Iron.
A light blue mare stood by a table, poring over various papers. She squinted, shuffling them with her yellow-tinted magic. Designs, diagrams, and various mathematical equations fluttered every which way in her search. Everything froze seconds later, allowing a single envelope to slip out from the sheaths of paper. It fell to the table's bare wooden surface with a small 'tink' and the unicorn's eyes locked on its location.
Smelting, hammering, forging.
A breath, once held, released as she took the letter in her hooves and methodically opened the flap. She didn't notice it--had no reason to, in the first place. Her attention was on the paper, not the workings of her heaving lungs. Not on the creeping thoughts that lurked in the back of her mind. Not on the muffled voices from above or the creaking hoofsteps that accompanied them.
Shaping iron. Unpleasant, but needed. Useful. Pure.
Minuette pored over the letter. She made every effort to commit its words to memory. Once finished, she paid no mind to her sigh, too focused on sliding the paper back into its envelope. The flap folded back over, no creases appeared--no irregularities at all, save the slight bulge in the envelope--then it was shuffled back into the other papers. Minuette's aura died. She turned away from the table and trotted across the floor, towards a contraption set up in the middle of the basement.
Necessary. Good, in a sense. Worthwhile?
Minuette paused. The background thoughts intensified. She hesitated. She pondered. Then she shook her head.
Remains to be seen.
A shallow imitation of life when it came to machinery, but this experimental prototype got the idea across. Also half the size of the final product, at least according to the diagrams. Minuette couldn't even fit inside it, and she liked to think she was fairly slim. Instead, she stuck her foreleg inside its main body--a hollow, metallic cylinder that rattled a bit when she brushed it--and once more lit her horn.
Iron. Quaint.
The interface was simplistic, but in this case that stood as a good thing. These were the kind of controls anypony could use. Restricting it to professionals would be counterintuitive. Of course, a horn was still necessary at this point, but fixing that would be trivial. A few buttons, most likely, along with a readout. The data wouldn't be visible to non-unicorns otherwise.
Such things were already in the plans. Minuette simply liked to ensure everything was thought of. She didn't need reassurance often. She was a fairly confident mare, all things considered. Today was an exception. There had been many mistakes made today.
Iron.
With a slight whirring sound, the contraption flared to life. There existed few other signs of this occurring. The main body shifted, the electric lights dimmed, and the mare's ear flicked. These were the only ways an outsider could tell anything had changed. Minuette's horn remained lit as the slightest crease appeared on her brow. The machine rumbled on.
It took exactly eleven minutes and twelve seconds. Minuette stood perfectly still. Her foreleg tingled, but there were no other odd sensations. The lights brightened, the rumbling stopped, the mare's ear flicked again, and her machine was finished.
She extracted her foreleg. Blue eyes roved emptily back and forth as she assessed the magical picture forming in her mind.
Then, Minuette grinned.
In a rapid explosion of motion, she all but leapt back to the table. Papers were rifled through with much more ferocity, now. When her spiral-bound notebook flopped out, she pounced on it with eagerness. Three different pencils, shrouded in bright yellow, flew to the page and began scribbling away at once. She might've even let out a squeak of excitement.
Minutes after, the energy died back down. Unwanted thoughts once more plagued her mind. Minuette slumped. Her gaze latched back onto her prototype. It stayed there for some time.
Then, the door to her basement laboratory creaked open. Another unicorn stepped through. Almost a carbon-copy of herself, the same manestyle and everything. They might've been twins save for the color and slight height difference.
Amy's eyes swept the sizable laboratory. They grazed by the fluorescent lights on the ceiling and the tiled floor. They ignored the shelves of mechanical parts and the scrawling-covered whiteboard. They settled on a seated Minuette's slumped form. The door swung shut behind her as she trotted inside. The mare didn't move or shift her gaze. The youth approached, quite unfazed.
"So, is this just one of those times, or is it being sad about what happened today?"
