Early A/N: be sure to open the link in the last section in a new window.
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By the time I opened my eyes, I was laying on top of Applejack. Looking around, I could see everyone was looking at this giant glowing tree… and when I looked, I could see all of the elements of harmony inside of it. “Wha… huh?” I said getting a closer look.
“Huh?” Mom said looking back at me. “Oh thank goodness, you’re alright!” she exclaimed quickly running over to me to hug me close in her embrace. “You had all of us so worried…!”
I just look over her shoulder back at the tree again. “Is that… the tree?” right as I asked that, the two piles of vines started to disintegrate, revealing both Princess Celestia and Luna. “...Oh…”
The girls just ran up to the two all looking relieved. All except for me… for obvious reasons. “We know how difficult it must have been to give up the elements of harmony…” Celestia was the first to speak up. “It took great courage to relinquish them.”
Suddenly, the tree started to glow again, and a rainbow line starting to go down its trunk… causing something to sprout from the ground. Mom cautiously walked up to the strange plant and as soon as she touched it, its petals opened up, revealing a small box with six keyholes on it. “What’s inside it? How am I supposed to open it?” Mom asked looking closely at the box.
“Six locks… Six keys…” Luna muttered a bit.
Mom turned to Celestia as if looking for an answer. She simply shook her head. “I don’t know where they are…” she said before smiling. “But I do know that it is a mystery you will not be solving alone.” She stopped to look at me for a moment. “Crystal…?” she asked walking up to me, lowering her head. “Are you oka--”
*SMACK*
The sound of that smack practically echoed through the entire forest. Causing six ponies and one princess to stand and stare mouth agape. “I’m sure… I probably deserved this for something…” Celestia said, still caught off guard from the sudden smack.
“It’s for lying to me.” I answered bluntly… right before wrapping my arms around her neck practically sobbing. “And this is for listening to me… and saving me…” Celestia suddenly looked back at Mom who only gave an ashamed look back. “Don’t blame Mom for this… I was the one who saw it myself.”
“I… can’t say I’m surprised.” Celestia smiled placing a hoof on me. “You really are a smart little girl Rebecca…”
“Rebecca??” Everypony but Mom and Luna responded.
“Actually Princess… I’d still rather be called Crystal… I think it would make things confusing in Ponyville if I suddenly changed my name especially with everypony already getting used to me. Plus I’ve gotten used to the name myself.”
Celestia smiled. “If that is what you wish dear.”
“And… there is actually 1… or 2 more things I need a favor for…”
“what is it, Crystal?”
“Well… could I get the rest of my memories back?”
“I thought that was coming… very well.” She said before placing her horn on my head. After a few moments, her horn started to glow and almost in an instant, my mind was being flooded with all my memories before Mom found me in my world. Everything me and my birth mother did… all the time we spent together. It all just came back to me.
With tears running down my face, I just rubbed my eyes trying to dry them. “Thank you…”
“If there is anything else you need, feel free to ask… I owe you that much.” Celestia said.
“...Actually… there is one thing I would like since this whole mess is fixed now.” I say before walking up to Mom. “Do you think you could… come with me to my world again?”
“Wh--.. huh?” Mom asked a little surprised. “You want to go BACK to that world??”
“Not to stay there… There’s just something I have to take care of first.” I say turning back to Celestia. “Do you think you could meet us by the library?”
“Of course.” Celestia nodded.
“Thanks.” I smile before quickly heading outside of the forest. On the way out, I could tell that all the dangerous vines were nowhere to be seen; not even the ones I destroyed. “At least everything should be back to normal then.”
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Back at Ponyville…
Upon re-entering the town, I could see that everything was cleared up here as well… Everypony was going about their business like nothing was wrong in the first place. “Jeez, it’s like everypony is used to this by now.” I say to myself before walking over to a flower shop. “Hello?” I ask looking around.
“Oh! welcome!” A pink pony with a green mane and tail beamed. “How can I help you today?”
“Well… I’d like to buy some flowers… I just don’t know which ones to get…”
“Well what’s the occasion? I’m sure I can help figure it out for you.”
“Well… what kind of flowers do you use for someone who’s died…?”
At that the pony frowned and had a look saying she felt bad for me. “Oh my goodness… I’m so sorry, I--”
“It’s fine… really. I just would like to buy those kinds of flowers please.”
