//------------------------------// // Chapter 1:23 - Where It All Began // Story: Camaraderie is Sorcery // by FireOfTheNorth //------------------------------// Chapter 1:23 – Where It All Began “Are you sure about this, Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle asked doubtfully as she stared at her and her friends’ creation, “This doesn’t seem like it should work.” Though the spring equinox was only half a month away, winter still gripped Equestria for the most part, and there was not much for the three young fillies to do. Cooped up inside during the cold months, they’d more than worn out their welcome at Sweetie’s parents’ and sister’s homes and at Apple Bloom’s house. It wasn’t so beastly cold out today, so they’d been sent out to wander the snow-covered fields of the Apple lands. It was on this journey that Scootaloo had spotted a limber, nearly branchless tree and gotten an idea for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. After swiping some supplies from the Apple homestead, they’d fashioned the tree into a makeshift catapult, or at least what they imagined a catapult was like. The tree strained against the ropes holding it down, ready to release at any second. A crude basket was fastened to the trunk, and Apple Bloom was piling stones into it for the launch. “Of course it’ll work,” Scootaloo said confidently, “We’ll launch these stones, an’ then we’ll get our cutie-marks!” “Where are we even launching them?” Sweetie Belle asked as she looked out at the snow-covered landscape, “What if we hit something?” “Then that would be awesome!” Scootaloo exclaimed, though Sweetie wasn’t so sure that the pony of whatever cottage they hit would feel the same way. “There’s nothin’ in that direction,” Apple Bloom assured her friend after dropping another stone into the basket, “Jus’ some pasture an’ a pond.” Sweetie Belle wasn’t so sure; she didn’t see any pond. The land sloped downhill, but she couldn’t see over a row of trees; she had to get higher. The tree catapult looked sturdy and secure enough, so she climbed up onto the trunk to get a better look. Indeed, Apple Bloom had told the truth, and a pond coated in ice glittered past the trees. Satisfied that their catapult would do no more harm than startling local wildlife, Sweetie Belle began to climb down in the direction of the basket. “Apple Bloom, catch!” Scootaloo yelled as she tossed the axe for cutting the restraints to the filly. “Are y’ crazy?” Apple Bloom asked with wide eyes as she jumped out of the way of the tumbling axe before it could hurt her. The blade sailed past her and sliced through a portion of the ropes keeping the tree in place. Sweetie Belle gave a scream as the rest of the restraints snapped or pulled free, the tree returned to its vertical position, and she and the stones were hurled through the air. She sailed through the air, covering her eyes and praying her life wouldn’t end here, splattered across the ground. As the ground rose up to greet her, she spotted the icy surface of the pond again. She was plummeting toward the frozen water, but the stones beat her to it, shattering a hole that she fell into. The water was freezing, but it broke her fall without killing her, and she rapidly rose back up to the surface, gasping for breath before paddling to the edge of the water. “Sweetie Belle!” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo cried out the moment their friend had gone flying and galloped after her. By the time they reached the pond, Sweetie was clinging to the intact ice, trying to pull herself out of the freezing water, but being pulled down by her soaked cloak and dress. The other two fillies helped pull her out of the water and over to the shore, where she sat shivering under Apple Bloom’s slightly drier cloak. “Well, I guess we aren’t getting our cutie-marks for being siege engineers,” Scootaloo said remorsefully. “You think?” Sweetie Belle said, shooting the pegasus a dirty look. She was mad at the moment because she’d almost died, but later she’d realize that she couldn’t fault Scootaloo too much. They all wanted their cutie-marks desperately and had tried far crazier and more dangerous things in the pursuit of them. For nearly six months now they’d been working together to get their cutie-marks with no success; how much longer could this go on? “There’s got t’ be another way t’ go ‘bout this,” Apple Bloom thought out loud, “E’rypony we know has a cutie-mark. They had t’ have gotten ‘em some’ow.” “You m-m-might be on t-t-t-to something A-a-apple B-bloom,” Sweetie Belle said, perking up, “Wh-wh-why d-d-don’t we ask them b-before t-t-trying all this s-s-stuff?” “Yeah, that’s a great plan!” Scootaloo said, her excitement also returning, “Let’s start by asking Rainbow Dash! I’m sure she has a great story of how she got her cutie-mark!” Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle rolled their eyes at Scootaloo’s obsession with the Hunter, but they couldn’t deny her argument. Rainbow Dash was pretty impressive, and if anypony in Ponieville had a great story about how she’d gotten her cutie-mark, it would be her. The story would be good, but taking her advice on how to get a cutie-mark might not be the best idea, as Apple Bloom had learned from experience on the day she’d met her best friends. “Sure, b-b-but Ponieville is p-p-pretty far,” Sweetie Belle shivered, “Could we m-m-maybe find some place t-to warm up f-f-first?” *** Granny Smith snored in her rocking chair while the Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled around the fire in the Apples’ cottage. Scootaloo was anxious to find out her idol’s life story, but they wouldn’t be going anywhere until Sweetie Belle was thawed out and her clothes were fully dry. Somepony had thrown ingredients for soup into a pot while the fillies had been out, and they helped themselves to servings of the bubbling mixture while they waited. “I see y’ found dinner; back so soon?” Applejack asked as she entered the cottage, returning from repairing fences with Big Mac, one of the few jobs they could do in the winter. “Yeah, we accidentally catapulted Sweetie Belle into a pond,” Scootaloo admitted nonchalantly. “What?” Applejack said in alarm, dropping the bowl she’d been getting for her own meal. “I’m fine,” Sweetie Belle assured the concerned mare, waving at her from underneath the blankets she was wrapped up in, “And don’t worry, we’re taking a break from that dangerous stuff. We’re going to ask ponies how they got their cutie-marks before trying anything else.” “Hey, Applejack!” Apple Bloom said, sudden realization dawning, “How’d y’ get your cutie-mark? I