Minuette almost smiled. Amy took notice all the same, grabbing and throwing a foreleg over her withers. With a heave, the mare was back to standing. Scant inches separated the two horns. Minuette didn't have long before she'd have a challenger in stature. She couldn't be prouder.
She stood for a moment, contemplating. Then she turned back to the table.
"Iron."
Amy raised a brow, following.
"Uh, element number... twenty-six, right? 'Fe'?" This time, Minuette couldn't stop a smile from creeping up her muzzle. A similar one appeared on the teenager's. After rummaging through the scattered papers again, the envelope was located. This time, the mare didn't open it. She just held it in her hooves and nodded.
"Smelted iron. Strengthened iron. Solid, true."
Amy eyed the envelope, then the mare. A crease formed on her brow. Her hoof tapped her chin as she thought. Minuette waited patiently.
"So, like an alloy? Is this your way of answering 'both' to my question?" A pause, then a soft grunt. Minuette raised, then tilted her hoof in a 'sort of, not really' gesture. It was the same hoof that held the envelope. It fluttered and waved with the motion. Amy's ears did similarly, falling back against her skull. She joined her in sitting on the floor. "Herdmother, you're really smart. I know there's some deep analogy going on here. Could you maybe give me a better hint?" The request was reasonable. She nodded in answer. The letter was placed back on the table.
"When a blacksmith forges something, she sets her crucible hot. The iron melts under such heat. It's broken down and unrecognizable." The words took effort. Minuette strained under the force of every vocalization. "The iron's pain isn't over. It has to be hammered. Molded." She intended--wanted--to say more, but fell silent. Amy gave an understanding nod. She appeared thoughtful. Minuette found herself glancing back at her prototype as she waited.
"The iron has to endure harsh punishment," said Amy. "And it has no idea why. But in the end, it gets made into something much more valuable than what it was." The youth's gaze locked onto her herdmother. She'd noticed the prototype and decided not to pay it much mind. Not yet, at least. "This is interesting so far," she expressed, "but who does the iron represent?" Minuette paused only for a beat.
"Heath," Amy recoiled. Minuette glanced at her, not finished. "And you," the teenager became even more confused. "And me. And..." She ran out of words. She could only gesture meaningfully. Amy's eyes slowly lit up. She understood.
"Everypony. You're saying the mistakes we make, the challenges we face... make us better?"
A nod. Smiles, then a wry grin.
"You know, this allegory of yours implies the existence of a higher power, orchestrating everything." Minuette waved her hoof with dismissive vigor.
"Faust, Destiny, Cutie Marks." Amy nodded, pondering.
"Well, it certainly is optimistic. I do feel like it's a bit of a stretch to say hardship is a good thing." Amy switched her attention to the prototype before the mare could respond. The purple unicorn stood, making her way over to the machine, while the blue remained seated. "What's this, again? I remember you talking about a new design this morning." Minuette grunted. She looked back at the envelope on the table.
"M.R.I." Was her answer. Amy prodded the thing with her hoof. She tilted her head, both at the contraption and her herdmother.
"Standing for?"
Another grunt.
"Magical Resonance Imaging."
Amy blinked.
"...care to explain what that means?"
An idea popped into Minuette's head. She raised it and stood. She turned and joined her daughter. Then she gestured to the machine and tapped her horn. Amy sighed good-naturedly, giving her a knowing look. "I should find out for myself, then?" A nod, then her horn lit up. Minuette once more stuck her foreleg in the main body. This time, she was much more excited.
Amy's face scrunched. "This enchantment looks way more... simple than usual." A stolen peek revealed Minuette nodding in confirmation. The youth shrugged and closed her eyes to better focus. The M.R.I. prototype became wreathed in pale blue as Amy's magic suffused it. "Let's see... uh, that looks like an 'on' switch." Every tell from earlier returned as the machine powered on. Amy's ear even made a delayed little flick. Minuette grew giddier by the minute. Her foreleg began to tingle as Amy's facial scrunch intensified. "Well, it's definitely doing something. I--whoa!"