“Yes, of course…” she said getting some paper, wrapping up a bouquet of assorted white flowers, before giving it to me from her mouth. “There you go sweetheart.”
“Thanks… how much do I owe you?” I asked pulling out my bag of bits.
She just shook her head. “Take it… I couldn’t possibly charge you for the occasion.”
“Thank you so much Miss…”
“Oh, Daisy.” she said. “And think nothing of it. I’m happy to help.”
I just smiled at her. “Well thank you, Daisy.” I said before heading off to the library. On my way there, I could already see Celestia was waiting for me by the door. Looking up out of curiosity, I could tell the sun and the moon were in their proper places as well. I just levitated myself over to Celestia to get there a little faster.
Celestia looked down at me and the flowers in my hands, and just sighed. “Crystal… I truly am sorry that I couldn’t do anything sooner for both you and your family…”
“Don’t be… It’s not like you or anyone wanted this to happen.” i respond before looking around. “Where’s Mom?”
As if on cue, Mom had walked out the door to the library, levitating some flowers herself. “I had a feeling that’s what you were talking about…” she said before walking over to me, hugging me tight.
I return the hug, just as tight. “I love you so much Mom… You, Celestia, Luna… and well… everypony. All of you made me feel like I really belonged here. I really don’t know how to thank you all.”
Mom just smiled at me. “I already told you didn’t I? So did your friends… You have every right to live with us, just like anypony else.”
I just smiled before turning back to Celestia. “Do you think you could teleport us to my old house…?”
Celestia turned to Twilight. “You remember how to return to Equestria from that world, correct?”
“Of course.” Mom replied before I climbed onto her back. “Ready to go?”
“If I’m gonna be honest… I’m a little nervous… but yeah. I’m ready.” I respond nodding.
“Well then good luck you two.” Celestia said before using the spell to send us off. “And try to be back on time for the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow.” she smiled before sending us off.
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??? ???...
After being sent off by Celestia, we appeared right in front of a front door… but at the same time it was dark out. “Must be night time already…” I said before looking over at the driveway. I could see my Mom’s car hadn’t moved… which can only mean no one has bought the house yet. Who could blame them…? I just sigh looking at the police tape in front of the door.
Mom used her magic to remove the tape and unlock the door for us to enter. Upon entering, I could feel a wave of nostalgia hitting me as if I hadn’t been here in decades. A lot of things inside were still where they were before the night my father took me. “I’d be lying if I said this didn’t hurt…”
“I’d be shocked if it didn’t…” Mom responded looking around.
I just took the time to get up off her back and take a look around. I went into the kitchen and saw white tape on the ground in the shape of… well… a person. In the center of the outline was a dark stain. I can only guess what that is… I couldn’t help but feel sick to my stomach at the thought of it.
Back in the living room, Mom was looking over the pictures that she saw… pictures showing me happy with my family. “Hm?” she said looking at one of the pictures. She couldn’t help but laugh a bit.
“Huh?” I said going back to the room. “what’s so funny?”
“Is this you, sweetie?” she asked showing me a picture of myself wearing a black outfit, red hood, and an OVERSIZED plastic scythe… I just blushed red in embarrassment.
“That was… my last halloween I had.”
“Halloween?” Mom asked tilting her head.
“It’s kind of like Nightmare Night… kids go around town in costumes and say ‘Trick or Treat’ and that’s when they usually give us candy.”
“That sounds exactly like nightmare night actually…” Mom stopped to think to herself. Then she turned back to the photo in front of her. “Okay so you told me this was a costume for Halloween but… what even is it? You look like a little red riding mare who’s ready to fight the wolf herself.” she giggled a bit.
“It’s from a show that me and Mom watched together… Well at first it wasn’t together. I was just there when she watched it sometimes. She told me it was too violent for me but… I couldn’t help but still watch it. Eventually she just gave up and we watched it together.”
“And there was a person with that outfit on?” Mom asked pointing me out in the photo again.
“Yup! She also this really cool power too. She could run so fast until she was just a bunch of rose petals.”
“Well that sounds… interesting. What was her name?”
“Ruby Rose.”
“Of course it is.” Mom chuckled a bit.
Mom and I walked upstairs to see if there was anything else around. We both stopped in the same room: My room. In the corner of the room was that same plastic Scythe that Mom saw in the picture. Of course there was my bed and a little T.V… Just everything was dusty and untouched. “This used to be my room…” I said walking over to my bed, sitting on it for a moment.
