//------------------------------// // Birthday Bash // Story: Secrets of the Princesses’ Gems // by KidatHeart5 //------------------------------// Knock-knock-knock             The sound of a hoof knocking against the guest bedroom door brought Flurry out of her deep slumber. Slowly she opened her eyes and lifted her heavy head from her pillow. A soft groan left her lips as she sat upright on her bed. As her senses adjusted to being awake, the gentle knocking was heard again.             A stallion’s voice singsonged cheerfully on the other side of the door, “Kiddo! Guess what day it is?”             Flurry rubbed her eyes as she responded with a small smile, “I know what day it is, Dad.”             Her father replied happily, “Then come on out! There’s a surprise for you downstairs!”             She chuckled as her hooves touched the floor, “I’m coming, I’m coming.” She opened the door and saw her beaming father standing in the hallway.             He held out his hoof and offered, “May I escort the young princess on her special birthday?”             She took his hoof and nodded, “You may.”             Father and daughter trotted down the halls and stairs of the Castle of Friendship until they reached the doors of the dining hall.             Shining Armor stood in front of Flurry Heart as he said, “One…two…three!”             Just as he used his magic to open the doors, a crowd of ponies inside the room shouted, “Surprise! Happy birthday, Flurry Heart!”             Flurry’s eyes widened with surprise and joy. Her Aunt Twilight was there, the five members of her Friendship Council were there, Cheese Sandwich and Soarin’ were there, the Cake twins and their parents were there, Rainbow Dash’s triplets and Pinkie Pie’s five children were there, and even the royal sisters were there! She then breathed in wonder, “You all came for me?”             Rainbow Dash said with a smile, “Of course! How could we miss your 16th birthday for anything?”             Princess Celestia nodded, “It’s a miracle we didn’t have any other plans today.”             Princess Luna agreed, “Yes, we don’t get many days off anymore. Or nights, for that matter.”             Twilight Sparkle said with a trace of playfulness in her tone, “I may have helped clear up your schedule for Flurry’s birthday.”             Pinkie Pie piped up, “Especially if it’s her Sweet Sixteen!”             Cheese Sandwich wrapped his arm around his wife as he smiled, “Why else would Auntie Twilight enlist the best party couple in Equestria for her niece’s birthday bash?!”             Rainbow and Soarin’s triplet colts – Firebolt, Lightspeed, and Roundhouse – stomped their hooves as they chanted out of fun, “Birthday bash! Birthday bash! Birthday bash!”             Pinkie and Cheese’s five children – Whoopie Pie, Rock Candy, PBJ Sandwich, Chalk, and Orange Sherbet – joined in with Flurry Heart, “Birthday bash! Birthday bash! Birthday bash! Birthday bash!”             The party couple said in unison, “Then let the festivities begin!”             The children cheered at that.             All morning, the children played games as the adults chatted with one another and Flurry talked with her oldest friends, Pound and Pumpkin Cake.             Pumpkin asked in concern, “Don’t you think you’re getting too old to stomp your hooves like that?”             Pound put a hoof to his chest and said proudly, “Hey, I taught her everything she knows about having good old fun.”             Flurry reassured Pumpkin, “Yeah, don’t worry, Pumpkin. I’m not going to do it while I’m on princess duties. It’s just for my friends, family, and me.”             The unicorn said, “Look, all I’m trying to say is that you’re 16 now, so you shouldn’t be doing kids’ stuff anymore.”             “So? The Wonder Colts and the Piewich kids are still young, so it’s like I’m reliving my childhood with them. Having fun is the only way I can unwind from my royal duties.”             Pumpkin shrugged, “If you say so.”             When the celebration continued into the afternoon, Celestia walked up to Flurry and whispered with a gentle smile, “Your father, aunts, and I would like to give you a special present in the library.”             As Flurry walked with her regal aunt down the hall, she asked in confusion, “Why can’t you give me my present with the others?”             Celestia responded, “As I said, this is a special kind of gift that should just remain among the five of us.”             When Flurry and the tall alicorn entered the library, her father and two other aunts were standing beside the table.             The young princess asked as Celestia gently shut the doors behind them, “What’s going on?”             Shining Armor put his hoof on his daughter’s shoulder as he explained, “We want to give you something that belonged to your mother. We think that this is the right time to give it to you.”             “Give me what?”             Luna levitated a wooden box towards Flurry and used her magic to open the lid. Flurry gazed in wonder at the gold necklace with a blue heart-shaped crystal in its center. To her, the gem was like a miniature version of the Crystal Heart.             The dark blue alicorn explained, “This is the Heartstone, one of four Enchanted Gems my sister, your aunt, and I wield in times of danger. Your mother possessed the Heartstone because it called to her. Now, it calls to you.”             Flurry used her magic to levitate the Heartstone close to her face so she could examine it. “My mother wore this?”             