can’t believe y’ never told me!” “Aw, I thought we were going to ask Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo said with disappointment. “We still can,” Sweetie Belle assured her, “It’s not like she’s going anywhere. Besides Cant’r Laht in a week or so.” “Yeah, an’ we can use all th’ help we can get,” Apple Bloom added. “Okay, I guess,” Scootaloo said reluctantly, sitting down to hear the story. “Well, I’m no great storyteller, but I’ll give it m’ best effort,” Applejack said after ladling out a bowl of soup for herself and taking a seat in front of the fillies, “I was a couple years younger’n you are now, Apple Bloom. It was shortly after y’ were born, after th’ plague swept through th’ area an’ … took ma and pa. I couldn’t stay here any longer, or at least that’s what I thought at th’ time, so I left the farm an' Ponieville. I wanted t’ get as far away as I could, but th’ farthest I was able t’ go was Manehattan, where our Aunt and Uncle Orange took me in an' cared for me.” “I didn’t want t’ be ‘that filly from th’ middle o’ nowhere’ anymore. I wanted t’ be a Manehattanite, so I tried actin’ th’ part and learnin’ how t’ act among th’ gentry. Th’ Oranges helped me, but I still had some rough edges. I wanted nothin’ t’ do with Ponieville or our ways here; at least, that’s what I told myself. Then, one day, everythin’ changed …” *** Year 988 of the 4th Age Applejack was incredibly nervous as she approached the Court of Dragons with her aunt and uncle. The official seat of the King of Manehattan was the King’s Redoubt, but that keep was old, dour, and drafty. Manehattan’s current king far preferred to spend his time in the grand palace at the city’s heart, which was far less defensible but far more elaborate and suited for parties and feasts. King Wexel the Wide loved his feasts, and it was an honor to be invited to them. The Oranges were a prominent family, and they’d received that honor before. The king was quite fond of their conversation and company, and when they’d been invited to this feast to sit incredibly near their monarch, the permission they’d requested to bring their niece along was immediately accepted. Applejack had spent a week prepping, being drilled by her aunt on how to act properly in the presence of the king and the nobility. She was not going to foul this up. Two banners fluttered over the entrance to the palace’s courtyard, both incredibly similar. At the center of each of them was a shield with a two-headed dragon, the symbol of House Vasa-Elutria, the royal family. Behind the shields were fields of black and red, the royal colors. Two banners; that meant the prince was in attendance today. There was no other explanation as to why the royal house would be flying two banners, though that fact in itself was irregular, since Hadish had broken with tradition to create a banner for himself while his father was still living. King Wexel’s banner was the traditional standard of his house, the shield given full focus, with bright fields of red and single black band behind. Prince Hadish’s was different, the shield a smaller portion of the banner, and the dragon breathing fire for the first time in a hundred years. Behind it, the banner was split between a much darker red and black, their intersection patterned to look like flames dancing up in the darkness. Fitting for the prince, who’d dedicated himself body and soul to the teachings of the True Faith like no other member of his house before him. All was merry within the Court of Dragons, and Applejack began to relax a little. She had been to several social events with her aunt and uncle hosted by other wealthy ponies, and she hadn’t embarrassed herself too badly at those. She was prepared for this, or at least she thought she was until they had taken their seats. They were seated at the king’s table, Aunt and Uncle Orange directly across from the king, whose chair was enlarged to fit his ponderous form and nearly took up two places. Applejack’s seat was next to her relatives, within the king’s zone of conversation, and directly across from Prince Hadish, who was seated at his father’s side. The filly tried to keep her mouth shut, and only spoke when spoken to by the pony next to her, all the while observing her counterpart across the table. Prince Hadish looked displeased and picked at his food while watching his father with disapproval as he consumed massive quantities of fare. The king and the prince were complete opposites. The elder was a merry and gracious ruler, who may have indulged of food and drink more than he ought but was generally viewed with love. The younger was severely austere and serious, and more feared than loved, though that fear came with some grudging respect. As many times as Hadish had burned down unicorn villages, tortured mages, and demolished churches, he’d also thoroughly trounced his enemies on the field of battle in defense of the kingdom. “Congratulations on the birth of your son,” Aunt Orange said to Hadish, and the prince merely nodded and pretended to be interested in what he had to say. “Ah, yes! Nothing against my lovely granddaughters, but now you finally have an heir and a spare!” Wexel said, far less restrained, and he cuffed his son on the shoulder. “How old is your eldest, Robar, again?” Aunt Orange asked. “This summer will be his twelfth,” the prince said, realizing he would be unable to avoid conversation with these ponies. “Only a couple years older than you, Applejack,” her aunt pointed out. “Perhaps we will have to get you together,” Wexel said before downing another flagon of wine. “I would … much appreciate that, Your Majesty,” Applejack replied, drawing on the manners she’d learned. “No,” Hadish said firmly, scrunching up his nose and dampening the mood. “Forgive my son, he sometimes forgets his manners,” King Wexel said, trying to bring the mood back up, but Hadish was having none of it. “Father, I have no need for courtesy with these kinds of ponies! You dishonor our land’s nobility and the pride of our house by inviting them here! You have made your court a court of beggars! What more can I say than I have already said! What more can I do than I have already done! You ignore my counsel, but I will not go down the same path as you! Ponies will not mock me openly in the street with a cruel title, and I will not laugh it off as harmless as you do! I will not stoop so low as to socialize with the gentry and call it high society, and I will not allow my children to do so either! I do not know if drink or foolishness has addled your mind, but this one,” the prince ranted, and pointed to Applejack, “Is clearly