“Definitely smaller than the bed back in Equestria…” Mom said sitting with me.
“Well duh, I slept alone in here Mom.” I shoved her jokingly before laying back on the bed. “Kinda wish I could take this bed back with me…”
“Uhh… I don’t think I can teleport that much with us.”
“Yeah I figured… it was just a thought.”
“Hello??” A male voice called out from downstairs.
“Huh??” Mom turned her head toward the doorway. “I thought nopony lived here anymore!” Mom whispered to me.
I slowly got out of bed to see where the voice came from. “This place is supposed to be closed off… is anybody in here?” The voice continued.
“Wait a second… I know that voice…” I said slowly looking downstairs.
When I did I saw a man and a woman walking around. “Hun, maybe the wind blew off the tape.”
“Did the wind blow the door unlocked too?” he responded. “Somebody broke in here.”
Just then a little girl about my age walked in. “Dad? Is something wrong?” The little girl asked.
“Lexi, I told you to wait in the car sweetie…” The dad responded.
“Wait… Lexi…?” I said to myself before walking downstairs to get a better look at the girl. I let out an audible gasp before running downstairs. “Alexis!!” I shout running over to her, quickly wrapping my arms around her.
“What in the--!?” The dad stopped and looked at me for a moment. “Wait… No way it can’t be… Rebecca…? Is it really you!?”
“Huh!?” Alexis exclaimed looking at me as well. “BECKY!!” She shouted hugging me tight.
“Just… where have you been all this time!? You went missing for so long… we all thought that…” The dad stuttered a bit.
“Well… for a while I’ve been living in Equestria!”
“Oh no…” Mom said to herself before slowly coming down.
“Um… where’s Equestria?” Alexis asked.
“It’s in a different world… it’s a magical place full of Unicorns, Ponies, And Pegasus!”
“Has she… lost her mind…?” The woman asked the man.
“What do you expect? She’s been missing for so long…” The man whispered back.
“Did you make any friends in Equestria?” Alexis asked calmly.
“Yup! I made a lot of friends!... I just can’t believe you’re here… wait, what are you doing here, anyways?”
“Uh… well, you know me and your mother were friends…” The woman said trying to normalize the conversation. “When we heard what happened to her… well we were just devastated. It didn’t help that you and your father went missing…”
“...” I just looked down for a moment.
“Rebecca…? Do you know where he is…?”
“...please don’t talk about him.” I said flatly.
“What? But Rebecca, he--”
“He was nothing but a monster!!” I yelled surging slightly. “All he did was ruin my life and kill Mom!!”
“K-killed… wait Rebecca what was that just now!?”
I just start panting hard.
“Crystal!” Mom quickly ran up to me, wrapping her wing around me. “You need to control your emotions… he’s gone now. You don’t have to worry anymore.”
I just looked at Mom before taking a deep breath. “Sorry…” I say before turning back to the two… who were just standing there dumbfounded.
“Is… that a…” The man started.
“A unicorn!!” Alexis yelled before hugging Mom out of nowhere. “She talks too! And she has wings!!” she exclaimed before petting Moms wings.
“S-stop!” she laughed a bit. “That tickles…!”
I just looked up at them and chuckled nervously. “I should start explaining I guess…”
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As we all sat at the table, I explained all the fights that happened between my birth mom and dad. I mentioned what my dad did to me while we were in that room… and I explained how Twilight found me on the street. “So… let me get this straight.” the man started. “Your own father killed your mother, just to take you away and experiment on you so that you could use magic?? Are you freaking serious!?”
“Jason, calm down.” The woman said placing a hand on his arm.
“Calm!? This guy is psychotic. Does anyone even know where he is!?”
Mom looked back at me before turning back to them. “Well the thing is… we do but--”
“He’s dead.”
“Wait huh?” Jason asked. “What happened?”
“W-well…” I started before holding my own arm, looking back at Mom.
“Are you sure you want to tell them this story, sweetie…?”
“...It’s still fuzzy… but when I was in that room with him; after he told me that Mom was gone, everything just went white… after that, I woke up in an alleyway alone. Later finding out that he’s dead because of me.” I said before lower my head onto the table we were sitting at. “The same magic he wanted me to have ended up killing him…”
Jason turned back to his wife for a moment before turning back to me. “And this whole time you’ve been in… ponyland?”
