THEN
In the frozen lands of the crystal empire, a mare was about to find her way home...
Sunset Shimmer burst out of the mirror. Its surface rippled then stilled. Leaving only light frost on its now glossy surface.
As Her shoes hit the tiled floor, She stumbled. Little sound echoed through the once throne room of Queen Amore.
Curiosity pulled her to play with the thing in her hand. Smooth as it was with little adornments. Runes glowed in patchy bits seemingly at random. Her hand squeezed harder. Its bright blinking light seemed to overwhelm her, speaking whispered convictions of deeds yet done.
She turned staring at the mirror.
Our doom and Theirs. The phrase played over and over in lilting tones. Our doom and Theirs. Slowly rung with the finality of a funeral pyre.
With light steps, her feet took her back to the mirror. Standing there staring at the thing, She reached out a hand. A hairs breadth away from away the surface. She could see the pores of her hand and the scars that it bore.
"Not yet, soon, Lovely." A voice said, fondness oozed from every pore. She shivered. Taking a breath of growing stale air. She turned back, ignoring the deep seated thing that wanted it dead, with fire.
She wiggled her tense hand.
"Not yet, indeed."
Instead, She breathed even and calm, for a moment all was silent and waiting. Only in the din of the night did the frost-crows lay awake and hunting.
The burning took first. Her seals flared with a suddenness that made her draw breath, sharp and tight. She coughed meekly.
Sunsets throat spasmed violently, Twitching madly. She covered her mouth with her hand. She bit her lip to keep the blood from spilling onto the floor.
She paid no heed to the blood that plopped down below.
She swallowed.
"I should have brought a mask. Your slipping off the roads." A gurgling voice groaned out.
Wiping the blood on her cloths, She stomped her foot after a particularly biting jolt. A gloom of light blossomed from the runes engraved into her clothing...burned into her skin.
"You can do this." She said, her words echoed through the large chamber.
She walked towards the door.
Standing at what amounted to opening old wounds. Her hand found the door handle.
She allowed herself another moment to breath.
The soft whistle of her breath was the only sound to be heard in the room.
She smelt the air and tasted...memory's. The smell of floor polish and cake wafted in the air. Cake...She smiled then as if the bitter thing of memory was only a fancy, a dream. Allowing the warmth of those memory's to flood her.
She remembered a warm wing wrapped tight, the games of tag In the courtyard, And the faint taste of chocolate on her tongue.
Before she could open the door. The force of what she was surely about to do, came upon her.
After she opened that door it would be the first time. No last time she would be on Equestrian soil..
How long was it, again?
She didn't have a answer.
Fortunately, She opened the door.
What greeted her was a strange mix-match of body's, some crystal pony's, others having the softness of flesh. All Lay still, unmoving.
She did not smile and did not wave about in glee. She merely took one step and then two.
Taking on the burden of saving her home.
NOW
In the royal suites tongues were wagging...
Twilight Sparkle awoke to someone licking her face, enthusiastically.
Light blinded her eyes briefly before she could fully open them. Blinking away the spots, she smiled at the sight.
"Spike." She whispered, her brother cooed softly as she rubbed her hoove against the frills of his head. She brought her face over to his. She stared as he twisted this way and that. Until she had a brilliant idea. A Smashingly Brilliant Idea.
She grinned with the spark of madness or sibling rival...she meant bonding. Sibling bonding.
The words of her brother echoed through her head. Dork Dork Dork.
She opened her mouth and brought her tongue closer to his face.
She waited a moment to savour the imminent glory that would be her satisfaction.
She would the top Sibling! Top Sibling! No more cooking for her! She-
She felt the touch of a finger on her face.
On her nose.
Her eyes crossed and her face scrunched up. She turned her face away, ready to sneeze.. And then…
She sneezed. Unfortunately the residue of magic in her nose decided enough was enough and blew the tasteful and very VERY old furniture, into a wall, and cracking. She rubbed her nose furiously. A vivid red bloomed at its tip.
"Ugh-" she groaned. "-My nose."
She heard the sounds of laughter. Her nose growing redder by the moment. Shone brightly and starkly against the crystal floor.