from the region around Ponieville! Her accent is a dead giveaway! Would you let a pauper from the lands of the Witch of the Mountain sit across from you at court and do nothing about it! Or has she spread the witch’s curse and bewitched you as well! I’ll have no more of this!” Without giving his father and monarch a chance to respond, Hadish stormed off, leaving the feast hall silent. The festivities soon resumed, but more subdued than before. Applejack was shaken. She hadn’t done anything wrong, other than coming here from Ponieville. Will I ever truly fit in? Maybe coming here was a mistake, after all. *** Applejack was questioning her choice to leave her home and come to Manehattan. Things were painful at home, but at least she’d felt like she belonged. Her family was also back by Ponieville; sure, Aunt and Uncle Orange were family too, but it wasn’t the same. She missed Big McIntosh and Granny Smith and baby Apple Bloom who had barely even started life. She missed the fields and the orchards she’d grown up in. She missed everything she’d left behind without a second thought, but to turn back now … if only there was a clear sign of what she should do. While she was out walking through the Oranges’ vineyards, she hadn’t been praying for a sign, at least not out loud, but one came anyway. Out of the west, beyond the distant mountains that were no more than a smudge on the horizon, came a flash of light. A streak in all the colors of the rainbow shot over her from the flash, hanging in the air for just a moment as a path that led back to Ponieville. The young filly knew what she had to do. *** Year 1000 of the 4th Age “I packed m’ things without delay an’ made m’ way back t’ Ponieville,” Applejack concluded her story, “I was so happy t’ be back, an’ before I even went back t’ work on th’ farm, I got m’ cutie-mark: three apples, like th’ family I’d left behind.” “Aw, come on, Applejack,” Apple Bloom said as her elder sister embraced her and she tried to pull away. “That was a great story,” Sweetie Belle said. “It was okay, I guess,” Scootaloo admitted, “Now that you’re all warmed up, let’s go. We’ve still got to find Rainbow Dash and hear her story!” As Big Mac came in for his food, Applejack departed to get back to work, and Granny Smith continued to snooze in her rocking chair. Sweetie Belle pulled on her dry clothes and cloak, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders set off once more on their quest. Over the snowy hills they trotted, only stopping once for a snow fight, and made their way toward Ponieville. That was the most likely place to find the Hunter if she wasn’t off killing monsters somewhere. They were nearly halfway to the town when a familiar druidess emerged from the woods they were traversing. “Oh, hello little ones,” Fluttershy said, “What are you doing out here?” “We’re lookin’ for Rainbow Dash,” Apple Bloom said, “Have y’ seen her ‘round?” “I don’t think she took on any jobs today. You could try in town,” Fluttershy said thoughtfully, before wondering what mischief these fillies might be planning to get into this time, “Why are you looking for Rainbow Dash?” “To hear the awesome story of how she got her cutie-mark!” Scootaloo said enthusiastically. “Oh, okay then,” Fluttershy said, relieved that they weren’t planning on messing around with her weapons, “That should be interesting to hear. Did you know that Rainbow Dash is the reason I got my cutie-mark?” “No way!” Scootaloo said, “How’d it happen?” “I thought you really wanted to hear from Rainbow Dash and nopony else?” Sweetie Belle said snarkily. “This is about Rainbow Dash. We can wait a little longer,” Scootaloo waved her off, “Besides, we listened to Applejack’s story instead of leaving.” “Well, it was several years ago, back when Rainbow Dash and I were both training to be Hunters in Cloudsdale,” Fluttershy began her story, “I was terrified of fighting and flying, not a good combination for a pegasus preparing to become a monster slayer …” *** Year 988 of the 4th Age Fluttershy trembled as she held her practice sword in her mouth, facing down the other trainee. The pegasus colt seemed to have no interest in approaching her, and the other members of the Order of the Sparrow around the circle were shouting for the fight to begin. With a whimper, Fluttershy cantered toward her opponent and prepared to strike his legs. Before she reached him, the colt spread his wings and jumped over her. With a twist of his body, he struck her sword with his own and sent it flying from her mouth. Fluttershy came to a halt, and he kicked her in the back with his hindlegs, dropping her to the ground. The crowd quieted down; it had been a predictable result. “Pathetic,” Fluttershy’s opponent said as he circled the cowering filly, “Were you even trying to attack? If you can’t even strike another pony, how do you expect to fight vampires and werewolves?” “Luther is right,” another colt called out to Fluttershy from the crowd, “You should just give up on being a Hunter.” Fluttershy sobbed into the ground. Would that she could, but this hadn’t been her choice. She’d rather be anywhere else than the Order of the Sparrow, where she was constantly a failure, but she couldn’t leave. “You oughta be landbound,” another voice called out, “Not like you can fly anyway. How do expect to fight monsters if you can’t even fly? Some pegasus.” Of course, it was always these three. Out of all the Hunters-in-training here, none were more devoted to making her life a living hell than this trio of colts. Hubert, Duvas, and Luther were always mocking her, making her feel miserable, trouncing her in combat or agility. She just wanted it all to stop. “Come on, get up so we can go at it again,” Luther said, prodding Fluttershy in the back, “Come on, before the instructors think we aren’t practicing and come over here!” Fluttershy refused to get up, and Luther began walloping her with his practice sword. Still, she was too frightened to budge, even as his strikes left bruises through the training armor. Eventually, pain did win out, and she started inching toward her fallen sword while the other trainee continued to rain down blows. She had nearly reached her weapon when Luther kicked it away and proceeded to strike her more. “Come on! Retrieve your weapon!” he taunted as he let up momentarily. There was a commotion in the crowd, and a rainbow-maned pegasus appeared, forcing her way through. “Leave her alone!” Rainbow Dash demanded as she strode toward Luther and Fluttershy. “What are you gonna do about it?” Luther inquired, letting up on Fluttershy in order to speak, but quickly picked his sword