The teenager cut herself off. The mare fought to keep still. Her hopes were aloft. Time crawled slowly until...
"Is that... your leg?"
Minuette nodded furiously, but went unseen. Amy waited a few more moments to analyze the mental picture. Then the machine powered down. Minuette removed her foreleg from the main body and sat eagerly before her daughter. She had to fight to keep her tail from wagging.
Said daughter blinked her eyes open and regarded her with an eyebrow raised. "So, this 'M.R.I.' takes a... not a picture, really, but a scan? Of whatever you put inside? And that helps you find problems, I'm guessing?"
Hummingbirds had evolved to hover, rather than fly. Their wings could reach speeds of seventy beats per second. The rapidity of Minuette's nodding didn't quite match that, but it came close. The beaming grin on her face could feasibly replace a lighthouse beacon, should the need arise. Amy didn't share her enthusiasm. It was because she didn't understand fully why this was needed. Still, the youth grew a smile just in watching her herdmother's glee.
"Well, what else do you need help with?"
At this, Minuette stood, gesturing over to the table. There was much more work to be done. With a helper around, her mood had taken a sizable upswing. The background thoughts had almost faded away. Whenever they spiked, she quelled them with one simple thought.
Iron.
A sudden noise jolted Minuette awake. She raised her head and glanced around, bleary-eyed. She was sitting atop a cushion next to her main worktable. She had been slumped down on various papers and a half-written response letter. It took several seconds for the mare to realize the sound had been a snort. A few after that, the realization came that it'd been her own.
Minuette smacked her lips and gazed down at the table. She wiped up the small puddle of drool with her fetlock. She found her eyes landing on the spread-open letter. It was lying inches from her own. A blink, then her gaze was searching the basement lab instead.
Something felt wrong.
The mare stood, shaking her head. Her thoughts were beginning to coalesce again, which helped. Last night had been rough, but she was glad for Amy's presence and understanding. What was that metaphor she'd come up with? Iron? Minuette could get deep, sometimes.
The mare stretched, steadily growing more... not aware, exactly, but present. Like when a crew of sailors returned to manning the ship after a lunch break. The break had been last night and the sailors her thoughts.
... or something like that. Even now, Minuette struggled to explain herself. Her self. Interesting...
Do sailors even have lunch breaks?
But that wasn't important, now. Having fully woken up, she realized what felt wrong; her stomach was growling, and protesting its pain quite insistently. Minuette could continue to work in spite of it--would even have done so, given the choice, but then Whoovsie would get all mad at her. Her stallion was cute when angry, but not enough so to overpower the guilt she faced when making him worry.
It was morning, right? An analog clock hung on the far wall--one that in many ways was the basement's sole link to the rest of Equestria--said as much. Today was... Saturday. Something special nagged at her mind, but she brushed that aside and headed towards the stairs.
Various animal species hibernated through the winter, entering a deep sleep to conserve energy and heighten chances of survival. Bears, in particular, came to mind at that moment--they took shelter in caves until the time came to reemerge and rejoin the rest of Equestria. Now, contrary to popular belief, bears didn't actually sleep during this time. Ponyville's resident animal caretaker, Fluttershy, had been quick to correct that while she was a client. But bears did lower their metabolisms and spend the winter exclusively in their caves, which was fairly close to sleep anyway.
The point being, of course, that Minuette largely resembled a hangry bear emerging for the first time in months as she finished ascending the stairs. She didn't feel that way--supremely hungry, perhaps, but not disagreeable by any means--yet her bedhead, bloodshot eyes, moderate frown, and unsteady gait hardly attested to that. The mare stumbled her way to the dining room, bonking her horn and hooves on various corners as she went.
Minuette was not a morning pony.
Muffled voices and the sweet smell of fresh pancakes led the zombie-mare to the kitchen. With eyes half-closed she let her nose guide the way as she tried to blink awake. A pit stop to the hallway bathroom to splash some cold water in her face aided significantly, then Minuette continued left, towards the back of the house. Her ears twitched as she heard the ongoing conversation within just now becoming understandable.
