"Tock tick, tick tock goes the old broken clock. Forever trapped in the fantasy that had once been and was to be never more. Decades, centuries, millennia we have tried to create a dance that would invigorate the old grandfather's arm to swing once again. Now after all this time, patience, and toil the pieces for the biggest dance yet have started to take the floor. Stars and planets in the planes beyond must have aligned for such a wonderful chance such as this!
The strings of a thousand orchestras shall fill the air with sweet humming, thunderously will the brass of the percussion clash throughout the land, sweet chimes of bells will echo in chorus through all the kingdoms, and the choir's melody will resound like an echo through every living soul. But alas some actors for this grand festival have yet to take the stage. Do not fret my guests of honor for I've sent a special invitation to each that cannot be ignored. For this dance must go on. This royal ball that will shatter the will of mortals and the dreams of light!"
Far to the north past vast rolling plains, swelling rivers of brown, and heaven piercing mountains laid the ruins of a forgotten country. A decade ago it was an infamous kingdom prized for its lumber rich forests and quarries that produced the finest marble. However all that had been long buried by the brutal sands of time. Years of blight and drought shriveled and withered the kingdom. Its once green fields had become barren the soil brackish with fire covered in a continual snow of ash. Lumber which had been worth its weight in gold now stood barren over the scared land. Gnarled and white as bone the forests stood as tombstones marking landscape showing where life had once been.
Though the scorched earth of this forsaken land a lone traveler marched ever onwards. Dressed in the cloth of the sister hood the mare cut her way south through the wasteland. Looking back she could see her tracks vanishing as a new layer of ash fell steadily from the sky. In front of her was the entrance to one of the many great gnarled forests. She sniffed the breeze lightly, the faint aroma of food waived through her nostrils. Shaking herself of the gathering ash the sister lumbered into the dark gates of the forests edge.
Not far from the edge of the forest deep within the trunk of a fallen forest faint sounds, strange sound emerged. The sounds of life. The sound of laughing children.
Upon hearing the stifled laughter the sister stopped in front of the hollow log. "Poky and Dozy come out of there right now!"
Slowly two heads poked their way out of gaps in the log. "Ah, Mommy how'd know we were here?"
"Dozy and me only wanted to 'urprise you afore you gotted back."
The pegasus wrapped a wing around each of the fillies and smiled. "Well, Poky and Dozy I am the champion of hide and go seek. I use to hide from hundreds if not thousands on a daily basis. I actually got a medal for being able to do that. However, I don't remember ever getting a medal for being upgrade from a Sister to a Mommy."
Poky's big brown eyes pierced the Sister's soul with their innocence. "What type of medal do we need to give you to upgrade you?"
The Sister felt her heart throb and her face fluster. She quickly looked skyward to avoid having to look the two fillies in the eyes. "Well that's a difficult question Poky. I guess it all depends on the mare. Though most prefer a ring of sorts given by a handsome gentlecolt."
Cuddling deeper into the cozy wings Dozy began to rub her horn against the Sister. "So all me Poky have to do is get brother Rift to give you a ring an you'll be our Mommy?"
The mare stopped walking and looked at the two little lives hiding under her wings. "Sorry, but that won't work for me. Like I just said it all depends on the mare and this mare won't accept the medal from family."
Rushing from underneath the Sisters wing Dozy confronted the pegasus. "But, but, but, you a pegasi and Rifty a Griffun!"
The sister felt the other filly leave her wing to join Dozy. "You two foster family like us! Why can't you get married and be our Mommy and Daddy?"
Once again the older mare lifted her head to the sky. This time to fight back tears that she didn't want seen. "I'm, I'm so sorry Poky and Dozy. Becoming a mother is a big thing to do and I'm not somepony who can do..."
"Yes, you can!" Shouted Dozy and Poky in unison.
"You read us budtime stories to chase the munsters away from our buds."
"Cook delicious food *sniff* for us."
"Scolted us when we're be bad."
"*Hic* Make our booboos go away."
"Song us to sleep on scary nights *Sniff*."
"Clean our beds so we have a nice place to sleep."
"Fixedted *Sob* our clothes when we teer them."
"and, and, and, *Sob* so much more! So why, why can't you *Sniff* realize that you're already our Mommy in our hearts!?"
Amid the sniffles an sobs of the fillies, the sister felt two hot rivers flowing down her face and a heart that was about to explode. Before she could question anything, she found herself embracing the two snot and tear covered fillies giving each a kiss on the forehead.
"Hush now, don't cry." Assured mare in a voice so sweet and soft that it sounded alien to her. "There's no need for tears in your Mother's wings. All the world could be against you and you'd be safe here. So dry those lonely tears my children, your Mother's here."
