//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: MLP A New Generation 2: The Last of The Alicorns // by TwiShine45 //------------------------------// Sunny was shocked…or, to be more precise, dumbfounded. This relationship was only a few moments old, and already she was being asked to do something massive. Typically, friendships where the tapestries of time were only threadbare weren’t so blunt. But, it seemed that Crystal was begging for some kind of extraordinary help. Sunny could see it in her new friend’s eyes as she bustled about the kitchen, never slowing down even after making her monumental request. But as the initial shockwave wore off, the young Alicorn became unsure of how to respond. If she refused, then the friendship could end right then and there. If she accepted, then, once again, the fate of all of Equestria rested squarely on her shoulders. “…save Equestria?” She managed to sputter after a few moments. “Yes, Sunny,” Crystal responded. “…from what?” “…from a fate worse than any in all the moons I’ve been alive,” Crystal said, slowing her cooking process for the first time. Sunny heard the pony/dragon’s voice shake and saw a tear drip down her cheek. Within that one bit of systematically produced liquid, she thought she witnessed a trove of memories. Things that she’d never known before were locked away within this otherwise typical method of displaying sadness or hurt. However, this was a hurt deeper than those that might elicit emotion common among foals or the inconsolable. This one tear shed by an ancient being carried a hurt that had witnessed the division of Equestria and seemed to know what had originally caused it. Crystal’s life story, which had slightly intrigued Sunny for a few minutes, suddenly became crucial to her mission. Frankly, she wanted to know everything about her new friend. “I…I’m so sorry,” Sunny said, rounding the table where Crystal had stopped and placing a comforting hoof on the dragon/pony’s shoulder. Crystal gave her a small smile. “Thank you, Sunny. You don’t know how many nights I’ve spent in here weeping for my dear, beloved Equestria. I’ve felt like such a coward because I seemed to be the only creature in our land who still knew what friendship was and yet, for over 1,200 years, I holed myself up in here. I shut myself away from those ponies who needed me most. Ever since the war, I-“ “War?” Sunny asked. Crystal nodded. “The Great Rift War of 1,250 years ago. It was what caused the division in the first place.” “How…how did it happen?” Sunny asked, desperate for answers. “That, my dear, is something I cannot explain in a kitchen,” Crystal responded. “After dinner, I will take you into a very special room with an artifact as old as Princess Twilight herself. But come, Sunny. Let us finish preparing and go celebrate a meal with the others.” After a very delicious spaghetti dinner during which Crystal introduced herself to everyone else, they all retired to their own business. Hitch and Zipp, with Crystal’s eager blessing, went on an exploratory trip both within her inner sanctum and back in the broken outer area. She gave them a magical key that opened the doorway, so they could come and go as they pleased. Izzy and Pipp settled by the fire, speaking in hushed tones about something that nopony could decipher. Finally, Meadow went off by herself, claiming to need the time to consider some things. It was at this moment that Sunny and Crystal trotted off down one of the sanctum’s beautiful hallways. Sunny was enraptured by the building’s architecture, even deep within its bowels. Stone upon stone laid in perfect symmetry to each other, guarding the residents from the harsh elements of the outside world. There were statues of different ponies lining the hall, and with a start, Sunny recognized them as Princess Twilight and her five friends...or, at least, she thought it was five. A sixth statue resided beside Twilight, along with a curious statue of a dragon. Sunny never realized that Twilight had two other members of her inner circle aside from those she knew. But she was always eager to discover new things, so she decided to ask Crystal about it when they arrived at their destination. It didn’t take long before they got to a certain doorway at the end of the corridor. Without saying a word, Crystal used yet another magical key to open it. Swinging wide, the portal granted them access and Sunny’s jaw fairly hit the floor when they went inside. The room was massive and very brightly lit. A beautifully odd decorative piece was the tree root chandelier hanging from the ceiling, lit by what appeared to be fine gems. As Sunny’s eager light green eyes scanned downward, she started as six large thrones appeared in front of her, along with a small seventh one. She quickly maneuvered forward on the soft, plush carpet, trotting round about the thrones and noting that each one bore a cutie mark. The biggest one held Twilight’s very own. “Wow…” Sunny breathed. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Crystal asked. “Yes…yes, it is!” Sunny said as her wonder widened along with her smile. “Sunny Starscout, you are now standing in Equestria’s very own friendship mission central dispatch station. In other words, this is where Twilight and her friends, during their heyday, would head out to solve friendship problems across Equestria and throughout the world!” “Whoa…” Sunny said, “…but…how did they know where to go?” Crystal pointed towards the center of the thrones, and Sunny’s eyes followed. They turned as big as saucers when they got a glimpse of what the pony/dragon was pointing at. It was a large table, bigger than any Sunny had ever seen before. Perfectly circular and made of fine marble, it appeared to hold something just beyond its innocent exterior. As if reading her thought, the table suddenly came to life! A huge map of Equestria floated on its surface, placing both the old towns, new cities, and even the new EPUP Initiative led areas on its grid. Sunny was shocked at the map’s accuracy, and dazzled by its wondrous three-dimensional elements. “The Cutie Map,” Crystal explained as she trotted up beside Sunny, “the very thing that Twilight and her friends used to change the world.” Sunny felt like weeping tears of joy. “I…I can’t believe I’m standing in front of something so…vital to their story! I mean, it’s wonderful! It’s stupendous! It’s…far beyond anything I could ever imagine. Crystal, thank you so much for showing this to me!” “You’re very welcome, Sunny,” Crystal responded, “after all, you and your group are my first guests and friends in so long. But you’ve been gifted far beyond anypony in all Equestria.” “I have?” Sunny asked, cocking her head curiously. “Yes, my dear, you have,” Crystal said, “for you are an Alicorn, a member of Twilight’s royal family!” “WHAT?!” Sunny shrieked. “Okay, there went my hearing,” Crystal said through a smile. “I’m related to Twilight?!” Sunny shouted, dancing and prancing around in absolute joy. “Well…I don’t know if you’re directly related, but by virtue of your new magical abilities and your representation of all three pony kinds as one…yep! I’d say you’re about as Alicorn as Alicorn can get.” “Oh…thank you, thank you, thank you!” Sunny said, grabbing Crystal in a surprise hug. “You’re welcome…but you’re crushing my windpipe!” “Oh, sorry,” Sunny said, letting go, “I’m just so excited!” “I can tell,” Crystal said with a smile, however she quickly turned somber. “But that’s not all I have to tell you.” Sunny stopped her reverie as she remembered Crystal’s earlier words. “Oh, yeah…the Great Rift War.” “It all started with a death, some dust, and an organization named Scarlet Wing…”