back up when she drew her own. “I wouldn’t try it if I were you,” Duvas warned Rainbow Dash, “You may think you’re a great warrior, but you’re nothing special. All you do is flail around; Luther’ll trounce you good!” “I’d like to see him try,” Rainbow Dash said, lowering her sword. The problem with weapons you had to hold in your mouth was that you couldn’t trash talk your opponent and hold them at the same time. “Ooh, the white knight rushes to the aid of the damsel in distress!” Hubert said mockingly. “Shut up, Huey,” Rainbow Dash said, “I challenge you to a duel, Luther, until one of us yields.” “Fine with me,” the colt replied cockily, “We can go whenever you want, but you might want to take a year or two to train. Don’t worry, I’ll wait.” “I was thinking more like now!” Rainbow Dash said, charging him with her sword. Dull-edged steel clashed as the two young pegasi danced around each other trying to get a blow in. In the time since she and Fluttershy had arrived at Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash had learned how to do more than just hover, and she took advantage of her wings as she moved around her opponent. Luther was also a talented flier, however, and soon the duel was going on in the air, climbing over the walls of Castle Brink. The other trainees rushed after them, and Fluttershy followed once the stampede of hooves had passed her. This fight was about her, after all, even if she didn’t want to watch. The duel continued out past the edge of Cloudsdale, and the other pegasi took off, but Fluttershy stayed on the ring of clouds around the castle. The duel was getting farther and farther away, and Fluttershy was leaning out over the edge to see, when the cloud beneath her hooves pulled free. Panicked, she flapped her wings frantically, keeping herself up long enough to grab hold of the piece of broken cloud, only to slide off a second later. Fluttershy plummeted toward the ground, trying to flap her wings to slow down, reorient herself, anything from ending up a messy splatter. In the midst of her flailing around, she finally learned what the Order of the Sparrow’s instructors had tried to teach her and managed to at least slow her fall. She still crashed into the treetops and fell to the ground in a daze. When she looked up, she was in a forest clearing, though she was not yet aware that the forest she was in was the Everfree. Cloudsdale was high above her, drifting only slightly on the air currents. The forest, though it had at first seemed silent, quickly came to life. Fluttershy remained completely still as birds returned to the perches they’d been disturbed from by the falling Hunter-in-training. Hares entered the clearing, hopping around. Wild creatures began to return to the area, unaware that the young pegasus was still there. Fluttershy was drawn in by the vast number and variety of creatures. She’d grown up in the Hill Kingdoms, where there wasn’t much life other than the ponies who lived there. She’d traveled to Cloudsdale in the winter, when wildlife had also been scarce, and the floating cloud city was likewise devoid of life other than ponies. It was her first time seeing this, and she loved it. She rose slowly, so as not to disturb the creatures, but her efforts were in vain. A resounding boom came from somewhere nearby, and a wave of multicolored light filled the sky. The local wildlife didn’t know what to make of this rainboom and fled in every direction. “No, wait, come back!” Fluttershy pled with them, and surprisingly, many of them stopped and looked at the pegasus, “Wait, can you understand me?” *** Year 1000 of the 4th Age “I realized that I could communicate with the animals in a way nopony else could. That’s when I realized that my calling was to tend to the wild creatures, and I got my cutie-mark,” Fluttershy concluded her story. “That’s it?” Scootaloo asked, before Sweetie Belle shot her a look, “I mean, did you find out what happened to Rainbow Dash?” “Yes, she told me later, but that was also the day she got her cutie-mark, and I’m sure she’ll want to tell you the story herself,” Fluttershy said. “Thanks, Fluttershy,” Apple Bloom said as the Cutie Mark Crusaders resumed their journey to Ponieville, Scootaloo leading the way, and the druidess waved at them as they left. *** “Why are you so desperate to find Rainbow Dash anyway?” Rarity asked, fearing, like Fluttershy, that the young fillies were planning something involving swords and bombs. Rainbow Dash hadn’t been in her usual practice spot when the Cutie Mark Crusaders reached Ponieville, so they’d had to search the town for her. Before they began scouring every shop, tavern, and alleyway, Sweetie Belle suggested that they ask her elder sister. Rainbow Dash had brought the blacksmith a sword to repair, and she had to come back for it sometime. Unfortunately, the Hunter had already picked up her sword today and hadn’t clued Rarity in on her plans for the rest of the day. “We want to hear the story of how she got her cutie-mark,” Sweetie Belle said as the fillies prepared to leave. “Well, that sounds interesting,” Rarity said with a smile. And a lot safer than the other ‘crusading’ you’ve been doing. “Yeah, we’ve already heard Applejack’s and Fluttershy’s stories, too,” Sweetie Belle said, ignoring Scootaloo’s urging for them to get going. “Oh, well, I suppose if you have the time, I could tell you my story as well,” Rarity said. “Yes!” Sweetie Belle said gleefully, taking a seat in Rarity’s shop. “Are you sure you have time for this?” Scootaloo asked as she reluctantly took a seat as well, “We wouldn’t want to keep you from any important work.” “Nothing important on my plate other than Mayor Mare’s dress for the Grand Galloping Gala, and I’ve already finished it,” Rarity waved off Scootaloo’s concerns, “Now, let’s see. Speaking of Mayor Mare, it’s because of her that I got my cutie-mark in the first place. The mayor had helped our family in the past with getting Father’s shop set up, and our family was going to give her a gift to thank her. I too wanted to contribute, but was having difficulty …” *** Year 988 of the 4th Age Rarity stared discontentedly at the woodcut sitting on the table before her. It was nice, but Rarity was sure now that she was no artist, at least not with wood. Something like this would never be a good enough gift for Ponieville’s mayor, a pony appointed by Celestia herself. With a despairing sigh, Rarity tossed the woodcut into the fire. It felt like she would never figure out what to do. “Problems, dear?” her mother asked as she rocked newborn Sweetie Belle. “I’ll never make anything good enough for