With a surprising gentleness the newborn mother began to wipe the tears from the fillies eyes with her wings. No form of cider, song, or fire had ever erased the chill of a windy winter night like the words that were spoken to her in that moment.
"We love you Mommy!"
For both parent and children the remaining walk through the petrified forest of boney claws passed by without notice. The three little lives in the woods caught up in a dream of happy merriment oblivious to the world around them. Before they knew it the abbey courtyard had come into sight.
Upon seeing their home the joy within the children sprang forth as a well. Dozy and Poky made a mad dash through the empty cobblestone clearing, up the marble stairs, and straight inside to tell everypony else the good news. The news that they all had a Mother!
The Sister stared at the run down abbey, with its weather worn walls and caving roof. Never in all her life would she have imagined that this would be the home that she would start a family in. Sweet and bitter dreams long forgotten rushed to her mind. Some personal life goals others desires that she had wished to achieve before settling down. But her she was now beyond that and with the mantle of motherhood on her shoulders. It was a heavy burden that weighed on her heart, had she made the right choice? Or was this just another in a long line mistakes? Shifting her wings the Sister stowed her scarf and earmuffs. For all the burdens of this new mantel, it sure did a good job keeping her warm inside, maybe even to warm.
From behind the heavy oaken doors the sister heard the clattering of hoofs and the shrieks of laughter from the abbey children. Over the din came a booming voice. "What's this I hear by the door? If it's a bunch of naughty children avoiding their chores I'll have to eat all the dessert myself tonight."
The pegasus chuckled to herself as the storm of noise quickly fled. The voice was of her father and the Father of the small abbey. "Wonder if I should start calling him Grandfather now instead?"
"What's this about being called grandfather now?" Came a gruff voice from the open wooden doors.
The mare shuffled awkwardly at the sight of her father standing in the pale shaft of light coming from the door. She felt sheepish like a foal that got her head caught in the cookie jar. Forget bringing a coltfirend home saying that they were engaged, she had just come home and announced that she was the mother of a baker's dozen.
Father Feather, as he was called by the abbey children, gave a sigh of contemplation before addressing his daughter. "Come walk the grounds with me as your brother puts the finishing touches on the evening meal."
Walking side by side with her father always mad the pegasi feel tiny. Father Feather was a giant even among the northern griffon tribes, which was already the biggest clan in the land. Built like granite forged like steel was one of the ways he had often been referred to by others before they had settled down in this lost land. Easily three times the size of a pony and with a wing span that matched a drakes more than any great bird he was not a being many would argue with.
Together they had covered half of the grounds before the Father opened his beak to talk again. "Three years. It's been three years since we first started calling this place home. Do you remember that day my daughter?"
The sister stared down the path lead towards the abbey. "How can I forget father. We had just successfully escaped another event without being over whelmed. Honestly it was like being on the front lines of a battlefield every single day back then. We couldn't even go for a quick fly in the sky without being chased down."
"Wah ha ha ha," Boomed the griffon in a merry laughter. "Indeed those were some crazy times we shared as a family. I remember when both you and your sister had to hide in the sewers for two days straight to escape once. But those days are now behind us and this is the life that we chose... Do you regret not leaving with your sister?"
Not taking her eyes off the path before her the Sister began to scowl. "Why would I ever wish to go with that giant wind bag! First time she has to take responsibility for something in her life and she runs from it with her tail tucked between her legs. She even had the gall to turn on us and, and ..." Through her anger and frustration the sister can't get the words out of her mouth.
The Sister felt a push from her father's giant wings. "Don't blame your sister for what transpired that day. It was partially my failure as a father to her to install the notion of responsibility into that overly thick skull of hers. However you on the other hand learned firstclaw the joys and sorrow of leading a responsible life, something that I also failed to teach you about back in the old days."
It wasn't often that Feather gave out compliments to others. So the ones that he did gave out were both surprising and meaningful. Which caught the sister off guard as she began to feel flustered for the second time that day.
"Ever since that day you made that choice to stay with your brother and old bird of yours I've seen how this place has been changing you for the better. I only wish that this place was in better condition for you to raise such a boisterous family my daughter. It fills me up with such joy knowing that despite how you use to act that your heart wasn't made of stone, but was rather frozen solid by the harshness of our old life. Though I am surprised it took three years for it to finally warm up. I've accepted the fact that it would happen eventually, just never expected it to be tonight."
Gazing up at the ash laden sky the Sister realized the importance of what was being said. "Today was the day wasn't it? Both you and Rift have been such a kind family to an orphan pegasi like me. I only wish I could have met her and gotten to know her."