“Ponyville…”
Jason turned to Mom this time. “And you’re the one who’s been taking care of her?”
“For a while now, yes.” Mom responded.
“So… how come you came back all of a sudden?” Jason asked.
“Well…” I started before picking up the white flowers again. “I wanted to leave these for Mom…”
“If you want… we can take you to where she was buried.” Jason said getting up from the table. “It shouldn’t be too far from here. Melissa and I would be happy to take you two.”
“If you can… we would really appreciate it.” Mom nodded.
“Wait!” I say quickly getting up from the table, “there’s just a few things I want to take with me back to Equestria…” I then quickly head over to my room and grab a few small books, my plastic scythe… and some clothes to change into. After that, I ran back down to where Mom was looking at pictures, taking one of them: Specifically the one where my birth Mom was carrying me on her shoulders.
Jason came over to the room and saw me gathering things. “Rebecca?”
“Huh?” a stopped to look at him.
“W-well… there are bags in the kitchen. Why don’t you let me organize these for you and you can get them?”
“Alright…” I nod putting my stuff down, heading back into the kitchen. As I did, Jason quickly ran back outside to his car. When he did, he opened his glove compartment and took out an envelope, quickly heading back inside to meet with Mom, panting a bit.
“Hm?...” Mom asked looking at the letter. “What’s this?”
“When you get the chance… can you give it to her? It was supposed to be from Rachael… her mother. She was going to give it to her for her birthday.”
“You want me to be the one to give it to her…?” Mom asked taking the letter.
“You’re the one she trusts the most right now… I think it would be best.”
“...I’ll be sure she sees it then.” she said hiding it under her wing.
Eventually I came back downstairs and Jason helped me pack away my stuff into some bags. “Alright, I’m ready to go.” I smiled at Mom.
“Then… let’s hurry over.” Mom nodded still hiding the letter on the way to the car.
When we got to the car, I put my things in the trunk. Then sat in the back seat with Alexis where Mom was in the middle of us. “Becky…?” Alexis was the first to speak after the car started moving.
“What’s up Lexi?” I ask back.
“Well… I know you’re going back to Equestria and everything… but do you think you could still visit us sometimes?”
I just look to Mom as if looking for a reply. She just smiled and nodded at me. “We’d have to plan ahead so we can organize a time to meet here… but I don’t mind.”
“Thanks Mom…”
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At the Cemetery…
As we were walking through the Cemetery, Alexis was holding my hand tight while Mom was staying close beside me. We were just following Jason and Melissa the whole time since we had no idea where to even begin to look. “There’s… so many…” Mom said referring to the tomb stones. “I always hate walking into a cemetery… I usually just try to avoid them.”
After some time walking, we finally stopped when Jason and Melissa stopped in front of one of the tomb stones… I walked over to the tomb stone to see it read ‘Rachael Mello’. “Mom… could you come here too?” I asked as tears started forming in my eyes already. Mom nodded, placing her flowers down by the grave before joining me. I just slowly place my flowers down in the same spot before slowly sitting down… Mom did the same and wrapped a wing around me. In the back of us, Alexis and her parents kind of just stood back and gave us some space. “It just… it doesn’t feel real to me… that she can just be gone…” I said crying a bit.
“...Crystal… there’s something I need to show you.” Mom said levitating an envelope that was hidden in her other wing.
“What’s this…?”
“Your mother was supposed to give it to you…”
I just quickly take the letter and open it… revealing a birthday card. I just stare at the cover of the card for a moment before handing it back to Mom. “Can you read it out loud for me…?”
Mom levitated the card and opened it to read. “Happy Birthday my sweet little angel…” she read. “Everyday I can see you growing more and more. You remind me so much of myself when I was your age…” Mom said starting to cry a bit herself. Tears were already streaming down mine. “You’ve made so many wonderful friends at school and shown everyone how much you care about them. I look forward to the day you grow into a beautiful young woman… but try not to grow up too fast okay? And don’t ever change the way you are you little angel… Love, Mommy…” Mom finished trying a little bit over the card. Looking at the back of the card, there was a little necklace with a heart on it. Mom carefully detached the necklace and wrapped it around my neck. “This was on the card too…”
I just looked down at the necklace and held it tight in my hand, trembling in tears. “Thank you Mommy…” I said not letting go.
Mom just sat there with her wing wrapped around me, pulling me in tighter. We just sat for a few moments in silence.