"... all I'm saying is, you ought to at very least consider it. Can't you trust my word when I say my town isn't out to get you?" Minuette rounded the corner and entered the kitchen, feeling the chill of the tiles against her sensitive frogs.
A noise of acknowledgement from her husband let her know his general direction, but her eyes were too closed to make out anything save fuzzy blurs. "Why, hello, dear! How are you this fine morning?"
Whoovsie's voice was chipper and light, but almost forcibly so, which was worrying. Minuette opened her muzzle to form a response, perhaps one that commented on his tone, but all that came out was a dry groan. She was about to clear her throat and try again, but a warm mug of steaming coffee was all but shoved in her face instead. The mare grabbed it in both forehooves and proceeded to chug, her eyes widening as energy flooded her system.
"Better now, Min?"
Minuette mustered the presence of mind to nod, even as the mug emptied and a fresh one was placed in her hooves. Then, another voice spoke.
"I thought mares didn't need to sleep."
Small and tremulous, but with a degree of petulance that was hard not to notice. Almost without thought, the mare's blue gaze traveled across her stallion--brown maned and tan-coated, with a spiky manestyle and eyes that sparkled with warmth--to the muted green colt sitting at the dining room table some feet away. Seated on a tall chair as he was, Heath could glare down at her with rebellious fire in his amber eyes.
This being exactly what he was doing at the moment.
Minuette gulped and glanced down, her hesitance potent.
"Not quite accurate, good chap--they still need a few hours' worth. But Minnie here is known for neglecting even that! Isn't that right, dearest?" Time Turner's tone was far from accusatory--'affectionate' would have been more accurate--but the unicorn in question still gave a sheepish smile and nod. She avoided looking at the colt again, but only just. Instead, she headed for the kitchen counter, where a stack of fresh pancakes waited. Glancing around in vain, she gave a thankful nod at her husband's helpful: "Syrup's on the right," before grabbing the bottle in her magic.
Minuette refrained from turning back around as she poured the syrup. Instead, she watched the substance gloop onto her breakfast, trying to think up a good simile to distract herself. She heard Time Turner's hoofsteps as he retreated back to the table, back towards Heath. That was good.
The colt was petulant, irritated, willful.
Intelligent, agitated, fitful.
Minuette had seen the tightness of his posture, even in what brief glance she'd had. This child was terrified of her, of what she could--what he thought she would--do. It made her sick. Her pancakes seemed less appetizing every moment, but she forced the fork around in her telekinesis, anyway.
Minuette wasn't even that empathetic in the first place; she often had trouble connecting with ponies, preferring to lose herself in her work. Her herdsisters doubtless had it worse off--well, Derpy did, at least. Nurse seemed to have connected quite well, but that was to be expected.
Minuette sighed, levitating her clean plate to the kitchen sink, both males behind her speaking in hushed whispers. That look in Heath's eyes, it practically haunted her. Just imaging what could have happened to cause it, it made her want to beat the snot out of somepony, and she hardly considered herself prone to violence. As dishes, cutlery, and ingredients flew back to their respective homes, suspended in shimmering yellow, the mare's eyes landed on the bottle of maple syrup.
Like painting a golden sunrise across a canvas of fluffy clouds?
It was a stretch and she knew it, almost scoffing at herself. It did remind her, though, of a metaphor far more relevant and better thought through.
Iron.
Minuette smiled, feeling herself cheer up. She turned, finished with putting everything away, and locked eyes with her husband. She hesitated, discouraged by a still-terrified Heath, but soldiered on.
"Where's everypony else?"
Time Turner thought for a moment, tapping his chin with a hoof. Heath was leaning out from the chair and into his side, most of his weight on the stallion. Noticing this, he gently wrapped his forelegs around the colt and brought him to the tile floor. Heath took shelter behind Minuette's husband immediately, staring her down while he began to answer.