the mayor!” she said dramatically, her face pressed against the table. “Oh, don’t despair, nopony is making you do this, and I’m sure she’ll appreciate anything you give her.” Easy enough for you to say. Mother and Father had bought a regal gown for Mayor Mare, hiring the court tailor of a local count to do the work. Rarity had seen the gown, and it was stupendous, something befitting a pony as important as Ponieville’s mayor. Next to it, anything Rarity brought the town’s leader would look like rubbish. The young unicorn got up from the table and trotted outside to clear her head. There had to be something she could give the mayor worthy of her approval. She was still young, so there wasn’t much she knew how to do other than help around the house and occasionally help her father with his cooping. Mayor Mare had plenty of servants to do the former, and she had no need of a pony who knew only how to help make barrels. There had to be something. Maybe a hat to go with her dress? No, that’s silly. Rarity’s wanderings brought her through Ponieville and out into the countryside. She didn’t stray from the path, not trusting her safety in the fields and woods, where guards didn’t patrol for bandits that often. She did leave the path as she neared a large, shadowy area, however. Cloudsdale hovered above and, like many ponies, she didn’t feel safe beneath a floating city. She still kept an eye on Cloudsdale as she trotted along, not trusting it to stay in the air, and she tripped over a root she could’ve avoided had she been watching her step. The filly picked herself and dusted herself off, grateful that nopony had seen her fall. A sudden flash and wave of multi-colored light overhead took her by surprise, and Rarity jumped backwards with an “eep,” tripping over another root. She fell back against a hillock that proved to be less sturdy than expected, and a wall of stacked stones and moss gave way. Rolling with the stones, Rarity tumbled into a hidden cave, coughing from the dust as she slid to a stop. She had no torch with her, but enough light was coming in through the cave’s entrance that she could see her surroundings. There wasn’t much to see, other than empty and decaying chests that may have once held hidden treasure before somepony looted them and closed the cave back up so the hiders wouldn’t be suspicious. It was an interesting find, but Rarity was more concerned at the moment by something poking her in her rump. She got up and discovered that it was the edge of a box buried in dirt, revealed only by her fall. Curious, she dug the rest of the box out and carried it outside. It wasn’t a very large box and must’ve been buried and overlooked by whoever had stripped the cave of valuables. There was no lock, but it had been sealed for a long time, and Rarity had to pry it open. The lid flipped back, and she was shocked by what she found. Within the box were a few small bars of silver and a smattering of precious stones, already cut and shaped. It would’ve been an exciting find for anypony, but Rarity was especially ecstatic, for she had a plan for her newfound treasure. She could see exactly what to do and how to make her dream a reality, and she hurried back home. Once she’d returned to Ponieville, she sketched out a plan and designs before setting to work. Her father had a small workshop for shaping the hoops for barrels, and she used it to melt down and shape the silver bars. She meticulously worked at her goal until at last she had completed her plan. Rarity marveled at her creation, a stunning silver necklace set with precious gems, an accessory that would perfectly complement the dress her parents would be presenting the mayor. Surely, she’d be pleased with something so exquisite and beautiful. So enthralled was she with her creation, Rarity didn’t even realize that three diamonds had appeared on her flanks. *** Year 1000 of the 4th Age “Of course, Mayor Mare was delighted by my gift, but I still had much to learn,” Rarity said. “Wow, Rarity, I can’t believe you never told me that before!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, delighted by everything about the sibling she idolized (though not to the extent that Scootaloo idolized Rainbow Dash.) “Yeah, yeah, that’s great and all,” a not-nearly-as-impressed Scootaloo said, “But let’s not forget our goal, Crusaders. We need to find Rainbow Dash!” After thanking Rarity for sharing her story, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle followed Scootaloo out of the shop. Even if their pegasus friend was inexplicably fixated on Rainbow Dash, she was right. Their goal was to ask the Hunter about her experience getting a cutie-mark, and so far they’d been sidetracked three times by other Brave Companions telling them their tales. Apple Bloom was beginning to think that that wasn’t such a bad thing, and that maybe they ought to ask Twilight Sparkle and Pinkamena their stories as well to get the whole set. As it turned out, she didn’t even have to bring up the idea for it to be put into action. When searching for Rainbow Dash in the Green Dragon Tavern, they’d run into Twilight Sparkle. They’d asked for information on Rainbow Dash, been questioned about their motives, and the sorceress had offered to tell them how she’d gotten her cutie-mark. Scootaloo didn’t struggle this time, resigned to what seemed inevitable by this point, and sat down at the table across from Twilight. “Having been born in Cant’r Laht, I naturally grew up seeing powerful sorceresses and sorcerers on a daily basis. Both my parents are mages, so it was only natural that I would desire to become one as well. I truly became devoted to that goal, however, after witnessing Celestia use her sorcery to raise the Sun at the summer solstice ceremony,” Twilight Sparkle narrated, “I wanted so badly to be a great sorceress like her and devoted all my time to the study and practice of the arcane. Then, one day, an opportunity beyond my wildest dreams appeared. Celestia was searching for a young aspiring sorceress to take on as her apprentice, and I had to apply. Having received some informal training from her previous apprentice, I was confident that I would be chosen. That is, until it was time to face the test all prospective apprentices had to go through …” *** Year 988 of the 4th Age Twilight Sparkle stood nervously in a near-empty room of Cant’r Laht Castle, shuffling her hooves while she waited for the exam to start. The Panel watched her judgmentally, two sorcerers and two sorceresses, none of them fans of her family. Night Light and Twilight Velvet Haltrotsun knew this and stared daggers at the Panel