Spreading a wing over his daughter Feather joined her in watching the shifting ash in the sky. "I'm sure my wife would've loved to have met our lovely daughter as well."
Back further south in lands that had never seen or felt the fangs of drought, plague or desolation in years the golden orb of the sun was breaking over the grey horizon. Tiredly two ponies trudged through the cool hours of the morning. Twily and Shinning had been chased through most of the night by the angry mob from the village. Only to finally lose them sometime a few hours before dawn. Despite their bodies constant nagging for sleep the two carried on walking down the worn path.
"By the Sun's Beard," sighed Twilight, "For villagers who couldn't drive off a simple group of bandits and survived a raging dragon attack they sure had a lot of energy to hunt us down!"
"Oh come on Twily it wasn't that bad, at least we escaped." Called Shinning as he slowed down his pace to match his companions.
The stallion instantly regretted interrupting the mares rant as she grabbed him be the collar and glared into his very soul.
"Not bad? NOT BAD! I did all that work and got absolutely nothing out of it! Even a blockhead like you should know that bandit removal has at least a small bounty reward and let's not forget about the bloody dragon! There I was saving them from a vicious band of bandits and a rampaging dragon, but did they thank me? No. Do they pay me? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Instead they try to kill me!"
Shinning felt like he was going to hurl as his sister in law began to violently shake him as her rage over the event resurfaced. "Well... When... You... Put... It... That...Way... It... Was...Bad..."
Letting go of the stallion Twily continued on her way, "Well as long as you understand how this makes me feel I suppose I can let you off with just this."
Rubbing his neck to relieve the afflicted whiplash knight couldn't help but muttering under his breath, "No wonder your sister said you'd be a spinster, only a troll could take this type of abuse."
"What was that?" Hissed Twilight venomously.
Shinning instantly wished that he had just kept that thought in his head as his sister in law began to give off the aura of a gorgon ready to strike. "Uh um, I think that we're near a village and we can get some food there."
The mare turned away from the stallion and let out a mighty sigh. What in the world was her sister thinking getting married to such a simple minded buffoon. Surely there had to be some other pony that she could've chosen for a husband? But now she was stuck with this lump of coal and lead for a relative. A smirk crossed the mares face, you can chose your friends but not your family huh. Guess that old pony saying was coming true, no it was not true it was now haunting her.
"Now where's this exorcist- I mean town?"
It was midmorning by the ponies reached the town. The cool night was a thing of the past as the blue sky above seemed to be melting underneath the scorching summer sun. Having run all night without food or water the two companions were beginning to have trouble keeping one hoof in front of the other. Twilight felt he legs buckle underneath her like a pudding cup taken out of its mold. She felt every inch of her garment stick to her with the soggy sensation of sweat which ran unchecked down her face. Behind her she could hear the heavy panting of Shinning who was having a harder time moving with all his armor on.
The town itself was mediocre at best. A couple of fields to grow crops scattered around the outskirts with sporadic houses here and there. The center plaza of the town was dedicated to commercial business. In her long travels throughout the kingdoms Twilight had seen houses and even bandit dens bigger than the entire town, field included. However after a rough all night march in country any sign of civilization was more than welcomed.
Once the duo reached the center of town Twilight began to veer her path towards a small shack on the outside of the plaza. Compared to the other shops that hosted signs and billboards advertising food, bed, and other luxuries Shinning thought it was an odd choice for a first stop.
"Hey Twilight, food and stuff is that way!" Called Shinning swinging a limp hoof in the direction of an inn.
Twilight didn't even turn around, she wasn't sure she had the energy to do so. "Shinning, if we want food then we need to have money first to pay for it."
"But I can see large treasure bags through your cloak clear as day so we do have money?"
"Oh? So you do have something that resembles a brain in that skull of yours." Remarked Twilight opening the door to the shop. "Indeed
this is treasure, but it can't be used to buy anything. Well not just yet I have to trade it in first. You should stay out here, these types of shops don't like customers who have no prior experience. I'll be back in a second with some money."
"What does that mean that this place is a bro..."
"Finish that word and I'll eradicate you down to your very SOUL!" Blared Twilight from the front of the store. "For starters how did you even get that from what I just said? You know what I don't want to know!"
True to her word Twilight was back out within seconds of entering the store, but the panicked expression on her face told Shinning that this wasn't the way she planned on leaving. Without even a second thought the cowering mare fled behind her brother in law to hide. From within the shop the stallion could hear the crashing of shelves and the shattering of pottery. A shrill shriek rent the air as a pony with blood shot eyes leaped out of the doorway brandishing a crimson dagger.