"Amy is helping set up for the Celebration--we'll have to meet up with her before sundown. Muffins is taking Dinks around to see everything and finish some deliveries. I do believe..." Whoovsie pondered some more, seemingly oblivious to Heath pressing himself ever tighter against his lower back. Minuette blinked and tried to apologize with her expression, but the colt's ears flattened and he only continued to stare. "... Nurse left a few minutes ago to check up on some business at the hospital. She neglected to share details with me, but should be back soon."
The tan stallion smiled, that same shining smile he was infamous for and that stole her heart more every time she saw it. "Until then, it's just the three of us! Don't we make a terrific trio?" Minuette smiled back, but the expression was short-lived; Heath grew yet more nervous--perhaps thanks to the reminder--and Turner's attention was back on him in an instant.
The colt was scowling at her, but shivering all over. She wasn't fooled by his aggression, more worried for his safety. He could sprain something if he kept at it like that, but luckily, Turner's calming gestures seemed to be helping.
"Who the hay is 'Nurse'?"
The stallion wrapped his forelegs around the foal, stroking his back. Heath's amber eyes never left Minuette's blue form, though his quaking did abate somewhat when she moved away, towards a window.
"Redheart's full name is 'Nurse Redheart,'" Whoovsie explained patiently. "Her first name is 'Nurse'. The situation became rather puzzling when she received her doctorate, though. In the interest of preventing mass confusion, she goes by her last name." For a moment, quick though it was, Heath seemed to become so puzzled by this information that he forgot to be scared.
"So, she's Doctor Nurse Redheart?" He said, clearly reeling from the absurdity, but both Minuette and Time Turner nodded in confirmation. The colt spent a few moments blinking, digesting this, while the mare checked outside. Their front yard was empty, as was the connecting street, but she could see ponies milling around in the distance and pegasi flitting about in the sky.
When Minuette turned to look back at the males under her current supervision, she saw them again muttering in low voices to each other. Curious and concerned in equal measure, her ears swiveled forward as she leaned in slightly. Neither of them noticed and, while her stallion knew enough about the equine range of hearing to keep himself inaudible, Heath was loud enough to be heard.
"She can do anything she wants to us. To me. Nopony would stop her. You couldn't stop her." Time Turner appeared about to disagree, but the colt cut him off. "Could you stop her? If she set her mind to it, could you do literally anything?" Silence, which was all the answer Heath needed. Turner's mouth became a thin line, while the colt's dour frown became a scowl.
Minuette's ears drooped back. She slumped to the floor, looking away. Her new family member thought that she'd soon attack. This was going to be quite the day.
"No, I won't have you insult my wife like that. Sit right there and watch." The mare's eyes widened as, before she could think, Whoovsie stood and approached her, looking back at a colt who was just as shocked as she was. "Minuette is a lovely mare--the first I pledged myself to, in fact. I won't sit by while you imply she'd do... things."
With that, he firmly grasped both sides of her face and yanked it in for a kiss.
She could have easily pulled away; no stallion's strength was enough to hold even the weakest of mares, after all. She didn't, though, obviously. The only reason Minuette didn't reciprocate immediately was surprise, but the whinny died in her throat after a few moments and she leaned in instead. Turner was wonderful. Her husband was wonderful. She closed her eyes and just let herself enjoy him for a few seconds, forgetting about anything else. This was right, this was good. Her lips formed a smile against his, which did the same.
Warmth blossomed in the mare's barrel as they broke the kiss, rubbing their foreheads together. All the sadness from a minute ago was entirely forgotten. It seemed like stormy skies were replaced by sunny weather. Her lover was caring, good, and soft like cotton.
She would protect him.
That fire every mare had for her stallion burned bright within her. She knew he felt it, that he was comforted by it. She, in turn, heard his wordless apology and accepted it. No implications from Heath would ever overpower this. She could handle things from him, was determined to help as best she could. Whoovsie understood this message and nodded, then pulled away.
They turned as one, only to see a stunned colt with tears welling up in his eyes.
"What... the hay was that?!"
Both adults blinked. The child sat, heavily.