from the side of the room, daring the judges to take out their hatred of their family on their daughter. The young Twilight was unaware of the bad blood and was more concerned about her performance, tugging at the edges of the sorceress robes that had been specially tailored for this event. Where’s Celestia? I thought I was going to be demonstrating my magic for her? At last, something happened. A castle servant wheeled in a cart upon which was perched a purple-spotted egg. Twilight’s parents watched skeptically, certain they’d heard something about phoenix eggs being part of the test, but held their tongues; no reason to upset the Panel unnecessarily, and they weren’t even supposed to know about the phoenix eggs. Twilight Sparkle approached the cart hesitantly, unsure of what she was supposed to do. “Well, Miss Haltrotsun, are you going to hatch the egg or not?” one of the sorceresses asked derisively. Twilight hadn’t studied any egg-hatching spells, or at least none of the ones she’d read about were meant for this kind of egg, whatever it was. Maybe if she combined a few different spells together . . . but she’d never tried anything like that before. She wasn’t even sure if she could pull something like that off; up till now, she’d only been able to cast the simplest spells. The task was likely impossible, and the aspiring sorceress began to despair. She knew she had to take this chance, though. Becoming a great sorceress was her dream, and nothing would please her more than to study directly under Celestia, the greatest sorceress in existence. Scrunching up her nose, Twilight Sparkle prepared her spell. Unsurprisingly, nothing happened. She strained and pushed and tried all kinds of things, quickly depleting her magical reserves on spells that never did more than brush against the egg, until she was exhausted. “Is that all?” one of the sorcerers on the panel asked as Twilight collapsed in defeat, hiding a smile. “I’m sorry, but I cannot hatch it,” Twilight said softly, crushed. The Panel scribbled down notes on the parchment in front of them, and Twilight looked remorsefully out a nearby window. A bright flash in the distance was followed by an expanding wave of multicolored light. As it swept past Cant’r Laht, the filly felt something inside her ignite. Magical power like nothing she’d ever felt before flowed through her, and she redirected the sorcery in the direction of the egg. The shell glowed, and cracks formed along its surface until it broke open, releasing a slimy baby dragon who gasped his first breath of air. The Panel gasped in amazement and mortification. She did it! How? The magic did not cease surging within Twilight the moment she completed her spell. It continued to grow, quickly spiraling out of control, and sparks arced over the foal’s body as she began to levitate, a brilliant light shining from her eyes. Sorcery left her in all directions, picking up the Panel, who tried to cast their own spells to put themselves back on the ground, only to find themselves trapped in a magic they couldn’t overcome. Leaves and vines began to sprout over her parents’ bodies, and they also found themselves unable to counter the sorcery. Fire, lightning, and ice flashed around the room, destroying walls and furniture. A blast of magic struck the newborn dragon, transforming him in an instant into a behemoth that nearly filled the room. Like every mage in Cant’r Laht, Celestia sensed the great disturbance in magical energy nearby and rushed to the scene. She was thoroughly unprepared for the utter chaos that awaited her, but quickly tracked down the source, a small and terrified foal blossoming with magic. She made her way toward Twilight Sparkle through the storm of Power, able to deflect it with her impressive magical skills and cast a spell to calm her mind. As the ancient sorceress placed a hoof on the foal, the magical storm began to abate and everything reverted to the way it had been before, except that the dragon remained hatched, something Celestia was appalled to see. “What … what happened?” Twilight Sparkle asked, rubbing her head before realizing that her sovereign was standing over her and bowing low. “Twilight Sparkle Haltrotsun,” Celestia said authoritatively. “Yes?” the young filly asked, fearing a reprimand or worse for the destruction surrounding her. “It appears that your talents have gone unnoticed thus far, but we cannot allow such raw magical power to remain wild and untrained,” Celestia said, and Twilight feared the punishment, “Therefore, I will be taking you on as my apprentice and training you personally.” Twilight was shocked, her parents were thrilled, and the Panel was aghast. “Your Grace, we have not yet gone through all the candidates,” one of the sorceresses on the Panel reminded Celestia with a nervous laugh. “I have made my decision,” Celestia said with finality, whirling on the Panel with a scathing look, “Twilight Sparkle will be my next apprentice.” *** Year 1000 of the 4th Age “I later discovered that my cutie-mark had appeared during the test as proof of my destiny to become a sorceress and my talent with sorcery,” Twilight concluded her story for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Scootaloo was eager, as always, to get moving again, and hustled her friends out of the tavern. At least this time she remembered to thank the sorceress for sharing her story. The three fillies had no other option to find Rainbow Dash than to scour Ponieville looking for her. Townsponies gave them all kinds of conflicting directions based on where they’d seen the Hunter last, and soon the Crusaders were going in circle. They were trotting through the market for the third time when a pink ball of energy suddenly crashed into them. “Sorry about that,” Pinkamena apologized as she helped the foals up, “Hi, Apple Bloom. Hi, Scootaloo. Hi, Sweetie Belle. What are the three of you trying today?” “We’re lookin’ for Rainbow Dash. Have y’ seen her?” Apple Bloom asked. “Have you tried Sugar Cube Corner?” Pinkamena asked. “Did you see Rainbow Dash there?” Sweetie Belle said. “Well, no, but that’s where I’m headed so I can keep an eye out for you,” Pinkamena admitted, “Why are you looking for her anyway?” “Alright, let’s hear it,” Scootaloo said. “Hear what?” a bewildered Pinkamena wondered. “The story of how you got your cutie-mark,” Scootaloo said, as if it were apparent to everypony, “We’ve already heard from all the Brave Companions except for you and Rainbow Dash, so let’s get your story out of the way and maybe we’ll finally find her.” “Okey-day, sounds like a fantastic idea! I can tell you on the way to