//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: My Little Tricorn // by GamingWolf //------------------------------// Are you dead yet? Twilight Sparkle rolls her eyes in good humor at the letter. She lowers the letter from her face and strolls over to her bedroom desk. Mountains of books, paper, and scrolls call the desk home along with a computer. Magenta energy from Twilight’s horn sparks the machine to life. A few mouse clicks later and the speakers begin to ring softly. Bloop. A new image on the screen replaces her reflection which makes her grin grow wider. “Morning, Sparklebutt.” “Good evening, Shieldbutt.” “How are the preparations for the Friendship Festival proceeding?” Twilight heaves a sigh. “That bad, eh?” “Shade, where do I start?” Twilight huffs. Shade levitates a bottle to her lips with her crimson magic. After taking a swig she asks, “How about starting with the biggest problem and work your way down?” “I think the biggest worry I have is about my student,” Twilight confesses. “The alien? She reveal her true colors?” “She is not an alien,” Twilight deadpans. “You even ran the tests and triple checked my results. She is as much a tricorn as you.” “Exactly,” Shade says with a grim tone. “We both know my true origins. For all we know, your student could be one of hundreds of villains from my world.” Twilight frowns. “When Vesper Comet is not acting like a certain tricorn I know,” her violet eyes glare at the yellow serpentine eyes on the screen, “she is an excellent student and a model citizen.” “Then she would still be acting like me,” Shade retorts with a smirk. “So why did you leave her with me?” “You want me to take her off your hooves?” Shade counters. Twilight deflates. She shakes her head and sighs. “I left her with you because you had already named her and were acting like a mother by the time I arrived.” Shade smiles, “I did not want to rob you of an opportunity you had waited over a millennia for.” Twilight smiles sadly. “I don’t want to let her go,” she admits with teary eyes. “That is how they grow up, Sparkler,” Shade replies with a tender smile. “How did you do it?” Twilight asks. Shade drinks from a second bottle and empties its contents. “Lots of vodka,” is her answer. Shade hiccups. “I had to just trust her. Let me warn you now: foalhood is going to look like a walk in the park. Seeing her grow up is wonderful—but watching her fly is even more amazing,” Shade informs sagely. Her mirth fades from her eyes and her face grows grim. “I’m sorry for—“ “Shhhhh!” Shade hushes her friend. Shade takes a moment to collect herself. “Penumbra is,” Shade swallows hard, “in a better place. Without suffering,” her voice strains and she fights back the tears. Twilight’s heart aches. Penumbra’s death at the hands of the Humans had brought the nigh destruction of the world and the unfortunate deaths of the former diarchs. Twilight lost a mentor and a friend that day; the world lost two great leaders; Shade lost a part of herself. With only the two of them left of their original friends, Twilight had found herself relying more on Shade and vice versa. Albeit a surprise, the news of Shade being pregnant had made Twilight happy, if a little jealous. Penumbra had been the ray of hope Shade needed since Pinkie’s death. The flash backs end when she hears Shade sniffle. Twilight imagines reaching into the monitor screen and hugging her friend. A long silence hangs between them. Shade collects herself after a few deep breaths. Shade chuckles meekly. Twilight grins, “What?” “Just. . . thinking. . .” Shade rests her head on her desk and gazes up at Twilight. “I miss the days of yore,” she chuckles. Twilight mirrors her friend and giggles, “Me too. It all seems surreal. As if the past was all a dream.” “Having us write diaries was one of your greatest ideas. Not at the time,” Shade laughs. “But I cherish every letter in those tomes now.” “Me too. It feels as if everyone is still here,” Twilight shares. An alarm ringing startles the both of them up. Shade levitates a clock over to her. She tosses the object over her shoulder absently. “Duty calls,” Shade says with a thin smile. “We should get together. When was the last time we saw each other?” Twilight questions aloud. After tapping her chin in thought, Shade answers, “Last Friendship Festival.” “Exactly!” Shade smiles. “As much as I’d like to drop everything and hang out, there are big changes happening that require my supervision. Until our schedules are both free I’m afraid we’ll just have to continue our little chats via internet.” “Oh. . .” is Twilight’s despondent reply. “Catch ya later, Sparkler!” Bleep bloop. Call ended. “Bye,” Twilight’s voice hangs in the early morning darkness. A Quick Look into the History of Equestria Equestria, the largest melting pot of species in the world. A peaceful land ruled by a wise, beautiful, benevolent, and just Princess Twilight Sparkle. Earth ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, Bat ponies, Crystal ponies, Donkeys, Mules, Deer, Kirin, Buffalo, Yak, Changelings, even Dragons, Griffons, Zebra, Hippogriffs, and Humans call Equestria home. Was Equestria always a peaceful place? No. Before Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled Equestria. From a time before Equestria, the two alicorn sisters lay the ground work for peace in the land by uniting the three pony tribes of Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth ponies. The princesses had to protect their budding country from enemies both foreign and domestic. Unfortunately, even from each other. Princess Luna fell into darkness and Princess Celestia had to use the Elements of Harmony on Nightmare Moon (Princess Luna’s dark alter ego). Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon for a thousand years. Peace had returned to Equestria. On the night of Nightmare Moon’s return, Princess Twilight Sparkle (at the time not yet a princess) and her friends learn they are the Elements of Harmony bearers. The seven of them are able to defeat Nightmare Moon and return her to her original self as Princess Luna. For the next decade, the time period known as the Harmony Reform Period, Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends save Equestria and the world countless times from evils such as: Discord, Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra, and the Storm King to name a few. After the Storm King’s defeat, nopony expected any more dangerous rulers to attack—least of all—a ruler well known in Equestria. The Tricorns, an old species to be sure but a new sight in Equestria. Only three had been documented and the three were a family. When Deathly Belladonna disappeared for a few years, nopony expected her to return as the “Kaetsara of the Tricorns” nor the thousands of troops with her. War broke out. Deathly Belladonna had turned Equestria’s allies and used them to assault Equestria from all sides. Initially at her mother’s side, Nightshade Toxin assassinates Deathly Belladonna to end the war. Grey Smith, Shade’s father, takes the title as Kaetsar and begins amending the relationships of all involved in the war. The war takes its toll on all sides with Equestria losing Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and Prince Shinning Armor. Today’s best estimates of the casualties are estimated that each race lost about fifty-six percent of their total population with the exception of the Griffons which lost about eighty percent of their population. Peace is established once again. Not only peace but prosperity. Tricorn advances in magic, medicine, alchemy, and engineering boost the growth of all the races. When Kaetsar Grey Smith passes away his daughter ascends to the position of Kaetsara. The next big event in history is the emergence of Humans. Humanity originates from an alternate world of Equestria. Documents from the Crystal Empire are the first reports of Humans. Ponyville sees an emergence of Humans next, followed by Tricorntopia. Eventually, the two worlds begin to merge with each other. The Humans decide destroying the alternate world the only option to stop the merging of worlds. The Princesses Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and even a teenage Flurry Heart including all magically inclined species combine their strength to magically separate the worlds. Magic overrules space-time and successfully separates the two worlds. Unfortunately, some five thousand Humans are stranded in a new world and watch as their home is destroyed by their own hand. Kaetsara Nightshade Toxin annexes the Badlands from Equestria to put all the Humans in one place. With the aide of the Princesses, Kaetsara Nightshade Toxin terraforms the Badlands into a hospitable land. The Humans call the land Eden. After a few years under the rule of the Kaetsara, the Humans became angry. They believe she is keeping them all prisoner. The wall built around Eden did nothing to dismiss the idea. Kaetsara Nightshade Toxin sends her daughter, Velitsara Penumbra Azalea, to start peace talks. The Humans decide to take the Velitsara as a hostage. Kaetsara Nightshade Toxin was never known for her patience. She delivers an ultimatum to the Humans from an airship above the capitol of Eden. Nopony is certain who shot and killed the Velitsara. History remembers quite vividly the immediate massacre that followed her death. Kaetsara Nightshade Toxin even defeats Princess Celestia and Princess Luna in a gruesome display of power. Princess Twilight Sparkle, an old friend of the Kaetsara, is finally able to stop her rampage; not by force, but with compassion. The Kaetsara sets aside her emotions and grief in order to help the innocent Humans (those who were not in the political party that wanted to start a revolution). Eden returns to a beautiful, hospital land overnight. The wall is destroyed around Eden and Humans are given citizenship in Tricorntopia which also gives them rights. Humans help advance technology by a thousand years. With their knowledge of their previous home, they introduce electricity, electronics, automobiles, satellites, and the internet. Instead of looking at the differences between a species, finding the similarities is the essence of peace. Understanding a culture not only opens one’s eyes but allows the viewer to see from a different perspective. Everyone benefits in the end from peace. Vesper Comet huffs a breath of relief and bows.