"You... you just..." Heath sniffled, wiping his nose with a fetlock. "You looked so happy, I..."
He stared right at Time Turner with a strange expression, some mix of confusion, betrayal, and a bit of hope. The stallion was suddenly very unsure of himself, glancing inquisitively at Minuette. The mare, for her part, gave a little shrug.
"W-why... why..." Heath drooped to the floor, burying his muzzle in his forelegs. The next words out of his mouth were under a whisper.
"Why wasn't it that way for me?"
Spurred into action, Time Turner all but leapt at the colt, heaving him into a full-body hug. Minuette's ears swiveled, detecting the front door as it creaked open. She opted to leave the two to it and headed for the foyer instead of staying to try and help. Nurse was there, turned away and brushing some leaves out of her wavy mane with a hoof. It was rare to see those pink locks outside of a tight bun, but Minuette pushed that thought out and refocused.
"You're just in time, Red. Heath could really use you right now." I don't know what to do or how to help. This thought went unspoken but, when Redheart spun and locked eyes with her, she seemed to get the right idea.
"Where?"
Pointing, the unicorn breathed out a sigh.
"The kitchen."
It was as simple as that.
'Comforting duty' was officially foisted onto somepony more capable. Minuette tried to dismiss her disappointment in herself, knowing intellectually that this really was out of her hooves. Until Heath trusted her enough to not expect she'd ra... well... there wasn't much she could do.
Minuette considered returning to her basement to work on her project--that letter did still need to get finished, after all. But another thought occurred to her, one that would not allow that course of action.
The Celebration is tonight.
She would have to get ready. Princess Luna herself was coming to visit humble little Ponyville, after all.
The only question was, would Heath be joining them?
"So, this 'celebration,' as you call it, gets held annually in various locations in honor of, in your own words, 'Her Divine Majesty Princess Luna?'"
The disdain in these words was heavier than the moon itself, but Redheart nodded without a single care. The doctor didn't even break stride, continuing on the path to Ponyville's town hall. Time Turner trotted along on her right, hustling a bit to keep up and so close that their sides regularly brushed. Minuette, situated on her Alpha's left, was much farther and able to make out Amy rolling her eyes in the back. A scolding look communicated her chastisement, but the youth simply looked away.
Heath adjusted himself atop Redheart's back, letting his stubby forelegs drape across her broad shoulders. "Why am I not surprised that there's a female ruler?" He seemed about to say more, perhaps some biting remark, but fell silent at the last moment. Minuette had to admit, she was curious as to what he would have said--especially with such a strange reaction. His disrespect towards Princess Luna, a mare she'd once been a direct student under, was nigh on unbearable, but she could forgive it. Whoovsie was the one to speak next.
"Why, you sound like you've never heard of the Princess before, good chap! You did say you used to live in Manehattan, unless I'm mistaken?" The stallion's voice held only curiosity, but Heath showed no intention of responding. He only shuffled a bit, looking uncomfortable enough that the point was soon dropped. Derpy, walking on Turner's right with an excited Dinky on her back, apparently saw fit to interject.
"I promise it'll be a lot of fun! The princess raises the moon in front of everypony, brighter than any other night! It's said that whoever sees it personally has good dreams for a whole week!" While the colt seemed slightly intrigued by this last bit, he still fixed her with an unimpressed glare.
"I'm only coming along to prove a point. When, not if, some mare--maybe you--grabs me and takes off, I'll know for a fact just how twisted this place is." Derpy wilted like a dried flower and glanced away, saddened. Dinky reflexively threw her forelegs around her mother's neck, nuzzling into her withers with adorable ferocity. Redheart finally turned her head, locking eyes with her passenger, a hardness in her expression.
"I won't let that happen, Heath. I don't expect you to not be afraid, but you need to believe me when I say that."
The colt shakily gulped, then nodded. She held his gaze a few moments longer, then returned to leading her herd to their destination.
