but why no mention of Starlight and Sunburst? You'd think Flurry would spare a thought for her Crystaller...
Uhhhh.....
Oh, I get it now. Scratch is a like Francis from Deadpool. He keeps saying, "Say my name." But is it really a surprise that Scratch's real name is Entropy, I'm guessing.
Also, how dare you come up with the same ideas as my. If I wasn't so passive aggressive, I'd write a few choose words about you (I'm bluffing, this is a great story, if bland so far, needs more cliffhangers, I'd suggest you check out my story "My Little Pony: Elements of Equestria: Act 1: Fire".
7193164 Noooooo They died between fics....
7193164 I have read "The Alicorn King's Glare", and I liked it. Why else would it be on my user page?
So far, so good. Aside from a tendency to leave the s off of your she's, I don't see a whole lot of mistakes. I look forward to reading more!
Do I need to read anything else to understand this one?
7205147 Anything you may have, you already did.
7205158 Uh, that a no?
7205172 Yeah, thats a no
7205185 Got it.
7193172 Wait, what? I'm lost now. . .
7193172 Between which fics then, I feel like I'm missing something obvious.
And I thought it was AKG because it sounded like she was referencing AKG.
7193172 Okay, I think I figured it out now. Why I thought this was a sequel to AKG.
It's because of what you said in the Author's note of AKG. That any fic taking place S5+ is technically a sequel.
Oh, and you flat out brought up Seraphim Glare in the first chapter.
Y'know... That might actually be just crazy enough to work. If the best-laid plans never survive enemy contact, maybe a poor plan will. Yikes.