//------------------------------//
// Meadowbloom 
// Story: The First Reaper 
// by SquiggelSquirrel 
//------------------------------//

Eternus patrolled the world, watchful for agents of chaos who would seek to disturb his order, when on this evening, a sound caught his ears. He followed it to its source, and the more he heard, the more he wished to hear.

The sound was a song; A young mare stood in the valley, gathering wildflowers. The Prince saw her, and wished to approach. He took the form of a young unicorn, so as to not startle her, and crossed the field to ask her name.

Her name, she said, was Meadowbloom. The Prince wished to hear more of her voice, to see more of her face, to know more of her…

("Really Miss Plates?"
“Oh c'mon, Boss. You're telling me her face was all he was interested in?”)

In any case, the two talked at some length, and agreed to meet again the next evening.

One night after another, they walked alone together…

(“Sure, 'walked'.”)

…and the with each night, the Prince grew more certain that he loved her. After only a week, he asked for her hoof in marriage.

He revealed his true identity. He offered her wealth beyond anypony else's. For her, he would be a king, and she his queen. She would have servants, power, everything she could want for, and above all, that which no other being in the world could offer, that nopony else possessed. If she would but be his, he would grant her youth eternal, forever strong, healthy, and beautiful, by his side. For her, and her alone, he would cast aside his duties, and First's law. For her, he would do anything.

She refused.

He begged, pleaded.

She laughed, and turned away.

He gripped her shoulder, stopping her from leaving.

She turned in alarm, and struck him. Just once — a single blow struck by relex.

The prince's heart was weak; Never had he known desire such as this. Never had he been denied. Never had he felt such pain.

Some say a chaos spirit took advantage of the momentary weakness in his heart, corrupting his mind against him. Myself, I suspect that the failing was all his own. His pride, his arrogance, his anger.

He struck her, in return. A single blow, struck in anger.

Yet in that moment, he cast aside all that he was. He forgot his dignity, his morality, his feelings for her. Consumed by rage, he forgot completely himself, and his duty.

(“Ugh. Really, Boss? She's the one just had this creep smack her, shouldn't you talk about her feelings a bit more?”
“Miss Plates…”)

…in that moment, he forgot everything. All that had been entrusted to him. Duty, power, the might of an alicorn. He forgot his own strength, and the terrible frailty of the very lives that he had been entrusted with.

(“You mean…”)

He struck her a single blow, in anger. With that blow, he clean broke her neck, stealing the life from her young body, before it hit the ground.