It'd taken the whole day to convince him to come, and Heath had only agreed so long as they stayed on the outskirts and didn't engage with anypony. His hesitance and fear were apparent, but so was a... difference of sorts in how he acted. If Minuette had to guess, she'd say her little kiss with Whoovsie had planted something in him, like a little seed of doubt. He might've even felt some of her fire, and was definitely feeling Redheart's right now.
But Heath had made it very clear to everypony else in the herd that this was a one-time deal, that he fully expected something terrible to happen, and that he would not be leaving Redheart's back for the duration of the Celebration.
Very clear.
Minuette knew this was a step in the right direction. If trips outside like this could become a regularity, the colt might eventually realize that nopony was out to get him. The road would be rough, but he'd eventually learn to trust his protectors. The unicorn certainly looked forward to the day when he could feel safe around her; being the object of somepony's fear was hardly a good feeling.
Yes, the road would be rough, but hardship was meant to improve.
Iron.
Minuette found her optimistic smile returning as her herd entered Town Hall, just in time to catch the last bits of Mayor Mare's introduction. Craning their necks to see over the mass of heads, they situated themselves in the outskirts, towards the back. Derpy took flight, likely both to give herself and Dinky a better view as well as make more room for the others. The crowd was tight, but Minuette and Amy were able to position themselves in a perimeter of sorts, clearing space for Redheart and Turner between them.
"And so, fillies and gentlecolts, without further ado, I now present Her Divine Majesty Princess Luna!"
Ponyville Town Hall erupted with cheering and stomping hooves as the cream-coated mayor grandly stepped to the side of the stage, gesturing to the closed curtains behind her. Minuette watched with bated breath, internally wondering how much their beloved ruler might've changed since she'd last seen her.
Abruptly, though, her eagerness turned into shock. The massive audience's applause became loud gasps of horror. The curtains had parted, revealing not a regal Princess of Night, but a barren stage.
"She's gone!" Cried somepony, as horrified gasps made way for frantic murmuring. Before mass panic could break out, however, the sun--which Minuette could swear had been much lower in the sky before---flashed mightily. Everypony was left blinking and, when their vision cleared, a majestic, terrible figure stood on the stage in place of their Princess.
A tall, slender build that nonetheless displayed incredible strength and power. Black pits for eyes, with flaming pupils that burned with emotion. Enormous, feathery wings spread wide in a dominant posture. A long, spiraling horn that stuck out at least three feet from the head. Radiant white fur that seemed to glow in the increased light of the sun. Its--Her--mane and tail were literal flame, a dark orange color that matched her fearsome regalia.
It seemed like the whole crowd shrunk away from this creature, this pony, while she stood there and surveyed them for several seconds. Finally, a wicked grin formed on the alicorn's face and she stepped forward with one powerful flap of her wings.
"Greetings, beloved subjects! You may not know of me, but I remember you." The grin intensified, turning predatory. Minuette noticed the glint of fangs, even as she moved to stand in front of Amy, Redheart, and Time Turner. "It has been quite some time since I was last around. Allow me to introduce myself."
The terrible creature took flight, rending the air and sending pegasi tumbling away as she spread her legs.
"My name is Daybreaker!" Manic laughter exploded from the mare, echoing around the building and making ears splay against heads. Colts and stallions everywhere were getting ushered into circles of mares. A glance back revealed Heath laying flat on Redheart's back, both forelegs squeezing her neck. Time Turner was equally close, with a fearful expression to match. Derpy had landed and joined the huddle, pressing against the stallion's other side.
When Minuette's gaze returned, she saw a vaguely familiar purple unicorn left standing alone in the center of Town Hall.
"I know who you are!" Minuette even recognized her voice from somewhere. Had she also been a student at Princess Luna's school? "I read the tales and saw the signs. I'm going to stop you, Daybreaker!"
This brave soul was only given enough time to light her horn. Daybreaker sneered down at her, a fiery force of nature glaring down a mere insect. Her horn lit, then a beam of flames and light rushed down and smote this rebellious pony.
When the attack faded away, only charred, smoking carpet remained.
And maniacal laughter once more rang in their ears.