Sugar Cube Corner,” Pinkamena said as she began bounding along, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders followed (without the bounding), “It happened on a day like any other, on the rock farm where I grew up …” *** Year 988 of the 4th Age A bitter wind swept across the barren expanse surrounding the Pie family’s quarry outside of Holderton. It was a lonely, dreary life, and the Pies followed a very strict, austere lifestyle. It was cloudy overhead, as it usually was; somehow, the region around Holderton seemed to attract them. These clouds looked like they meant business, though. A storm was coming, and the Pies scrambled to finish their work before the rain began to pelt down. Pinkamena and her sisters were busily hauling wagons of stone to the storehouse, when the rain began to fall and their mother called for them to return to the cottage. Pinkamena was lagging behind, but she couldn’t just leave her load out in the open during the storm, where the wagon was liable to tip over and be smashed apart—she’d already been reprimanded for that once—so she carried on to the storehouse. The rain was pelting down by the time she arrived at the storehouse, and by the time she secured the wagon inside, it was a torrent. She tried to make her way to the cottage, but a fierce wind had come with the rain, and she could barely move forward. The wind, water, and lightning in the air whipped her carefully combed mane into a tangled mess in no time, and Pinkamena began to despair that she’d never make it back home. Just then, a streak of multicolored light shot through the sky, slicing a path through the clouds. For the briefest minute, Pinkamena looked up at the brilliant display that faded to give way to the clearest blue sky until the clouds closed back in. Pinkamena stood still in amazement as the rain continued to gush down on her. She’d never seen anything so fantastic, not in her life of grays and browns. The only things even approaching the brilliance of that ephemeral path of light were the pigments of some of the scarce plants and stones she’d seen before. She’d never known such joy, and was grasping for a way to express it, a way to share it with everypony. First, she would need to share it with her family, and she knew just how to do it. Pinkamena returned to the storehouse with a spring in her step, and worked all through the storm, which lasted the night and into the next morning. As dawn came and the clouds ceased their deluge, the Pie family emerged from their cottage and set out in search of their missing family member. The storm had been a real tempest and they feared the worst, but held out hope that she’d retreated into a cave or some other place of safety and ridden things out. “Mother, Father, Maud, Limestone, Marble!” she called out from the storehouse as she swung the door open, and her family turned with relief to see her silhouetted in the doorway, “Come quick!” “Pinkamena Diane Pie, is everything all right? You aren’t hurt in any way?” her mother asked as the family entered the storehouse and grew quiet at the sight they were met with. Using whatever she could find, Pinkamena had decorated the storehouse for a celebration. She’d made her own paints from soil and plants and moved stones to form seats and tables. Pinkamena had done so much in one night, it was more than impressive. The Pies were awestruck. and the joy that Pinkamena radiated was contagious. “Everything’s great!” Pinkamena exclaimed in answer to her mother’s query, “I saw the most wonderful thing in the world last night, and I have to share it with you! I’ve got all kinds of ideas for fun games and songs and everything too! It’s going to be a blast!” “Well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt to wait to get back to work until after a celebration,” her father admitted, “You’ve certainly outdone yourself, and celebrations are in order for your safety.” *** Year 1000 of the 4th Age “… and that’s how I threw my first celebration and got my cutie-mark for bringing joy to other ponies,” Pinkamena finished up just as they reached Sugar Cube Corner. “Wait, then when did you become a bard?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Shortly thereafter. I use my songs to bring joy to other ponies, so it’s part of my cutie-mark-destiny-package too!” Pinkamena said with a smile. “Then why did you become a baker?” Scootaloo asked. “I just really like muffins,” Pinkamena admitted, baffling as always. It looked like the time in which they’d get meaningful answers from Pinkamena had ended as she bounded through the doors of Sugar Cube Corner humming merrily to herself. The corner where Rainbow Dash usually did her practice wasn’t far from here, and Scootaloo tried to get a look at it before they headed into the bakery. She was out of luck; no sign of Rainbow Dash there. Expecting yet another distraction, the young pegasus followed Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom into Sugar Cube Corner. “Rainbow Dash! At last!” Scootaloo exclaimed as she spotted her in the bakery among the other Brave Companions. “I hear you want to know the story of how I got my cutie-mark,” Rainbow Dash said with a grin as she beckoned the fillies to her table. “Would I ever!” Scootaloo said, jumping into the chair. “Alright, I hear Fluttershy already told you the first part of the story, so I’ll skip ahead to after I left Cloudsdale,” Rainbow Dash said while Scootaloo bounced up and down in anticipation, “We were dashing around like crazy during our duel, and soon we were out of sight of both the city and the other Hunters-in-training who were following us …” *** Year 988 of the 4th Age Rainbow Dash and Luther darted through the sky, getting farther apart each time before slamming their swords together when they met. Their blows were becoming harder and harder, the momentum helping immensely, but the practice swords held up. They were able to strike each other a few times, but neither of them wanted to yield, so they kept at it. When they neared some low-floating clouds, they took advantage of them to hide and ambush each other, and each received several wallops from the other. They would be battered and bruised by the time they returned to Cloudsdale, but they didn’t care. Fluttershy was Rainbow Dash’s best friend, a pony who’d shown kindness to her when her own family wouldn’t, and she wouldn’t let this punk abuse her. Luther was sick of Rainbow Dash’s cocky attitude, and he aimed to put an end to it once and for all by beating her so soundly that she’d never act so self-assured again. They were children, but children in the process of being