It positively glowed in vivid maroon against her purple fur.
"Spike!" she growled.
"Ha ha ha." his voice resounded in the spacious room. Little motes of flame escaped his maw. Slowly and surely burning away the blankets of their bed and the furniture...that was already broken. Twilight Smiled and couldn't help but laugh.
Her own laughter joined her brothers amide broken furniture, flame and the growing redness of her nose. Twilight Sparkle was happy. Truly happy.
As Twilight Sparkle heard the door door handle jiggle. A tired and hopeful smile played on her face. Today Obviously couldn't get worse, right?
She got off the slowly burning away bed. unhindered by the flames as her trait as part Fire-pony.
"Fire-pony....ha ha ha ha." Spikes resounded from behind.
She swiftly turned around.
"Ohhh."She said, pushing her bright burning nose into his scales that burned equally bright.
"I was Five." She said. her hoove dug into the smouldering flames. Pushing dyeing ash this way and that, she smiled as she felt the warm body of her oldest friend and cousin.
"I told you that in confidence"
After a thought she asked the question. "How did you know I was thinking that?"
He brought a talon to her brow rubbing softly at the edge of her confusion.
"I could say that I just knew and that is true." His voice trailed off.
"But when ever you think about being a Fire-pony." He said with air quotes and a grin.
"You well, look."
He pointed down at her tail.
"What?"
"Oh."
"Yup."
"My tails on fire."
"Yup."
"Your not the only one who burned things in your sleep, are you?"
"Nope." He said, grinning a devilish grin that spoke of sharp teeth and flame.
She smiled too. A tear welling in her eye.
With a look around the room, Green and...pointedly purple flames continued to burn things.
She whistled softly.
"I think I might be a bad princess."
"Celestia was off her wings making...Me...princess."
They held each other tighter.
Suddenly a thought buried deep came to the surface of her mind.
Looking this way and that as if her fear had a face and name.
"I.."
Im only telling you because I trust you. I...
"Poppycock"
"Boulderdash"
"Marooo-Nose!" He sung, breaking the fifth octave.
"Why Doesnt she work to make anyone else long-lived?"
"What is she afraid of?"
"Why?...Why not Shiny?"
"Momma and Dad?"
"Why not...I DON'T KNOW" She whispher-yelled into her personal heater.
"Granny Smith?"
He scoffed.
"She...Nice."
He clung tighter. With the weight upon her, he whispered.
"She hit me ounce and called me a bad dragon."
He shivered not with fear, no, he was a dragon, and he wasn't scared of pony's.
He was strong and even with their magic...and the ability to teleport. Crush those different from them. came unbidden.
"Am I a bad dragon"
They held the moment. Allowing their bond to cement and deepen, sometimes silence was all that was needed.
Though neither would they forget.
Lingering in the back of their minds. Would their questions and their true answers..
"No." They said together in unison. A family.
With a flash of her horn she squelched the flames with her magic.
They looked askance at the now crispy room.
She-
"We were family before we ever met." He said.
"I know, Cousin." She said.
"Sorry, Twily."
"No No " fitting snugly her head on his.
He whispered into her fur. "What happened?"
"Well, You licked me in your sleep. So..."Her voice trailed. Her face found the bright maroon of her nose and went with it.
"I..."She said.
To Tartarus with it!
She licked him.
Sputtering he laughed falling to his side.
"Revenge never tasted so dirty." She said, her tongue hanging out. Rubbing a spout of water that she had magicked.
For a moment she considered leaving him to his unclean fate, but...
"You want a wash" She said with her horn aglow.
The tip and tap on the door resounded as a opening to a song.
"Princess and Saviour!" A voice bellowed from the door way. They both turned strangely tense. Taking a moment to cling together ounce again, just a little tighter too.
"Yes!" they rung out in unison.
Blinking owlishly at one another.
The voice beyond the door grew soft at their voices. There a pause, a concern as the tell tale signs of a stallion swallowing.
"Come on. Its not..."
"Tell us, sir." The Princesses voice rang out, wings straightening.
"There was a incident and." His voice became ruff at the edges
"There body's...they...Its."
His silence held the silence of the grave.