"Come on out me pretty?" cooed the crazed stallion, "we're not done being together yet. I have so much more I want to do with you!"
Turning his head to Twilight, Shining couldn't help, but ask again. "Are you sure that this wasn't a broth..."
He stopped short as he felt an unusual heat begin to gather at his back. "Tell me brother what do you think would happen if I hit a pony with a fire ball at point blank range? Now enough with your dumb questions and fix this problem already!"
Trying to put the fact that he was between a rock and a hard place aside Shinning began to advance towards the crazed pony.
"I don't know who you are, nor do I really care. You threatened my family and that's more than enough for me to act, no other motivation is EVER needed. However due to rules of the colt code I'm sorry for what I'm about to do to you." *Ahem* Shinning clears his throat and cups a hoof to his mouth. "WAY TO GO BRO THAT'S THE SPIRIT! LET'S SKIP TOWN ANS GET WASTED! WHO KNOWS YOU MIGHT EVER GET TOGETHER WITH THAT CHERRY SONG THIS TIME!
Twilight was about to question why he was yelling instead of using his sword to deal swiftly with the insane shop keeper when a low growl caused the ground to rumble. She looked on in shock as the color from the stallions coat completely vanished from existence. Not even the royal barbers could bleach something to such a ghostly white. They once red eyes filled to the brim with anger and madness now looked like a terrified college student who hadn't studied for their exit exam at all. Still red, but this time bloodshot with absolute terror. Another growl emanated from the store shaking the earth beneath her all the much more. Whatever was making the happen was getting closer.
Quickly turning on his hind hooves Shinning began a mad dash towards Twilight, whom he simply scooped up and continued running in the opposite direction. For a pony who had fought bandits, a dragon, and ran throughout the night Shinning was putting on a tremendous amount of speed. Twilight assumed that whatever was coming out of the shop after them was something that she didn't want to fight.
A third and final growl rent the air as a lone figure exited the doorway of the tiny shop. If not for the fear of biting her own tongue off Twilight's jaw would've hit the ground. For it what exited the shop was a beautiful mare who probably had no rival within twenty miles. However what startled her the most was what happened when the mare touched the shop keeper. Even from her growing distance from the event Twilight could tell that it was just a slight tap. But that tap completely shattered the cursed dagger which had caused the shop keeper to go berserk. On top of that all strength that the out of control stallion had before deserted him as he fell flat on the ground motionless. Just what type of demon was that?
Back at the abbey the paleness of morning had arrived. Due to the dense blankets of ash in the sky the sunlight had not been seen in many years. Day and night were told apart by how far away one could see their own hoof or claw in front of their face.
Without the aid of song birds to wake them in the morning the family of the abbey had to use their own internal clocks to tell them when it was time to get up. Both the hour, day, and season were mostly guess work for them because of this. Though in a world were the only season is ash it made very little difference if they were off by a little bit.
The morning chores of cleaning the interior of the abbey of any ash that had come in during the night was tackled by the children. Who often turned it into a game that foals in other lands would call a snowball fight so it always took longer than needed to finish, but it was always more fun that way. Brother Rift was the one in charge of cooking the meals for the abbey. Since any source of food was scarce there was little room to let somepony train in the culinary arts and waste precious food. He had originally gotten the job because he could tell the difference between sugar and salt. The Sister was charged with gathering supplies from the ruins of the kingdom. Her smaller frame and pegasi speed allowed her to go places that her larger family members couldn't. Father Feather was tasked with the impossible job of keeping the building from falling apart which without a source of lumber was a tough nut to crack and teaching lessons three times to the children.
This is how the daily life at the abbey had gone on for years, however something was off today. The Sister felt it in her bones before she departed for the hostile wasteland to look for supplies. The abbey was to quiet for this hour of day. She pushed the thought aside thinking that everyone must have been just tired from the party they had last night to celebrate them coming together as a family.
As the mare flew off through the ash laden skies high above the gnarled forests of boney wood she missed another traveler in the world of grey below her. A traveler who was traveling on a parallel path to hers towards the ruined abbey. Compared to the stark background of grey and white the traveler's red cloak stood out like a drop of blood on a perfect marble floor. Unlike the other inhabitants of this land this new traveler carried an air of importance and self worth about them. Every step was slow, graceful, and calculated with the chimes of bells echoing with every hoof fall. The silent forest grew even more so as the figure entered it. If one listened to hard in between the bell chimes the whispers of the void could be heard, whispers that shatter the wills of mortals.
Wait the chapters over already? But I got so little screen time! I thought that this was a story about me, Twily Sparkle. Not some nun. Oh well I'm still getting paid for this call me again in four years when the next chapter comes out.