Twilight nodded, “She did. Remember this, Flurry: protecting the Heartstone and wielding its power wisely will be your greatest responsibility. Use it only when you absolutely need to.”             Flurry was too stunned to even fidget. She felt like the weight of the entire world now rested on her shoulders. She had so many questions bouncing around in her head, but only one flew out of her mouth.             “How do I know when I need to?”             Celestia put her hoof on the young one’s shoulder and reassured her, “You’ll know. Until then, we’ll teach you how to use the Heartstone’s many powers.”             “So what are your gems like?”             The white alicorn chuckled, “I don’t think that’s important right now. We still have your birthday to celebrate. Let’s return to the party.”             Flurry wore her Heartstone around her neck like it was the most precious thing in the world. This was a piece of her mother’s legacy, and she was determined to keep it with her at all times. When her friends and aunt’s friends asked her about it, Flurry merely stated that it was a necklace her mother had worn and just kept it at that. She didn’t tell anyone about the incredible power the crystal was said to have and how her mother used it to protect her kingdom and all of Equestria. It was going to be her secret and hers alone. Well, hers and her aunts’ and dad’s.             As Luna raised the moon to make way for the night, Flurry’s friends and their parents said their farewells and returned to their homes. Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack – the only three career ponies besides Flurry’s aunts – also went back to their houses. The royal sisters were gracious enough to stay at the Castle of Friendship for one night before they had to return to Canterlot.             When Shining Armor stood beside his only daughter in bed, he asked, “Was this a good birthday for you?”             Flurry answered, “It was better than good. It was wonderful! All my friends visited me, my aunts visited me, and now,” she fingered the Heartstone around her neck, “I have a piece of my mom with me.”             Shining Armor chuckled softly, “Flurry, she’s always been with you.”             She recited almost monotonously, “I know: in my heart.”             Her father said playfully, “That, and…” He ruffled her mane, “Here…” She giggled as he touched her wings and horn as he listed, “Here…here…” He then pretended to ponder, “Now, let me see. There’s one more thing. Ah! Here!” When he booped her softly-pointed muzzle, she chuckled.             He then continued, “Look, I know it’s tough without having your mom here, but I know she’ll come back someday.”             Flurry asked, “How do you know?”             “Because I have complete faith that your mother will come home. I love her so much and know her so much that I refuse to not believe it.”             Flurry knew that what she was about to ask would bring up a sensitive topic, but she dared to ask, “Dad? Do you remember the last time you saw her?”             Shining Armor took a deep breath and sighed, “Your mom had a mission to complete. I could see that she really didn’t want to go and I knew why. She knew it would be the last time we would see each other for a long time. She was afraid it would be forever. She held you for as long as she could before she had to leave. She gave us both good-bye kisses and then left for the Frozen North.”             “The Frozen North? Why would she go there?”             “She wouldn’t say. Just that she had to go there. I think it was something personal for her because she didn’t take the Heartstone with her.”             “What did you do when she was gone for too long?”             “I sent out search parties and even led a few of my own…” His head then lowered as he continued, “…but we didn’t find her or any trace of her packs. I was scared when your mom didn’t come home, but I knew I had to stay strong for you, so I began praying every day that she would come home and hold you in her arms again. I’ve been holding onto that hope every day for many years, and I’m not about to give up.”             Although Flurry found it difficult to believe that her mother would come home, she hesitantly let her father’s steadfast hope into her heart and asked, “You think she will come back?”             Shining Armor touched his daughter’s hoof and nodded, “I know so.” He kissed his daughter’s forehead before he levitated the Heartstone from Flurry’s neck and put it on the nightstand beside her bed. He said as he did so, “Why don’t we leave this off for the night so you don’t leave marks on your neck?”             Flurry said as she laid her head on the pillow, “Okay, Dad.”             Shining Armor went to the door and smiled, “Good-night, sweetheart.”             “Good-night.”             As soon as her father closed the door, Flurry Heart used her magic to fasten the Heartstone to her neck again and dozed off smiling.            Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock!            The next morning, Flurry woke up to the rapid succession of knocks against the door. This was a stark contrast from the gentle taps her father had rapped the morning before. Flurry knew that this many knocks so quickly meant that there was trouble. She went to the door and opened it to see her Aunt Twilight with a worried look on her face.             Before Flurry could say anything, Twilight quickly spoke, “We need to go to Canterlot right now!”