The Autumn air blew through the trees that surrounded the small town, bringing with it the scents of the season. Sunlight shone through the brightly colored canopies, bathing the area in a golden glow that lit the forest surrounding the town on fire with its brilliance. The rushing sounds of a large waterfall rumbled out through the area, almost drowning out the lighter cacophony of the busy town of Neighagara Falls. It vibrated through the very being of those too close to the waterfall to ignore its overwhelming noise. Mist rose up from the impact, obscuring the far side of the river from view and making it difficult to notice anypony nearby.
At the base of the waterfall could be seen a brown earth pony staring down into the water. Green eyes watching the water flow past with the odd fish as a minor change in scenery, a small contented sigh escaping her lips. As the puff of steam that escaped her muzzle dispersed into the chilled air, fading with the exhale that produced it, the earth pony could swear she heard a voice calling out to her over the rumble of the waterfall. Gazing up and back towards the town she saw another brown pony, this one a bit older than her, maternally loving smile upon the others ever so slightly wrinkled face. Wide brimmed hat and apron with a spade in pocket would easily mark her trade, even if one did not glance down to her flank which bore upon it a bouquet of roses for a cutie mark.
"Honestly, Misty, do I need to start borrowing Mayor Polls megaphone? You gotta start paying more attention," the mare said, concerned eyes surveying over the younger mares face, studying it in careful detail. The mare sighed before continuing to speak, "we got another letter from your brother today. He's doing wonderfully as the newest diplomat for Equestria. Honestly dear, I have to ask again, when are you going to go out and make something of your li-don't roll your eyes at me young lady!" she insisted irately, hoof coming down to the hardened ground with a firm clop to emphasize the final word.
Misty Water finished rolling her eyes and shook her head. "I get it mom, I get it. I need to start working on a career instead of a job!" Misty called back over the sound of the waterfall, gaze shifting back towards her flank, an unhappy look spreading across her face. "Problem is I don't know what I want to do with my life unlike you!" Misty stomped her hoof in frustration, tears starting to well up in her eyes a bit as the uncomfortable reality of the situation once again fell on her withers. Misty then felt a pair of forelegs wrap around her as the tears began to run down her cheeks.
Misty Waters mother Flower Bed gently stroked her mane. "Oh dear, I'm sorry Misty, I didn't mean it like that" she whispered comfortingly into the younger mares ear as she held her tight and close. "I know that it's been hard for you, I'm just worried is all" she said to her daughter.
After a few moments Misty pulled back, letting out a more despondent sigh. "I know, and it's not really anyponys fault that it's like this, I'm just scared I'll always be like this" the younger mare confessed. Mistys gaze was directed downward for a brief moment before she looked up once more. "So, Gentle Hooves is doing okay? I hear the Yaks can be...difficult" the younger mare said, rubbing her foreleg hesitantly. Even in their neck of the woods they'd heard about the trashing of Princess Twilights castle and the diplomatic debacle that was the Yaks visit.
Flower Bed gave a gentle chuckle and tousled Mistys hair "why don't you see for yourself? I left his letter on your bedside table so you could read it," she suggested, closing her eyes for a brief moment as she remembered the contents of the letter. "So, Misty, have you given any thought as t-Misty?!" as the older mare opened her eyes she noticed that Misty had apparently disappeared. When she looked back towards the town she saw her daughter rushing off, likely to read the letter. Flower Bed just gave a small chuckle and started to trot back to town herself at a gentler pace.
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Over in Ponyville, worlds away and in the dead of night, a party was being held.
It was clearly not a party of the pink party ponies planning, yet it was a party all the same. Town Hall was decorated rather well, with a banner overhead bidding a fond retirement to a pony known as 'Illusive Arcana.' Balloons and music filled the air as several unicorns either danced, or partook in food. Others chatted idly as a wizened, plum colored unicorn with a long flowing beard looked on, a saddened smile on his face.
A gray bespectacled unicorn with light brown hair reached out and touched his foreleg with concern. "Master Arcana, are you sure this is how you wish to select your replacement?" she whispered, her slow and methodical speaking patterns drawing out each syllable with almost mathematical perfection. "We do not know if this spell is even safe without even mentioning the ahem ethical concerns" she added, fidgeting a bit as she heard him chuckle.
Illusive turned his head slowly to face her, an unconcerned look on his face. "Now, now, there's no need to fret young Silver Cog. I know how you can be about testing before putting spells into practice, but one must follow their heart as well as their head in magic" the elderly unicorn advised, stroking his beard in an attempt to appear sagely.
The look Silver Cog gave to Illusive spoke entire volumes as she silently pointed her hoof towards a red unicorn standing on one fore hoof and juggling cups with her hind hooves to the chanting of others.
The older unicorn just gave a hearty chuckle in response, downing the last of his punch as he watched the spectacle. "Truly our Flaressence is a passionate one indeed!" he exclaimed ecstatically, applauding the unicorns act. Once he'd finished admiring the other unicorn however, his face turned serious and redirected his gaze towards Silver Cog. "It's true" he said, letting out a sigh "one of my regrets will most definitely be not helping her to better follow her mind, nor you your heart. Neither extreme is as palatable as a truly balanced combination," the elder explained as the clock struck twelve.