trained to kill, and they showed no mercy to each other. After a particularly brutal exchange between them high in the sky, Luther dove toward the ground, hoping to hide among the trees below and ambush Rainbow Dash where she wouldn’t have as much maneuverability. Seeing exactly what he was planning, the filly dove after him, pushing herself in order to catch up. Faster and faster they flew, until Luther realized he wasn’t going to be able to outrun her and spun around to face her. Rainbow Dash swung her practice sword at the other trainee, and he raised his weapon to block. At the moment their blades struck, the impossible happened. A blinding flash erupted from the contact point, and Rainbow’s sword snapped the other in two. A deafening boom sounded as the dull practice sword continued to move, slicing through Luther’s body while multicolored lights danced across its edge. A wave of multicolored light exploded outwards in a wave from the sword strike, tearing Luther to bits, and Rainbow Dash was knocked unconscious by the explosion. After she fell, the wave continued to expand, five beams of light within it. Three of them were indistinguishable from the wave of light, vanishing before it dissipated, but two continued on, one northeast in the direction of Manehattan and one southwest in the direction of Holderton. *** Year 1000 of the 4th Age “When I came to, I had my cutie-mark, a lightning bolt representing my speed, precision, and lightning strikes on the battlefield,” Rainbow Dash finished. “Amazing!” Scootaloo said, and Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle agreed, “That was your first sonic rainboom, right?” “That’s right,” Rainbow Dash said admitted. “Remember the explosion and wave of light I told you about?” Fluttershy asked, “That was the sonic rainboom, and that’s how I got my cutie-mark because of Rainbow Dash. If she hadn’t scared away the animals, I might never have learned of my unnatural affinity with creatures and may have returned to Cloudsdale.” “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Pinkamena said excitedly, “You saw beams of light coming off the rainboom, right?” “I caught a glimpse before I passed out, yeah,” Rainbow Dash said. “What if one of them was the beam that shot through the storm and inspired me to do everything that led to me getting my cutie-mark!” Pinkamena said. “Maybe th’ path I saw leadin’ back t’ Ponieville was from your rainboom too,” Applejack said with awe, “Y’ said Cloudsdale was nearby then. If I hadn’t gotten that sign, who knows what might’ve happened!” “Now that I think about it, what I saw that day that startled me into a cave did look like your sonic rainboom,” Rarity said, “I’d have never found those jewels and may never have gotten my cutie-mark if it wasn’t for that.” “There was a flash of light when I was being tested to become Celestia’s protégé too,” Twilight Sparkle said in a daze, “This is uncanny! How could it be possible that we were all linked? It is too much of a coincidence that we all got our cutie-marks because of the same event, and then just so happened to meet up years later and became the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. This is so bizarre. I am definitely writing Celestia a letter about this.” *** My most faithful apprentice, Twilight Sparkle, I am so pleased that you have shared this with me, as it all but confirms many of the suspicions I have had for years. Scholars have long suspected that the Conjunction was not a unique, one-time event. The theories they put forth postulate that one day our world will collide with another again in a Second Conjunction. I believe that this Second Conjunction has already occurred, and it occurred on the day that I chose you to be my protégé. Rather than a collision of worlds, it was more of a brushing past, and it is possible that this is not the first time that something like this has happened. The reason that this occurrence stands out as noticeable is because certain pieces were in just the right places for this brush-past to have an effect. I theorize that the contact point between our world and another was the exact point in space where Rainbow Dash’s sword struck, releasing the energy of that world and causing it to propagate as a ‘sonic rainboom,’ as she has so dubbed it. Something from the other world entered ours on that day and is perhaps what has bound you and your friends to each other, such that it was inevitable that you would all one day meet. There is more to it than this, though. A new magic entered our world on that day, different from the sorcery we are accustomed to, and you have already begun to discover it for yourself. From your letters and my own inquiries and existing knowledge, I began to piece things together, and these stories you have now shared with me finalize things. This new magic entered each one of you. Before the Second Conjunction, the records of the Grandmaster of the Sparrow list Rainbow Dash as an adequate fighter, but nothing special. It was only after the Second Conjunction that she had the speed, instinct, and brutal skill that makes her such a capable Hunter today. Likewise, Pinkamena’s visions and premonitions, of which you were so skeptical because they could not be measured as the magic you know, did not come about until after the Second Conjunction. The lands of the Apples were in danger of failing and being parceled out by Mayor Mare with only Applejack and her brother tending the fields until Applejack returned after the Second Conjunction. Now, the Apples tend land of such an expanse that no other family so small could tend and it continues to flourish wherever Applejack is involved. Fluttershy could not understand and communicate with animals until after the Second Conjunction. During my procession through the White Tail Woods, I was able to see a piece of the barding Rarity repaired and can confirm it was unknowingly enchanted by an unknown magic, a magic impossible before the Second Conjunction. And you, my dear apprentice, have also been affected by this new magic. Before the Second Conjunction, you were disappointingly lacking in skill and magical potential, but now you are able to master spells in days that would take other ponies years to learn, and your magical potential continues to grow and regenerate far faster than normal. All of you are changed, all of you have supernatural abilities, though you have not realized it. I look forward to speaking with you about this soon when we meet in Cant’r Laht for the summit. Signed, Celestia Matron of Sorceresses in Cant’r Laht, Guardian of the Sun, and Protector of Ponieville