The music ceased as the final chime echoed out, drawing every set of eyes to the elderly unicorn who had stood up to address the crowd. "My fellow ponies of the Ponyville Magical Research Guild, it is my great honor to address you all this evening," Illusive started out, clearing his throat to continue on, despite the worried look that Silver Cog was giving him. "As you all know I have served my last day as the guilds master and must now select my replacement," his gaze traced over the crowd as he spoke, taking in each face whether they looked worried, saddened, or even hopeful that they would be chosen. "For this task I have devised a magical spell that will select for us the best possible candidate from across the multiverse. I trust that you will all respect my decision and welcome the new guild leader with open hearts" Illusive said, a serious tone entering his voice as he did.
The room was filled with concerned muttering upon the conclusion of the guild masters little speech. A green unicorn with a lyre for a cutie mark then stepped forward, a worried look in her eyes. "Master, you can't think this is a good idea!" the mare exclaimed to him.
Master Illusive sighed and shook his head, long beard swaying in pendulous rhythm. "I am sorry, my child, but it must be so. I'm afraid that I cannot choose any of you at this time. You are all wonderful ponies, but you all have much growing to do to reach your full potential" the wizened unicorn informed the crowd.
Yet another pony, this time a blue unicorn with a white mane who sported a safety pin for a cutie mark. "Bu-" was all he was able to get out before being cut off.
"I. Said. I've. Made. My. Decision" Master Illusive said through gritted teeth, his patience legendarily short when tested. His eyes flared up, radiating a sinister glow as the aged unicorn lifted up into the air, which was swirling with arcane energy. "As you will not accept me at my word, I shall be forced to demonstrate to you my successor!" the unicorn declared, horn lighting up with a radiant glow of rainbow colored energy. Runes of various colors began to form around him, swirling ever faster until Illusive was wrapped up in a cocoon of colorful magic. The cocoon then burst, sending out a shock wave of magic that scattered the decorations and nearly sent ponies flying.
When the burst finally faded and their eyes could once again adjust, the group looked up to see a portal of rainbow swirling colors, and they could hear a scream.
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Misty hummed a bit as she stepped into her bedroom, an exceptionally clean living space. Her green eyes scanned the room from her book shelves, to her Princess Cadance plushy laying upon her bed, to the autographed poster of Countess Coloratura. The brown earth pony smiled at how everything felt right. Her gaze did eventually fall on her bedside table however where there was a package and an open letter to be read. Slowly she trotted over, eager to see what her brother had written to them from his post in Yakyakistan. Sitting down on her bed, she reached over and opened the curtains to give herself some light to read by.
To my dear family:
It has been many moons since I last saw you all, I hope you're doing fantastic! Life up in Yakyakistan is cold, like really cold. I can already tell that dad's saying 'I told you so'.
Anyway, I miss you all and wanted to pass along some gifts to remember me by as I fear my post will be a long one. For Dad I've sent along a pile of books on traditional Yakistani forging techniques, we all know how much he loves learning about these kinds of things. For Mom of course are Yakistani Snowbelle seeds! I know how much you love gardening, so now you can even tend to plants in the Winter! Finally, for my baby sister I've sent a special treasure that was granted to me by Prince Rutherford himself! A supposedly magical eye patch taken as a trophy from an Equestrian battle mage a long time ago during the Pony/Yak war. It's supposed to have magic powers, but since we're earth ponies it's just a pretty patch.
Anyway, I miss you all so much, and hope to see you someday soon.
With love and regards:
Gentle Hooves
Misty felt a smile spreading on her face as she read through her brothers words. "Heh, yeah, he did tell you so, soooo many times" she giggled a bit, shocked to see a couple of drops falling onto the letter. She set it aside and lifted a hoof to her cheek, feeling a little moisture, and sighed. "I really miss you" she whispered to nopony in particular before reaching for the package.
As she held it in her hooves she could almost feel something strange, like something was being sucked out of the room. Yet the feeling was almost like background noise as she slowly opened the package, revealing that the content was indeed an eye patch with what looked like a diamond shaped emerald on the front. Hesitantly she lifted it up to her face and put it on under her white mane, visual input from her right eye disappearing as she did. Not wasting another second, she trotted on over to the bathroom to gaze into the mirror. She couldn't help but give a little giggle at the sight of herself wearing an eyepatch.
"Yarrrrr" she growled playfully before stepping back out. "It's kinda cool, but I hope I don't ever actually need it" Misty commented, the sound of metal hitting metal causing her ears to perk up. "Sounds like Dad's at the forge again, I'd better get my work apron so I can help" she said to herself, hoof hesitating as she reached for the handle to her bedroom. "I really need to stop talking to myself," she whispered under her breath before opening her door.
When she did, she saw a swirling mass of rainbow magic floating in the air. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, completely dumbfounded by the sudden change. "Gaaaahhhh..." she couldn't even speak as she suddenly felt suction on her body, as if a powerful wind was blowing her towards the portal. Without even thinking, she turned and tried to gallop away, only for the portals sucking power to increase. In one final attempt at not being pulled in to Celestia knew what, she grabbed onto the door frame and held on for dear life.
Eventually however the rainbow portal became too strong and the door frame began to crack. As it broke and sent her flying through the portal she let out a loud, desperate scream.
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